Summary

One way I keep current with technology news is by listening to podcasts. There are probably hundreds of podcasts that cover technology news, though I find most aren't worth the time. But here's my list of the ones I find most useful. CNET News is a short HD podcast covering the day's top tech stories. Presented in a local news format the show wastes no time getting the story. Recent coverage included hands-on with the Verizon iPhone and getting inside the Google Chrome Web store. It's a great way to get caught up in just ten minutes. For the Microsoft fanboys (if there is such a thing),Windows Weeklylooks at all things from the software giant, from Windows 7, to Office 2010 to Xbox. It's hosted by Windows expert Paul Thurrott. A recent episode discussed AT&T charging Windows 7 phone users users for hundreds of megabytes at 3 a.m., when the phone was either not in use or on WiFi, and how carriers in general are charging for software updates to the mobile OS platform. (Microsoft in fact responded to the complaints after hearing the show.) Leo Laporte, who co-hosts many of the podcasts in this list, is the eternal optimist. A former radio host who worked on TechTV, Laporte glides through two hours of the news, gossip and speculation with tech industry experts. For those of us who couldn't get to the last Consumer Electronic Show, it provided live coverage from the floor. Security Now is hosted by Steve Gibson and, again, Leo Laporte. The show answers complicated technical security questions from listeners and discusses in detail the latest Microsoft updates. This one's been on for somewhere around five years, and all the shows have been transcribed and are searchable. The old editions provide real nuts-and-bolt information to help protect users and the enterprise. Of all the shows on this list, Security Now consistently gets under the hood to provide real-world solutions. This is good hands-on stuff. Another one hosted by Leo Laporte, with Gina Trapane and Jeff Jarvis. The show may take a left turn to discuss Glee or Angry Birds, but you'll get deep insight into Google, which pretty much has a finger in nearly every pie. The show recently hosted Kevin Marks, one of the developers of Quicktime, to explain why Google was dropping H.264 from Chrome.Those are my favorites. Share yours. -- Dino Londis