Engadget Podcast 157 - 07.31.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Jul 31st 2009 2:31PM
posted Jul 31st 2009 2:31PM
Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Hear the podcast
00:02:56 - Creative debuts Android-powered Zii EGG for developers and OEMs
00:15:26 - US Sony Walkman X-series unboxing and hands-on
00:29:22 - Kodak's 1080p Zi8 HD pocket camcorder in hand
00:34:45 - Nikon D300s officially announced -- 720p/24 movie mode with autofocus and mic input
00:40:24 - Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes
00:45:25 - Unofficial Google Voice client for Palm Pre makes the scene
00:51:50 - Editorial: Palm, iTunes, and the ties that don't bind
01:04:35 - WSJ: Apple going to CES 2010. Reality: Nope.
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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
I miss Paul Miller being on the podcast, he's the best!
soo true
podcast without paull miller is kind of like having peanut butter toast
without peanuts
Guys PLEASE get rid of the idiotic mono songs in the beginning and end, I fell like I'm playing a Game Boy, it's really annoying. Otherwise the podcast is awesome.
Ryan Block pointing out that another blog printed wrong information is NOT news.
That hasn't stopped you from putting it on the front page - twice.
Stick to gadgets and stop boasting - it will make you appear less egotistical than you are.
Dear Joshua Topolsky/Nilay Patel
Plaszma is an OS by itself, it ships with the Zii Egg, Android is optional and can be downloaded afterward. Can't believe you improvise that much, aren't you pros?, there is a very nice looking web site you can go ahead and inform yourself on what the zii is: http://www.zii.com/
Running android in a virtual machine?? you are very creative and hilarious...
Alright, you correct yourself after, but again... please prepare your self not to misinform people, there is a lot of people who trust you guys...
- You said the Zii is vapor ware when they are actually receiving orders for actual hardware to be shipped?
- You also said that there is no much info about its processor? you obviously did not even bother on reading the specs...
From the web site: ZMS-05 Media-Rich Application Processor (the one the Zii uses): "the ZMS-05 multi-core design combines a flexible media-processing array with ARM® cores" are actual "Dual ARM926-EJS Cores" stated in the website.
I know this is not an apple product but hey...
Others may disagree with me, but my rule is that it's vapor till it ships.
Well Nilay, take a look at this page http://www.ziilabs.com/products/platforms/ziiegg.aspx
Product pages are nice but until it ships they're just promises.
My, I'm jaded lately.
Keep the music, I find it nerdtastic!
About the Palm/iTunes argument. While I understand why Nilay say that it may be giving ordinary users too little credit when we say that they cannot sync their devices without iTunes, I must attest that this is many times the case.
My father to this day still have a very hard time understanding that his music, that he carefully rips from the hundreds of CDs he bought over the years, are not INSIDE iTunes. When he wanted to access some of his photos on his new notebook, he asked me if he could move his Picasa to the notebook. He insisted that I should install the Blackberry software on said notebook, even after I explained that he didn't needed it to access voice recordings from his Pearl, which he always do from the Windows Explorer anyway.
There are many, many people who have great difficulty separating the software they use, from the content they access with it. Those are the people for whom being blocked from easy syncing through iTunes becomes a bigger problem. And while Palm's tactics are far from ideal, I must say that I agree with their objective.
Yah this is nice but how about that engadgetmobile podcast?
Nice commentary on the Zii, your confusion matches my views. I was listening just to hear if there was any new info on it.
I really hope it really slaps apple in the face (not an apple hater per say, but their app store BS shouldn't exist). Then the whole 1080p/camera's/android pushes the envelope. Imagine hooking this up to a monitor, and a usb kb/mouse (amusing the usb can be used as an input), all the sudden its a 200-400$ computer that can do 1080p video, web browsing etc...
I too side with Josh's point about iTunes being the storefront, a portal of sorts, through which music is bought but then you're asked to leave after you've purchased for a device other than Apple's. Kind of odd, if the point of a portal is to bring you to a place where you're encouraged to stay as long as possible.
However, this made me think that the only solution to this is competition. Right now the only real possible competitor is Amazon. So why don't they create their own multimedia management software (hopefully one much lighter and better than iTunes). They already have other media like audiobooks, ebooks (please stop with the Kindle only format), and video and it would be in their best interest to create a competing podcast storefront/portal (an Engadget podcast would tie in nicely to a storefront with the actual gadgets that are discussed). Why not create an amazing piece of software that ties all this media together and lets you sync it with all manner of devices? That might make Apple change its tune. Any thoughts?
Josh i usually agree with your opinions but don't get so worried about interrupting you just get excited and have to tell us and that's fine as previously stated i agree with you : )
Since firefox3.5 has HTML5 that can play ogg in the page perhaps you guys can add a play interface too for the ogg version? They have examples on the mozilla site.
Good job on all the options as it is though, kudos and respect.
You guys are aware that the Zi-8 has a mike input.
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=15342&pq-locale=en_US
The thing is serious.
I really want to like your podcast but there are some deal breakers (for me) that I hope you will consider some criticism. I know getting criticized sucks but please listen and improve. #1 may sting but please read through the whole list.
I love podcasts and I really want to like yours but.....
1. You guys aren't funny. The forced laughs really sound like a laugh track - most evident when Josh is laying down the 'humor'. Does Nilay feel obligated to laugh because it is his boss making bad jokes? I know this is harsh but I think it needs to be said.
2. Stop interrupting each other. Seriously, it is SO ANNOYING that you can't stop interrupting one another. Call it being professional or common courtesy just stop doing it. Do you not know it is a problem or do you have no ability to control yourselves?
3. Please come prepared. See comments above.
4. Too much rambling - make your points and move on. Repeating yourself is not good podcasting. My point is that repeating yourself doesn't make for good podcasting (that repeat was a shout out to Josh ;-))
5. Start with your conclusion and then support it. It is quite common to hear you comment on something for quite a while and it is completely unclear what your real opinion is. Example - what smartphone is currently the best (not in this episode but a common discussion).
6. Guests are good. Your best shows are those when you have guests on.
Normally, I love this podcast. Today, however, I shut it off. I don't know if you guys were just phoning it in or what. This is certainly more for Josh than Nilay. Everything Josh had to say sounded like he was bored. He was so disinterested in the entire podcast and Nilay was forced to keep things interesting. Instead of having something productive to say, Josh was simply throwing out unfunny sarcastic comments.
And thank you for reminding us throughout the podcast that you are Editor In Chief of the world's largest technology blog. Perhaps if you were less occupied telling US about it and trying to sound clever and disinterested and you focused on that about yourself you would be more inclined to take the podcast seriously.
While I appreciate a sarcastic wit and clever comments, Josh needs to understand that there is a time and place for that, and that place is NOT the entire podcast.
A lot of people read this blog and trust your opinions. Respect that and prepare yourselves for the podcasts. I would rather not have a podcast for a week than to have to listen to Josh pandering and doing us a favor by posting one that he simply didn't care about.
Normally, all of you are great... What happened this week?????????
great podcast, as usual. didn't know anything about the zii until I heard you guys. don't mind what other nerds have to say about it, it's just a podcast guys !!
I can't listen to it, and I can't subscribe to it. Something is broken.