2007 October Archive at PreviewCast

PreviewCast

PreviewCast turns the idea of a tech roundtable podcast inside out by doing it with a bunch of bored teens offering their unique spin on the tech news and often making fun of each other. This is the podcast where randomness is king of the hill and the birds sing of Larry-heads and deep-fried pickle hearts. Sure to entertain you, inform you, and knock your socks off, PreviewCast is the podcast that has absolutely nothing to do with absolutely nothing!

Actually, unbeknownst to me, we’ve been a member of the Teen Podcasters Network for about 2 months now, but due to an e-mail not exactly making its way to me, I didn’t find out until today. However, as soon as they get their new website off the ground, our episodes will be featured on their home page, and I’m hoping that we’ll be able to collaborate with some of the other teen podcasters (maybe we can get some of them to be new PreviewCasters…) in their network.

Just don’t get confused about our network memberships. In addition to now being a part of the Teen Podcasters Network, we’re still a part of the Tech Podcast Network. Confusing because not only are they both abbreviated TPN, but one of them is “Podcast” and the other is “Podcasters”. Ah well, we’ll figure it out.

P.S. There will not be an episode of PreviewCast this week. I know it’s been awhile, but October is one of the busiest times of the school year and both of us have way too much on our plates this week to get an episode out. I’m hoping for an episode coming next week.

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The Apple iPhone-crazed world had their equivalent of a Pearl Harbor attack this week when the iPhone Software Update 1.1.1 bricked any unlocked iPhones and wiped out any non-unlock hacks that had been installed, and we spend a lot of time on this episode looking at the aftermath of said action. However, this packed episode represents only the third time that we’ve had a five-person show, and the first time that a show with that many people hasn’t literally fallen to pieces. We also briefly celebrate Douglas’ 16th birthday, although (as predicted), we don’t do any kind of singing. We also welcome on board brand new PreviewCaster David Lewis, who is a phpBB MOD Team member, co-hosts phpBB Weekly with Douglas, and is also an avid MacBook Pro user. Oh, and this episode is also the fifth longest we’ve ever done as well.

Apple only cut the iPhone’s price by $200, and even then offered $100 credit to all of those early iPhone adopters who whined so much. But that didn’t stop a Queens, New York resident from suing Apple for $1 million in damages resulting from Apple lowering the price. What next, will Apple be sued for the Nike+iPod Sport Kit? (EDITOR’S NOTE: Apparently as I was writing these notes, news broke that Apple indeed was sued over the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.) However, maybe Apple deserves a bit more grief, as Apple’s 1.1.1 Software Update did indeed brick iPhones that had been unlocked with other networks, which has sent the iPhone web in an uproar. And ironic that it happened only hours after David Pogue released his video on hot hacks for the iPhone. We talk about why Apple would brick these phones and why they wouldn’t listen to a little common sense. Google Earth gets a pretty cool Sky View, and Microsoft releases info on Office for Mac 2008, which looks a lot like a clunkier and more expensive ripoff of iWork ‘08. Douglas guest blogged an article on Caitlyn’s blog a week ago on why Microsoft should be worried about iWork. Then, after the Music Break, Douglas briefly mentions what he got for his birthday, and then all five of us reviews something, including Robert, who forces Douglas to post a 74 Larry-head rating, despite the fact that the Larry-heads are only supposed to be out of five! If you have a seizure or any other kind of bandwidth or health problems as a result of all of the Larry heads down on this post, it’s Robert’s fault.

Assuming that the 90 minute length doesn’t brick your mind, you should be sure to check out this great episode of PreviewCast!

Hosts: Douglas Bell, Caitlyn Imburgo, David Lewis, Robert Preston, and Matthew Skok
Length: 01:30:26
Music: I Fought the Law - Green Day

Review: iPod touch
Skoker’s Rating: Larry Head