Consuming Podcasts

I'm fairly new when it comes to listening to podcasts. I would estimate that I have been listening to them for just over a year now, mostly while I'm at work. I don't know why it took me so long to discover this vast world of broadcast content but I'm glad I did. There are just so many different podcasts in so many different genres that there is bound to be something for everyone. Of course with the advancement of smartphones this has made it easier to find new ways to occupy your time. I have tried several different apps to listen to my podcasts of choice but I finally settled on Pocket Casts. It's a good app but I'm not writing this to talk about which apps I use or which podcasts I listen to. I want to talk about HOW I listen to them. 

2x indicated at the top right

Podcasts are pretty straightforward, you can either download them or stream them. I download them for a couple of reasons: I can listen to them even if I don't have a good 4G signal and I can control my playback speed. It's the second reason that prompts me to write this post. Usually when you listen to an hour long podcast it would take you an hour to listen to it but many of the podcast players allow you to vary the playback speed. I listen to podcasts at 2x the normal speed. While I'm sure this is not news to long time podcast listeners, it does make a big difference. It takes me only 30 minutes for a 1 hour podcast and 1 hour to listen to a 2 hour podcast. This allows me to fit in extra shows during my work day.

I don't want anyone to think that this is an easy adjustment. I had to train myself to listen at the increased speeds. I started listening at normal speeds and gradually increased the speed over a period of a few months. First I increased the speed to 1.2x then 1.5x to 1.6x to 1.8x and ultimately 2x. Making the jump from 1x to 2x is jarring if not done in stages. I had a show playing while I was driving with my teenage son in the car and he couldn't understand anything that was being said. He asked me if it was twice the speed but at the time I think I was only at 1.6x or 1.8x. Most podcasts hosts speak at a moderate speed  but every now and then you have someone that speaks a little faster and you may have to adjust your speed but I don't recall actually having to do that. 

One of the podcasts that I listen to is a local radio morning show and the hardest thing to do now is listen to them live because their normal speaking speed seems sooooo slow. The higher speeds also change the sound of their voices but not enough where they are unrecognizable. They also play a game like "Name that Tune" and I'm able to recognize many of the songs even at the higher speeds. Even though I thought about going higher, I think I have reached my speed limit as anything higher may be too overwhelming.

Now my player of choice is Pocket Casts on my LG G3. Pocket Casts allows you the adjust the speeds from 0.5x to 3x but many of the other players allow similar adjustments.

Is a Chromebook For You?

Chrome OS Desktop

"What is a Chromebook, what does it do?" That is what I hear the most when I recommend a Chromebook to someone. I have had mine for almost 5 months now and the only device I use more is my Android phone. More than my tablet and more than my Windows desktop. That's not bad for something that was given to me as an anniversary gift without much prior knowledge of Chrome OS. I checked one out at Microcenter once but not to any great extent. My wife bought it for me after seeing it on my Amazon wishlist (more on that at a later time) and getting me the Samsung series 3 Chromebook.

I think it is important to note that I am fully immersed in Google's ecosystem and that probably made my transition a little easier. I have an android phone and tablet and I primarily use the Chrome

 browser on my Windows desktop. I also use Google Docs and

 Google Drive instead of Microsoft Office even though I

App Launcher

have that software. You do receive 100 GB of Drive storage for 2 years when you buy a Chromebook and that is on top of the 15 GB that Google already gives you for free. You also get 12 free Gogo in-air internet passes to use over 2 years and they recently added a trial use of Google Play Music All Access.

While Chromebooks are not usually high end powerful machines, except for the Pixel, they are very capable devices. Even more capable than I initially thought. They don't have the fastest processors or best displays but what they lack in those areas they make up for in other areas like portability, ease of use, sub 10 second boot time, and the overall Google ecosystem. While ease of use is dependent on the The browser based Chrome OS is able to do more than surf the web. The Chrome Web Store is
full of useful apps whether it's for work or play. There are many
 apps that are made by or are similar to many popular Windows
 or Mac programs. The recent addition of desktop apps makes offline
 use easier than before. These apps are designed with the ability to
 run offline and outside of the browser. While the list of desktop apps
 is small right now there are some that I think many will find useful.

Chrome Web Store

So, is a Chromebook for you? That depends on if the majority of the things you do on a computer requires a specific program that has to be installed on a computer. I use Photoshop pretty often and it isn't able to run on my Chromebook but I have my desktop for that. I never really liked using Photoshop on my old laptop anyway so for me the Chromebook is an excellent second computer. And I think that is a good way to look and these laptops. They may not be able to do all the things a Windows or Mac can do but as a second computer that is light weight and portable it is a good, affordable alternative to the conventional operating systems. If you use the Chrome browser on your primary computer you can even use the Chrome Remote Desktop app from the Web Store to log into that computer from your Chromebook and do the things you would normally do if you were sitting in front of it. Google Docs is great for collaborating on projects or just sharing documents with others. Docs can also be used offline once you enable that option.

Chromebooks also have traditional functions and options such as USB ports, SD card slots, and HDMI but there are no DVD drives. You can attach an external hard drive or thumb drive and access their contents or save files to the external devices. The HDMI allows you to add a second monitor or HDTV in case you need the extra screen space. Battery life is excellent, giving me at least 6 hours of normal use and it fully recharges in about 2 hours. Because Chromebooks do not install apps locally they are resistant to viruses and updates often happen without even noticing. They don't generate much heat so fans are not needed and that provides silent use.

While there would be an adjustment period, I feel the learning curve for a Chromebook is low if you already use the Chrome browser. The ease of use and low maintenance has led many schools to switch to Chromebooks for their student's use. For anyone unsure whether Chrome OS would be suitable for them I would suggest using the Chrome browser on their current computer and install apps from the Web Store to find out if they meet their needs. Try living in the cloud for a few weeks and then make your decision. While I sit here typing this post on my Chromebook, I don't miss the traditional laptops at all. After all, there is a reason 3 of the top 5 best selling laptops on Amazon are Chromebooks and it's not just because of price.