Archive for the 'Discussion' Category

• Tagline : Tech Web News Video
• Website : commandN.tv
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• Parental Rating : G
• Star Rating : 9 out of 10

Originally started as a low key video experiment, I can still remember the very first episode, recorded on an Apple Mac laptop with an iSight web camera. Cerainly not the recommended setup, but it did the job and just look at them now. Originally hosted by Amber MacArthur and Mike Lazazzera, ex co-hosts of the cable show Call for Help, they are now joined by Amber’s brother Jeff amongst others, with Mike now working on other things, but certain to return for the odd guest spot.

So what is commandN.tv? The very name implies something to do with Apple computers. While I think the earlier shows were very Mac orientated, but they now cover much more general technology material. The pace of the show is very relaxed, which has got a lot do do with Amber and previously Mike, who had a great chemistry. I can actually remember Amber in the early days of Call for Help, when the show relocated from the US to Canada. I hope she doesn’t mind me saying, but in those early days she came across as very nervous, but has gone on to develop a great screen presence.

Now up to it’s 73rd show, it’s released on the whole every week, with each show around the 20 minute mark, which I find a very digestible length. The professional experience of everyone involved is obvious, as everything about the production is spot on. Certainly a definite vidcast to subscribe to for anyone with the smallest interest in what’s happening in the technology world.

Conclusion : A great vidcast for the technology geek, with some less nerdy stuff for those just getting to grip with technology.

• Tagline : Breaking News, Broken Reporters
• Website : Goodnight Burbank
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• Parental Rating : 15
• Star Rating : 9 out of 10

What do you get when you cross real news with a couple of anchor people who have clearly seen better days (or are just awful)? Why Goodnight Burbank of course. Our two anchor people in question, clearly have a hate, hate relationship and I can’t help be reminded of an old British show called “Drop the Dead Donkey”. The vidcast is between the 5-7 minute mark and only covers their on-air antics and pauses between taped material and outside broadcasts. The show covers real news items and I have to say the satire is sometimes very close to the bone and I love it.

Our main protagonists are Gordon Winston-Smythe, a poncy British, mistake of a man, who would clearly poison himself, if he bit his own tongue and Susan Jones, or Ho-ness as she corrects Gordon’s pronunciation, all too frequently. Popping in on occasion is Trisha Sakamoto, the poor weather girl, who sometimes only gets a couple of seconds to tell the good people of Burbank what’s happening with the weather and even when she does get the chance, does it pretty badly.

With three episodes available already and another 5 in the can, I’m looking forward to seeing how the on-air relationships gel or in this case dissolve. The secret to good comedy, is having characters you can believe in and actors who can portray them to their fullest. Goodnight Burbank succeeds on both counts. If you need a further fix, you can always read Gordon’s and Trisha’s blog.

The only one thing bad I really have to say about the vidcast, is it’s way too short. I watched all three last night and it seems like it took all of 2 minutes. Always the sign of a well written show, but I’m a greedy git and I want more… lots more.

I have to admit, I thought I recognised Hayden Black, the writer and actor behind Gordon. He looks very similar to Phil Jupiter, a popular British comedian, but it’s not him.

Conclusion : A great show, that would no doubt have a cult following on TV. In any case it deserves to spread like wild fire across the internet.

• Tagline : The UK’s Favourite Sex Therapist Reveals Our Darkest Bedroom Secrets
• Website : Doctor Cockney
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• Parental Rating : 18
• Star Rating : 8 out of 10

Nothing pricks up peoples ears more than the mention of sex. My wife could talk about Martha Stewart, decorating and cooking, without barely a flicker of recognition in my poor Neanderthal brain, but one whiff of the word sex and it doesn’t matter it it’s oral sex, Essex or insects, I’m then the most attentive listener you can imagine. So when I saw a mention of Doctor Cockney, I was interested to say the least. I do have to admit, that also being a Cockney helped, but never the less, what I found was most entertaining.

The basic premise of the vidcast, is that Doctor Cockney, our suave, bespectacled, cue-ball host, goes out onto the streets of London and asks random people all about sex, be it their sexual preferences, kinks, turn ons or funny stories. What results is very entertaining, especially when he talks to some of the older indulgers in carnal delights. A vidcast is released every 1-2 weeks and usually runs at around the 5-6 minute mark. I’d love to see the occasional show at around the half hour mark, as this is very amusing stuff.

Conclusion : A great show for a bit of light relief. Anyone looking for something a bit fruity, need go no further. This is 100% clean smut, if there’s such a thing. Think Carry On, with a hint of Dr Ruth (for the frankness) and you’ll be on the right lines. If you’re on the streets of London, watch out, he could be “Comin’ at ya”.

• Tagline : Two Geeks and Their Laptops talk Dugg News.
• Website : Diggnation
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• Parental Rating : 15
• Star Rating : 9 out of 10

For anyone who remembers the old TechTV cable channel and indeed the ScreenSavers technology show, Kevin Rose will be a familiar face. Indeed for anyone who watched the tail end of the ScreenSavers, Alex Albrecht will also be somewhat familiar. After having lost many of the original ScreenSavers faces after relocating from San Francisco to LA, Alex came in and was at first not a popular fellow. However it wasn’t too long before he won the audience over, only to find, he himself was no longer required, which was a real shame, as the chemistry between Kevin and Alex was undeniable.

Fast forward and we now find them back together again, this time as the hosts of the Diggnation vidcast. Diggnation is the weekly news show, that uses the stories from the technology news site Digg as the basis for each show. In fact Digg is yet another spoke to the Kevin Rose empire, which also includes Revision 3, the IP TV company producing Diggnation, Infected and a whole host of other internet TV programmes more popularly called vidcasts.

The format to the show is very low key, just our two hosts, their laptops and a couple of beers, chewing the weeks fat, or in this case Dugg news stories. For anyone expecting in your face, hard core news, you ain’t gonna get it here. That’s the joy of using Digg as the basis for the show, the diverse range of subject matter, be it technology, science of just the downright unusual.

The chemistry between Kevin and Alex is great, often ending up with one or both of them laughing and straying way off topic, but it works and works well.

Conclusion : If you love technology and a good laugh this is a vidcast not to miss.