Oh the Addict is getting serious..

Because she done got herself a URL! You can now reach the Addict at www.theaudioaddicts.com!! Actually it wasn't all that big a step, other than the fact I'm sacrificing two overpriced lattes for the domain... ;-)

I've also jumped on the Frappr Map bandwagon! So far I've got 13 Addicts marked- and I KNOW there are more Audio Addicts out there than that! Go on over and show the world (well, the Frappr world anyway) that you are proud to be an Audio Addict!

Or, if that isn't a good enough reason, just humor me. :-D
~Dani

Something smells cheesy in Halifax

Previously on the blog I mentioned our friends at Schlock Theatre having a new show out. Well, if you've not yet heard it, or even if you have heard it and just can't WAIT to hear it again, you're in luck!



Bride of the Monster is the main feature on The Sonic Society this week, followed by an interview with one of the main cheese Kings himself, Bruce Humphries.

Afterwards the waves of drama become more intense as we listen to episode #9 of The Yankee Clipper by Colonial Radio Theatre.


I know where I will be- where will YOU be? :-D
~Dani

Happy Anniversary Small World!

If you've not listened to the Small World Podcast yet- why the heck not? I first heard about Bazooka Joe and his interviews through- where else- Daily Source Code. That was back in October, and have been a loyal listener ever since.

So it was great to hear the backstory on the podcast, as well as Joe's history in radio and about his love of punk. It was very creatively done too- good editing. Sounds just like a regular interview! LOL!

Congrats Joe- and here's to another year of excellent interviews! I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get your Bruce Sterling interview!

~Dani

One more podcasting hit

One more from the blog mentioned in the last entry: A great guide to podcasting directories.

The Addict's Faves (yup in order of what I like):

*Podcast Pickle (well duh if they're going to feature me)
*Podcast Alley (I have to throw in a plug for my boyz up in Halifax- vote for their podcast!)
*Canadian Podcasts (for the American podcast listener who feels the need to dissent)
*iTunes (seriously, it looks nice but I ain't all that impressed. You have to wonder about a system that ONLY lets you browse if you download their program.)

The article goes into a little more depth, but I'm sure you get the idea. :-) When I get around to it I will be separating out the directories I currently have listed to the right, and make my links a little more functional. :-)

~Dani

iTunes and Featured Podcasts

More Apple goodness. From a neat blog I found through PBS, his article this week focused on Featured Podcasts on several directories, and how Apple might lean more towards corporate or commercial podcasts before selecting others:

"The bigger mystery has been AppleÂ’s iTunes Podcast Directory, with its plethora of featured slots. At the top of the directoryÂ’s home page are three large graphical spots that catch your eye in a big way. I noticed recently that those slots now rotate to feature 12 different podcasts. Plus, when you dig deeper into genres, there are more featured content slots, usually for podcasts from larger organizations. The sports category, for instance, features ESPN, CSTV and MLB.com podcasts."

However, Escape Pod has been featured in the iTunes podcast directory, so really who the heck knows?

What it really comes down to is something totally random, with really the only way you can manipulate it maybe even a bit is to just be active in the podcasting community. I know when I first made my account on Podcast Pickle, I became a featured profile after only a couple of days, which was pleasantly surprising. Then other places like Podcast Alley do it by popularity and voting, so as I said, random chaos.

Today, we have this in iTunes:


It's always fun trying to figure out chaos though. :-)
~Dani

The new buzz about iPod

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

A New Member of The Society Premiers

Oooh. I was reading the notes for this weeks installment of Sonic Society, and can't wait to hear "The Shadow Man". I just listened to the teaser, and yeah, definitely want to hear more!

Hehe.. my Tuesday listening date Dave's reaction when I linked him to the teaser:

Danielle: http://drysmoke.com/ Tuesday's show
Dave: thats neat and we'll have a date \;D/
Danielle: yes, for what I can swing... LOL
Dave: I hear ya
Dave: jobs and parenting
Danielle: I actually look forward to it becoming 4 hour difference again, it's easier for me to work with at 5 vs. 6
Danielle: I mean, you can always grab the archive, but it's not the same as live
Dave: absolutley
Danielle: http://drysmoke.com/04_smaudio.html
Dave: WOW
Dave: holy shit
Dave: wow thats neat
Dave: tuesday eh?
Danielle: yup
Dave: :-)
Danielle: you are helping me with my blog entry about the show without even knowing it ;-)


So see, if two addicts are excited, YOU should be too! Though if you can't listen Tuesday, keep your eyes open for the podcast! Of course, if you are subscribed, half the battle is won!

