Congradulations to 'Air Out My Shorts'

Podcasting is fairly new to Canada, and most Canadian podcasts haven't gotten a great deal of attention beyond our borders. This week, however, Ontario's own "Air Out My Shorts" with Preston Buttons and the Word Whore is featured on Podcast 411 a web site and podcast about podcasting.

Air Out My Shorts is a drunken romp through racy, bizarre and at times just disturbing short stories. You can hear the interview with Preston Buttons and the Word Whore here and if you are, yourself, a podcaster don't forget to add yourself to Podcast 411's frappr map

Politics Blogs

I've added considerably to the politics blogs (given that we are in an election now it seemed a good place to spend a little time.) If you are interested in such things, and there are some good blogs that I've missed (I'm sure there are) please let me know.

Satellite Radio vs. the Dodo

In an tech column today Greg Michetti raves about the value of satellite radio.

Here's the deal. The SIRIUS Canada service costs $14.99 per month and for that you get 100 commercial free stations; 60 of which are music while the other 40 are of news, talk and sports like the NHL. Ten are Canadian music and information stations made available nationally in both English and French. Structurally, SIRIUS Canada is a partnership of CBC/Radio Canada, Standard Radio Inc and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (U.S.).

The gang at SIRIUS arranged for me to try out a demo Starmate model, a 10 cm x 2.5 cm unit that slips into a swivel like arm that in turn "suction cups" to the inside of your auto's windshield. A pair of thin rubber cables, for power and connectivity to your auto's built in radio, run from the Starmate and into the dashboard.

I'm sure Mr. Michetti liked his demo, and playing with the new gizmo, and satellite radio was a good idea, about 5 years ago. The reality now though, as I see it, is that the window for Satellite radio is closing fast. Soon, very, very soon - anything available online, and much that isn't available online yet will be available to anyone, anywhere, on their pda, cell phone, iPod, laptop or, of course, desktop. People will be able to listen to literally thousands of radio stations across the world, a small (very small) sampling of them are available on this site, and there are about 10,000 available here, even on publicbroadcasting.ca there are over 120 public, university and community radio stations listed. Then, add to this all of the available podcasts and now vidcasts, and the fact that TV will soon be as available as radio online (there are a few thousand feeds here already) and then peoples private collection of music and video plus, of course, video games, email, web sites, text messaging, phone calls...

Once all of this is available to you whereever you are, on virtually any device, largely for free (or for the cost of your cell/internet connection, who exactly is going to be paying "$14.99 per month" for "100 commercial free stations" on a separate, proprietary, device that doesn't do anything else?

I'm sure there are a few out there, Mr. Michetti and other tech columnists for example, or people who just like technology and want everything on the market, perhaps a handful of people who don't understand the internet, cell phones, iPods etc and just want something that plays music - but is this going to be enough of a market to sustain a company and all of the stations that company represents?