I got my hands on a Bluetooth headset (the very comfortable LG HBS-750) a few weeks ago for my commute. I always prefer wireless headsets in the train as there are no wires to be pulled or tangled in the crush. Another reason I enjoy my personal audio in the train is that it gives me much needed headspace, especially when decompressing from work.
I have started listening to some podcasts so I'll chronicle them below. Any recommendations would definitely be welcome. As an aside, I use Player FM as my podcast app, and it is brilliant with a well-designed UI, an extensive catalogue and good offline storage settings.
So, here are some of my favorite podcasts currently:
1. Serial: Well, of course! How can I not be listening to Serial given the hype surrounding it? For those who don't know, it is a long-form weekly podcast spanning almost three months that investigates the alleged murder of Hae Min Lee by her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed in 1999. The podcast takes us through mountains of unreliable data and dozens of twists and turns with no clear end in sight. It is probably what a lot of criminal investigations are like, and to witness the uncertainty and inconsistencies in the case presented by either side is very edifying.
2. TwiT: This was an unusual one for me. I didn't really get into it at the beginning, because it seemed too slow for what I considered to be a tech news program. After giving it some time however, I realized it is more of a group discussion and has tons of banter that really liven up a two-hour long show. It has become one of the must-hear podcasts for me, and I look forward to it every Tuesday (Singapore time).
3. The Bugle Podcast: From the titans of comedy John Oliver (of Last Week Tonight fame) and Andy Zaltzman (of Cricinfo fame), this self-described "audio newspaper for a visual world" is irreverent and holds no punches in taking everything and everyone to task. I am guaranteed a good chuckle during my commute, much to the disconcert of my co-passengers.
4. No Such Thing As A Fish: Another British podcast, this time from the writers of the comedy panel show QI, it covers interesting facts every week. Loads of comedy and you do get to learn some interesting stuff. For instance, did you know that after the moon landing, Buzz Aldrin worked as a car salesman in a Cadillac dealership and didn't sell a single car in six months? This, of course, led the panel to question whether it was a good decision to have the dealership on the moon, but that's a different story. The name of the podcast comes from the fact that the common ancestor of what we call fish is also the common ancestor of all four-legged, land vertebrates and therefore, there is really no such thing as a fish.
So, that's all from me for now. Do you have any podcasts that you'd recommend for me to add on? I'm still on the lookout for a daily news program that is available between 4AM and 7AM SGT, so that I can get some current news on my way to work. Something like BBC Asia would work well but I can't seem to find a good, relevant podcast. All suggestions are welcome!
I have started listening to some podcasts so I'll chronicle them below. Any recommendations would definitely be welcome. As an aside, I use Player FM as my podcast app, and it is brilliant with a well-designed UI, an extensive catalogue and good offline storage settings.
So, here are some of my favorite podcasts currently:
1. Serial: Well, of course! How can I not be listening to Serial given the hype surrounding it? For those who don't know, it is a long-form weekly podcast spanning almost three months that investigates the alleged murder of Hae Min Lee by her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed in 1999. The podcast takes us through mountains of unreliable data and dozens of twists and turns with no clear end in sight. It is probably what a lot of criminal investigations are like, and to witness the uncertainty and inconsistencies in the case presented by either side is very edifying.
2. TwiT: This was an unusual one for me. I didn't really get into it at the beginning, because it seemed too slow for what I considered to be a tech news program. After giving it some time however, I realized it is more of a group discussion and has tons of banter that really liven up a two-hour long show. It has become one of the must-hear podcasts for me, and I look forward to it every Tuesday (Singapore time).
3. The Bugle Podcast: From the titans of comedy John Oliver (of Last Week Tonight fame) and Andy Zaltzman (of Cricinfo fame), this self-described "audio newspaper for a visual world" is irreverent and holds no punches in taking everything and everyone to task. I am guaranteed a good chuckle during my commute, much to the disconcert of my co-passengers.
4. No Such Thing As A Fish: Another British podcast, this time from the writers of the comedy panel show QI, it covers interesting facts every week. Loads of comedy and you do get to learn some interesting stuff. For instance, did you know that after the moon landing, Buzz Aldrin worked as a car salesman in a Cadillac dealership and didn't sell a single car in six months? This, of course, led the panel to question whether it was a good decision to have the dealership on the moon, but that's a different story. The name of the podcast comes from the fact that the common ancestor of what we call fish is also the common ancestor of all four-legged, land vertebrates and therefore, there is really no such thing as a fish.
So, that's all from me for now. Do you have any podcasts that you'd recommend for me to add on? I'm still on the lookout for a daily news program that is available between 4AM and 7AM SGT, so that I can get some current news on my way to work. Something like BBC Asia would work well but I can't seem to find a good, relevant podcast. All suggestions are welcome!