~Dani

More Drama Goodies...

Decoder Ring has their next podcast of Black Jack Justice up and ready for your downloading pleasure:


When Jack and Trixie are hired to solve a seven year old murder, they figure it's a fool's errand. But if this case is so cold, why all the heat from upstairs to lay off? Will they finally run into that brick wall that has their names on it... or will they deliver Justice Delayed?

More things to tease your mind

My dear friends over at Dream Realm have a teaser out for their new series, Celena's Dreams. Definitely an excellent teaser, as I found myself saying at the end of it, "that's it???"

And we have to wait until Spring? That's like- at least a month away!! But for now, here's the teaser:

Celena's Dreams Teaser

Stick it in (or over) your ears!

For those who are indeed audio addicts, and have no price tag for getting excellent sound quality, I found an article this morning about none other than headphones.

"A number of headphone options are available to improve the listening experience on portable music players. They include wireless headsets that can free you from having to deal with wires, sound-isolating earphones that form an acoustically sealed zone inside your ear canals, and noise-canceling headphones that reduce sounds in your environment. Some of the options can work with cell phones as well, allowing you to toggle between phone calls and music on the fly."




It just gets better... if I traveled more by plane, I would so fork over the cash for some noise-cancelling headphones- because that would be my biggest gripe for sound. Especially listening to radio drama, so you're not sitting there messing with the volume all the time.

More Audio Porn

Who the heck needs a studio? Now if I just had $400... *drool drool*
~Dani


Samson Intros C03U Professional USB Microphone

Samson has introduced the C03U multi-pattern USB studio condenser microphone.

Based on their popular C03 studio condenser mic, the C03U delivers the same audio quality along with a high quality A/D converter and USB output. The C03U plugs right into a USB jack on any machine running Mac OS X or Windows XP and records audio directly into any postproduction or audio recording software, such as GarageBand.

According to Samson, the C03U is designed to "record vocals, acoustic instruments, nature sounds in the field—anything, anywhere with studio-quality sound."

The C03U features dual 19mm internally shock mounted diaphragms with switchable omni, cardioid, and figure-8 pick-up patterns. The selectable patterns make it useful in a variety of specialized recording situations, like multiple vocalists, ambient room miking, or a group of people around a conference table recording a podcast.

The C03U works perfectly on almost any USB-compliant computer, and with most DAW software programs without having to install any extra software or drivers.

The C03U lists for $389.99.

Have I achieved geekdom?

It was bound to happen I suppose. All my life I grew up avoiding (denying?) the geek crowd- I listened to hard rock, worshipped Madonna, dated guys way too old for me, had average grades, and ditched ALOT of school. Though it's hard to not be a geek when you played in Orchestra since the 4th grade, so I was always surrounded by them. I guess my future continued to be foreshadowed by the fact I had a massive crush on my Algebra teacher. Enough to request him for three of my years of high school. (What else was going to get me to "zero" hour class that started at 7am?)

And no, said math teacher was NOT one of the older guys I dated. :-P

Never mind the fact that I've always had an obsession with audio and sound. Probably the musician in me. This Mom sports one of the best sounding minivans on the block! (Thanks Andy!) Then Al Gore had to go and invent the internet (oh crap geek humor!), and I guess that sealed my geeky fate.

So this wonderful blog entry I found included in a list of places to find podiobooks was quite the compliment:

Society of Audio Addicts An utterly random collection, a great geek site for people who want to learn more about doing it yourself. "All over the globe, we listen. We listen to talk radio and radio dramas. We have books on CD. We download podcasts. Audio is our Passion. We hunger for more."

