Podcasts- Views from Listening

While listening to the podcasts, I found it extremely hard to stay focused on the conversation. I think this may be because it was, essentially, a conversation. It was a conversation that the listener is not a part of. Although the participants in the podcasts seem very knowledgeable about the subjects on which they speak, the monotony of a lecture could not be escaped. This form of information would not be useful to a visual learner. However, class lectures on podcasts would be helpful for students who may need to go back and hear things a second time.
The podcasts, as a group, are organized like a day time talk show. You have different personalities giving an input on the topic. Some of the podcasts visited links or interviewed guests who were knowledgeable in the area of discussion. It reminded me of radio shows or anchor people on a news show. The information is in lecture form then discussed between the numerous personalities. Many of the podcasts seemed relaxed and informal. This was one upside to the podcasts.
The MacBreak podcast that I listened to was talking about the new medium in reading, The Kindle. Kindle is an electronic device that you can upload text files on for reading. Entire books can be stored on the Kindle and more and more books are being sold in electronic format because of it. I do not like the idea of text becoming mainly electronic. Being an English Major, I collect books. I love to open a hard-back book and inhale the aroma of a new book. With Kindle, people will lose the nostalgia of owning the books they read and passing the collections down through generation. This is much like forgoing the purchase of a CD and its song book for an MP3 of one song from the album. You will miss the "feel" of it. That being said, the podcasts on the advancements of Kindle was very informative.
While listening to the podcasts I thought of things I could do to make mine acceptable. Keeping your voice controlled is very important and laughing into the microphone seems almost rude. I will remember in my podcasts not to talk over the current speaker. Listening to several podcasts was a help in preparing myself for my assignment.