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Page 22 The Shoreline November 2009 "Perhaps the easiest way to describe Stitcher is to say that it's like Pandora for talk radio, news, and podcasts (instead of music)" -Jim Cota There are a few things I really like: a. when something is all about me, b. when something is on my own time, and c. having some sort of idea what's going on. I suspect you might also find this list compelling. There are, of course, a couple of problems: a. most things aren't about me, b. time is rarely my own, and c. there's so much going on in the world- and at home, and at work- that it is increasingly difficult to have any idea what's going on. Some of you have adopted a strategy called 'timeshifting' to help cope with these realities. Examples include recording TV shows with a digital video recorder (DVR) so you can watch them when you're ready (often without commercials.) A few months ago, I reviewed Hulu. com, which allows you to do the same thing, only using your computer as the DVR. A few years ago, I bought a nifty device called from Griffin Technologies called a RadioShark. The cool little computer peripheral allowed me to receive AM/ FM radio transmissions through the computer and record shows to listen later. I did quite a bit of listening, but recording for later playback just never became standard operating procedure. (Incidentally, the newest version, RadioShark2 is available from Griffin Technology.) StUl, this whole radio thinghas bugged me. Have you ever been listening to a story on NPR, arrived at your destination, and then sat there in the car to hear the end of the story? It's happened to me. In fact, if s happened What's Stitcher? by Jim Cota to so many people that they have a name for it: driveway moments. I've often fotmd myself wanting to hit non existent pause or skip buttons. Then I fotmd . Stitcher bills themselves as "a leading mobile audio company that provides a revolutionary media service which allows audio content to be easily aggregated, organized and shared on mobile devices." That's a lot of jargon that means it's a little like a DVR for radio, except that it can nm in two places: either on your computer or (drumroll, please) on your mobile phone. (The Apple iPhone and four Blackberry models are currently supported.) I have it on my iPhone, and it's one of a handful of applications I use nearly every day. At it's core, it's simply an access point for pre-recorded radio programs. But in use, it's so much more. The Stitcher staff has compiled a few "station pre sets" to help you easily make the most of the service. For example, there's an "Updated Hourly" station that plays the most recent newscasts. It begins with NPR, and when that finishes, it plays CNN's last newscast. And then Fox. And then MSNBC. And, if you listen in the evening, you're likely to hear NBC News with Brian Williams. If news isn't your thing, you can listen to one of the other presets on topics ranging from sports to religion to technology to learning. Stations like "Arts & Culture" which features Writer's Almanac and The Moth (a very hip storytelling podcast), "Comedy" with The Oruon and Car Talk, "Health PKA News and Medicine" with Discovery Health and Paging Dr. Gupta, "Sports" with ESPN and PTI, and several others. There's even a broadly based and aptly named "Stitcher's Picks," which highlights the shows the Stitcher Staff likes the most. If you like a little more control in your life, you can also choose the shows by their source (instead of a preset.) This is like the difference between a variety show and a focused broadcast. (Though that sounds like an oxymoron...) The sources include standards like ABC News, BBC, AP, Discovery Channel, NY Times, Slate, Washington Post, and more. As "users" of the service, everything is available for free. You can download the application to your phone or listen at your desk. If you're a podcaster (you know who you are) and you'd like to increase your audience, you can work with Stitcher to get your content on their system. Overall, Stitcher is advertising supported, so even if you're not a listener and you don't create content, you can take advantage of the growing number of people looking for mobile media. I know from the comments I've received that many of you have become big Pandora fans since I wrote about it last June. Perhaps the easiest way to describe Stitcher is to say that it's like Pandora for talk radio, news, and podcasts (instead of music). With Stitcher, you can find a station that matches your interests, listen to it whenever you like, and maybe leam a little something in the process, which meets all the criteria on my "things I like" list. Note: From 1997 to the present, President/Creative Director Jim Cota has been writing informative reviews of Web sites and other internet related issues for the Indianapolis Business Journal. Articles are reprinted with permission of the Indianapolis Business Journal, copyright 1997 - 2009, IBJ Corp. By Barbara Lemons Fall is definitely in the air at Pine Knoll Shores, and the cooler weather is perfect for completing our many Pine Knoll Association (PKA) community projects. One of the major projects undertaken this year has been dredging the canal. This project has been a joint effort between PKA and the Town of Pine KnoU Shores. Directors Rich Belanger and Russ Pagels, who head our PKA Waterways' Committee, have worked closely with the town manager to obtain appropriate permits, plan out the project and oversee the work. Given the efforts and expertise of our volvmteers, it was possible to target only the areas of the canal needing to be dredged, saving both time and money. This project is now complete, with a total cost to PKA of $10,000 for our share of the dredging work. While we cannot change the fact that our waterways require ongoing maintenance due to tides and currents, there are some things that residents can do to help keep the canal navigable. If you have a bulkhead, please check often to be sure it isn't leaking, either above or below the waterline. Also, if you have property on or close to the canal, keeping trees and bushes trimmed so that limbs and leaves to do not fall into the water can also help. And if you use a yard service, please ask that they not blow leaves into the canal. Yard debris can build up over time, contributing to the narrowing of the channel. If you have questions about this project or any other PKA project, please contact any director or call association secretary Kathy Kimel at 240-1717. Support our advertisers when you can and tell them you saw their ad in the... >
The Shore Line (Pine Knoll Shores, N.C.)
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