Teeheee... Geek girls do rock indeed. Thanks Nea!
~Dani

Podcast Premire: Silent Universe

UPDATE: I listened to the first episode earlier today- and OMG! They were NOT kidding when they said it was like BSG and 24. I had to stop working so I could devote the entire time to listening, that is just how awesome it was!
Go hither and retrieve this podcast! Now you addict you!
~Dani

Our friends at the online sci-fi review blog SFFAudio found a good good thing:

Something like a mix between “24” and the new “Battlestar Galactica,” the Silent Universe portrays a future haunted by nuclear proliferation, rogue dictators and terrorism. Fans can listen to the series and also participate in its development by providing feedback to the production team in the “backstage” forums.

The premiere on February 15^th is a high tension character-driven drama that makes no bones about portraying some of the darker aspects of the human psyche, including racism. Still, it can be upbeat enough to poke fun at pop scifi and make the occasional quip about cyberculture, while its heroic cast struggles to keep the solar system from erupting into war.

But as much as the Silent Universe is about entertainment, it’s also about proving how new internet technologies can be put to commercial use. The series will include embedded commercial sponsorships, and be parallel-released via BitTorrent, a free file-sharing technology that effectively makes concerns about bandwidth-usage irrelevant. While the MPAA has been busy shutting down sites that use this technology to illegally share movies, the production team of the Silent Universe has realized that BitTorrent can be used to make distribution of their podcast basically free.

Still, the Silent Universe has one other crusade to fight: showing that grass-roots media is capable of producing quality and entertaining content outside of the corrosive influences of Hollywood. The podcast’s producer, a young writer who goes by the nom de plume “J. Marcus Xavier,” was twice rejected by the University of Southern California’s film program, and instead entered their business school to study marketing. Now, armed with the business-savvy learned from the Marshall School, he aims to prove that the convergence of creativity, good marketing sense and technology can form not only a profitable business model, but create a healthy symbiosis between producers of content and its fanbase.

If you know me, you know that all you have to do is mention '24', and I'm all over it. So I will definitely be tuning into this new podcast starting February 15th!
Who ever said I wasn't a sci-fi fan? Oh wait- right. That was me. Well, I was completely full of it! :-D

Thanks Brad!

New cheese from the kings of all that is cheesy

Schlock Theatre has a new show ready and waiting for your download- they seem to put it best "When Ed Wood meets Schlock Audio Theatre you know you're in for a party!"

Go on over and download "Bride of the Monster"- you will be glad you did. :-) Stay and parooze around their site too, there are many fun things to see and hear.

Crazy little thing called Love

Well, it's called something I guess. Some call it love, others lust, and some will call tomorrow simply Tuesday. On tomorrow's episode of Sonic Society we get spun out of control and back into the Shadowlands with a broadcast premier, "Spin, Spin, Spin", the lust chapter of the Seven Deadly Sins scripts by none other than the humble host of the show. For those who will be expecting a love fest, it certainly takes a different... well, spin. :-) I've not heard it yet, but I've read it, which will be cool for me cause it's like reading the book before seeing the movie! Except it's the script, so this movie would be exactly LIKE the book, instead of based on it... so really it's not any different... oh I'm rambling now...

After, we are up to episode SEVEN of Yankee Clipper!

Also, a big FYI- Sonic Society is now listed in the iTunes directory, as well as many others! So if you haven't subscribed yet, it's now even easier to do so! So no more excuses!!

Hey! I just realized that since I'm listening with my fellow addict Dave, that I've got a date for Valentine's Day! WooooT!

;-)
Dani

Podfading

Is your podcast just a temporary hobby waiting to fade to black? I actually started wondering about this very thing when I was interviewed on Sonic Society. Then I came across an article in Wired News that touched on the same idea. There are thousands of podcasts out there to choose from, and quite honestly alot are just idle chatter by people who are only talking because they CAN. It's the downside of podcasting, it's so damn easy if you can press a record button and have a $10 headset.

Which I 100% feel that everyone deserves a shot at. You never know where you are going to find talent, and even the most simple of ideas turn into the most popular podcasts on the internet. Actually, it doesn't even have to be popular. It's not like you will be cancelled if you don't have high ratings.

This is why I love the radio drama podcasts. Most of the original casts you know are going to stick around, because they have made it a career. If it were just a fad, they wouldn't even be able to get together to record their scripts, much less write them. It takes a unique love and passion for the art to keep up this sort of momentum- a love they have been sharing over the airwaves long before podcasting was a sparkle in Adam Curry's gorgeous eyes.

Podcasting has just given their passion more room in which to grow, and spread to addicts like you and me. :-)

Attention Sci-Fi Writers!

From Podcasting News:


Escape Pod, a science fiction magazine in podcast form, has announced that it is raising its rates for authors. The podcast magazine will pay $50 for short stories to podcast, and $20 for flash fiction.

"We distribute our audio for free, so it's voluntary listener support that pays our authors," said editor Steve Eley. "Our listeners have responded very generously, giving us even more than we needed. It's only right that we should put that money back into stories, to acquire and deliver better and better work."

According to Escape Pod, it was the first and is still the only paying market for podcasted fiction. The magazine is supported 100% by listener donations.

"I had no idea that we could do so well so quickly," said Eley. "The key is fun, I think; our authors find it fun to hear their work read, and our listeners have fun hearing it. Fun turns out to be a great business model."

Escape Pod was launched in May 2005 by Steve Eley as an attempt to bring short fiction into the new medium of podcasting. It has several thousand listeners and has featured stories by Stephanie Burgess, Cory Doctorow and Tim Pratt.

More Radio Drama Goodies!

You go to one link, and OMG I find so many other good things to tell you about! Right now I'm listening to the first episode of Rabbit Hole Radio Theatre's latest series, Mythologica.


Link


Also, a new podcast is out by the gang at Decoder Ring Theatre. Check out their latest episode of Black Jack Justice- Justice is Blind.

Link


That's it- I forgo sleeping tonight so I can listen to all these goodies!
~Dani

A name synonymous with mystery

Tuesday Society fans travel across the Atlantic (well, those of us on the appropriate side of the Atlantic that is) to 221b Baker Street, and pay a visit to the Maestro of Mystery Solving himself, Sherlock Holmes. I'm excited to hear it, as it is brought to us by the founder of Texas Radio Theatre's Richard Frohlich. I so enjoy the great things he has all ready brought to the airwaves!

After, there is an interview with the Commander of the excellent podcast Spaceship Radio, then we travel back across the Atlantic (again, depending on where you reside) for the 6th installment of Colonial Radio's Yankee Clipper.

You know where I'll be!
~Dani

Sunday Pod Porn..

Porn on a Sunday- am I going to hell? :-D
Enjoy...


First up, we have JBL On Time:

JBL On Time features a radio, clock and dual alarm, and offers a menu-driven, user interface. According to Harman, JBL On Time features a high-performance sound system that offers horizontal acoustic level optimization, a design intended to provide a full sound field from any direction.



Next up is the iTrax iPod Mixer, whose eye candy includes two angled docking stations that allow the user easy access to iPod controls when browsing through music libraries. Each iPod channel features 3-band EQ controls with Gain and phono/line input switches for the incorporation of other audio devices such as turntables, CD players, and more.



Just killing time until I wander next door to partake in this year's Superbowl commercials, neighborhood gossip and the odd gruntings of too many men drinking and watching TV in one room.

~Dani

'Tis the season... again?

A late present from our friends at the Sonic Society, and from Dream Realm Enterprises. A special replacement podcast from the holiday show is now up and ready to be downloaded!


Link





The podcast also contains the season finale of DRE's flagship serial, Robotz of the Company. If you want even MORE Robotz, please click the link below, as they now have all of their podcasts updated. If you haven't listened before, get to know the crew of the Titan 1- I guarantee it will make you giggle. Or groan. Or giggle AND groan.

Well, I guarantee it will do something to you.


See, there was a reason you haven't taken down your holiday decor yet, right? ;-)
Happy Santicon Day! Again!
~Dani

Dr. Who Podcast

From Brisbane (that's Australia mate!) - a Dr. Who fan club whose President is so crazy over Dr. Who, he created audio plays for it! Now there is an addict for ya!

Take a look-see at BTR productions (Back to Reality... love that), and download their latest adventure, "Big Hugs of Terror":


Short Trips & Side Steps: Big Hugs of Terror

by Darran Jordan

There are some corners of the Universe which have bred the most terrible things. Things which act against everything that we believe in. They must be fought.

So when the Doctor and Guy arrive in a pastoral field, and find things to be just a little too garish for their tastes, they suddenly realize that they are facing their worst enemy yet.

The Doctor has faced "Eeeeevil from the Dawn of Tiiiiime" before, but enemies like Fenric, the Toymaker and the Great Intelligence were nothing compared to what he must now overcome.

Surrounded by killer rabbits and undigestible toast, can the Doctor and Guy escape their captors' clutches, and make it back to the safety of the TARDIS, before being subjected to the dreaded Big Hug?

See- who can pass up killer rabbits and undigestible toast?
~Dani

Amateur Audio Podcasts Catch Fire

I've thought of doing this myself- it really is gaining popularity. Heck, I have super-secret information that even a future podcast of Sonic Society is going to be a reading of three short stories... :-)

I just love Xeni- she has great posts over on the Boing Boing Blog.
~Dani

Xeni Tech

By Xeni Jardin

Amateur Audio Books Catch Fire on the Web

Day to Day, February 1, 2006 · Literature fans looking for something beyond Oprah Winfrey's book club are discovering a new kind of club on the Internet -- Web sites that offer audio versions of books, voiced by fans instead of professional voice actors.

Like many other Web-based phenomena, the popularity of the amateur audiobooks has led to an odd type of fame for some of the people behind those voices.

Kara Shallenberg, a stay-at-home mom in Oceanside, Calif., has voiced more than 100 chapters of books for a site called Librivox. Another volunteer from Oklahoma, R. Francis Smith, voices chapters from Bram Stoker's Dracula, some Grimm Brothers fairy tales, even the entire New Testament.

In addition to bringing new fans to literary classics, sites like Librivox can also bring new authors to reading audiences. Publishing companies may not want to release older or more obscure book titles in traditional audiobook format because of the financial risk.

With fan-created book podcasts, money isn't the point -- most of the titles are already in the public domain, and it doesn't matter if five people or five million end up tuning in.

Other sites feature writers who see podcasting as a way to attract new audiences. "As both sites become more popular, writers and publishers may discover it's all good for book business," says Jardin. "And book fans may discover a lot more to like."

Audio Book Podcasts

• LibriVox -- Volunteer Voices, Classic Books
• PodioBooks -- New, Original Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Urban Art Adventures -- Classic 'Erotic' Audio Books
• Dead White Males -- Public Domain Books and Poems

New FREE Podcast Creation Software

Have you had excuse after excuse to NOT make that podcast? (Addict answer: yes) Have your biggest concerns been time, money, and webspace? (Addict answer: yes)

It seems the excuses are over- through Podcasting News I found quite the gem- but to use it you will have to put any bias of Bill Gates aside, 'cause it's Microsoft.

PodcastSPOTS Wizard 2.0 is a patent-pending system built on top of Microsoft's .NET technologies. With the Wizard, podcasters can now create podcasts of any size, and use unlimited bandwidth. With the wizard, users click the Publish button after recording an episode, and a website is automatically created.

OK, it might be late and I may need to read the details a bit closer tomorrow (later today?), but right now I'm thinking this is a very good thing.

LINK

Who was that 12-year-old girl?

Because that is ALL I heard while listening to the aforementioned show- a clearly nervous (thanks for pointing that out Dave- LOL) 12-year-old girl.

AAHHHHHHH!

Well, my daughters were tickled pink- "OMG MOM! You sound TOTALLY AWESOME!" They seemed not to notice me walking around the room, hitting my head against the wall. Or maybe they did, because they both drew me pictures saying "Great Job!"

My two biggest fans, I hope always. :-)

Anyway, the podcast will be up soon- keep checking the feed to your right. If you missed it, and are absolutely DYING of curiosity, check the CKDU archive. The show begins around 21:10.

To the Schlock Theatre guys- How'd ya score Jack Nicholson? Or maybe it was Christian Slater, doing his role from Heathers? ;-) Great cheese, as always!

~Dani

UPDATE: The podcast is up! Check out the fine mix of Wax, Addict, and Norwegians HERE!

Next- on the Sonic Society

Did you all have that announcer/narrator-voice in your head? I did, but then again that is how I do all my thinking- in the "announcer-voice".

"Today- we find Dani on an excursion she will not soon forget- to the bank. But NO! You think she is going to withdraw money... when in fact the tables turn and she finds herself actually depositing funds into her account."

OK.... It's 1:30 in the morning- this is what you get. There is a reason I listen to radio drama, and do not write it. ;-)

OK, before everyone runs off screaming and I fall asleep on my keyboard- there is an old friend of the Society returning for some more B-movie fun... Schlock Theatre and "House of Wax".

Then, before the next episode of Yankee Clipper, there is an interview. I'm confused on exactly who the interview is with however... as the show notes tell two different tales. I for one am going to root for the latter of the two that I saw in the notes. Otherwise I'm just going to have a red embarrassed face all evening... (now ya wanna look, don'tcha?)

Well, the only way to find out the truth in this dilemma is to LISTEN! Tonight! 8pm eastern!

Geez, I gotta get to bed.. I haven't been this incoherent since my wedding day.

LINK

New Audio Drama Podcast Directory

Found this bit off the Podcasting news site:


Dramapod- where you can find, listen to, and review audio drama podcasts.
I see a few addicts have made it in the directory all ready... and I see I've got a few to add... :-)

LINK

Battlestar Galactica Fan Project

It's a good information day for the addict! Did y'all know there is a Battlestar Galactica Fan Series out there? Well- there is! (Forgive me if everyone is saying "well duh we knew that", I'm a little slow on the sci-fi front... )

Anywho... the authors of this 12-part series are looking for a few good voices. Here's an idea of what they are looking for:

Episode 1 is narrated by the author and includes selected voices from some of the leaders of Galactican fandom. Other key fandom personalities will appear throughout follow-on episodes.

30-ish military commander – overly stiff in his voice deliver (a fairly extensive role through two episodes).

A 50 year old military commander, distinctive leadership voice (one scene). A 20-ish male investigator (one scene).

A Moses type, powerful voice with overwhelming pursuation (plays a minor role in one episode and is a key figure in two more).

A happy-go-lucky rogue with a slight Jamaican accent (key figure throughout several scenes in entire series).

A female officer who can perform the caring, motherly role with a (correction: with sympathy) tone. (she is a secondary character throughout the series)

A snakish politician who can deliver good sounding statements with an aura of being a con-man (also a secondary character but one that exists throughout the entire series).

A goddess (literally) with the sweetest and most sensual voice an actress can muster (a key role in one episode).

A commanding voice with a very slight British accent. Failing this, we could go for a hint of an Eastern European accent. (A key role in two episodes).

For more information:
LINK

More goodies! New teasers from DRE

Jonithan Russell and the gang at Dream Realm Enterprises have been working their collective boo-tays off to get some awesome new shows out for our listening pleasure. The first being a new episode of their Dr. Who series.
You know, I keep denying that I'm a sci-fi fan... yet I'm starting to think I'm as big of a hypocrite about that as most politicians are about their talking points. ;-)

Listen to the "War Torn" Trailer

Also, a teaser is out for something that is RIGHT up my alley! Shadows and darkness, a tickle from the hairs on the back of your neck standing, and mysterious night creatures...

Listen to the "Soleil" Teaser


You can get more information on these and other excellent shows coming our way by DRE at their main site!

LINK

New website offering FREE audiobooks

Ooh. Now THIS was a find. The authors of "Podcasting for Dummies" have created a website featuring FREE serialized audio books- and FREE of digital rights management. All authors featured on the site have given their permission, and have their own rights to their work.

"All the files you find here on Podiobooks.com are and will remain DRM free, if for no other reason than this: we want you to be able to enjoy and share the files forever, and to be able to share them with others," notes the Podiobooker blog. "Our model for success does not assume everyone downloading and sharing files are criminals, nor are we hanging our hats on single-unit sales of anything. Share and enjoy!"


I noticed that Paul Story's book "Tom Corven" is there- I first learned about this author from The Small World Podcast, and it's a great book! There is also a section for publishing your own audiobook on the site- heads up writers!

~drool~ So much to listen to... so little time....

LINK