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• Updated: Wed, Sep 15 2010 5:06 AM

Some Very Cool Free Stuff

By jbischke on Audio and Video Learning

Been doing some "treasure hunting" online this morning for new free stuff to add to our
increasingly popular Free Audio and Video Directory. I came across a few links I just
had to pass along:

Learner.org - I can't believe that I hadn't stumbled across this one before. This is one is
definitely worth checking out for a ton of free video tutorials. Registration is required
but it's well worth taking a minute or two to sign up. For example, here are a few of the
tutorial series that are available:

Algebra in Simplest Terms - 26 half-hour video programs to help you learn algebra (or
help you teach it to your children).

French in Action - Interested in learning French? Here are 52 half-hour video programs.
Bonus: There's a very attractive blond girl involved. :)

Art of the Western World - 9 one-hour videos ranging from The Classical Ideal to Post-
Impressionism.

MediaSite.com - Another "I can't believe I haven't come across this before" site... Over
7,500 free expert presentations and lectures that have been created with Sonic Foundry's
Mediasite system. Incredibly cool. (Thank to The Stingy Scholar blog for pointing this
one out.)

Voices in the Dark - Free MP3 audio books including Walden and Plato's Apology.

OK, that should keep you busy for a while. I'm off to find more!

Discuss this post in the LOL Forums!
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• Posted on: Tue, Dec 13 2005 7:23 PM

• Updated: Tue, Dec 13 2005 7:41 PM

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Best of 2005 Audio Books (iTunes)

By jbischke on Audio Learning

I just got an e-mail forwarded to me from Apple which lists the "Best of 2005" for audio
books. Not sure how scientific this is :) but wanted to pass the chosen titles along.

Editors Pick: Freakonomics

Customer Favorite: How To Talk To Anyone

Health, Mind & Body: YOU: The Owner's Manual

Current Events: The World is Flat

I'd give you a link to the complete listing but since it's in iTunes I'll just have to tell you
to go to the Audiobooks section of the Music Store and look for the Best of 2005.

Happy listening!

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• Updated: Tue, Dec 13 2005 6:59 PM

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Tookie Williams

By jbischke on Miscellaneous

For those of you who have been following this, Tookie Williams was executed earlier
today in California. I don't know enough about the details of the case to offer any sort of
qualified opinion on it but I did want to point people to a two-hour audio interview that
Tony Robbins did of Tookie Williams from San Quentin Prison. It's a very interesting
interview although it's a bit haunting to listen to now that he's gone.

Anyway, here's the link:

Tony's Interview with Stanley Tookie Williams

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• Posted on: Tue, Dec 13 2005 9:36 AM

• Updated: Tue, Dec 13 2005 9:44 AM

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Shownotes for Audio Learning Revolution Episode #013

By LOLSeth on Audio Learning

Audio Learning Revolution Podcast for Dec 11th, 2005
 Introduction
- Direct Link to the show
- Link to Feeds for Audio Learning Revolution podcasts
- Link to Castblaster Information
- Link to Zaadz Daily Wisdom Page
- Comments or Questions about the Podcast directory E-mail
 Holiday Gift Ideas
- Link to "Out of Your Mind" by Alan Watts
- Link to "The Beatles" by Bob Spitz
- Link to "A Knock at Midnight" by Martin Luther King Jr.
- Link to A Call Conscience by Martin Luther King Jr.
- Link to "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr."
- Link to J.R.R. Tolkien Author Page
- Link to "the Lord of the Rings" Boxed Set
- Link to "The Chronicles of Narnia CD Boxed Set" by C.S. Lewis
- Link to "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas
- Link to LearnOutLoud.com's Caedmon Collection page
- Link to LearnOutLoud.com's Shakespeare Arkangel Collection page
- Link to "Jung: A Very Short Introduction" by Anthony Stevens
- Link to "Freud: A Very Short Introduction" by Anthony Storr
- Link to "A Prairie Home Companion 25th Anniversary Collection" by Garrison
Keillor

- Link to "A Prairie Home Christmas" by Garrison Keillor
 Outro
- Link to "How You can Create Advertising that Really Works" by Bill Grady
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Shownotes for Audio Learning Revolution Episode #012

By LOLSeth on Audio Learning

Audio Learning Revolution Podcast for Dec 2nd, 2005
• Intro and Interlude Music - "Walk Away (Bitsream Dream Remix)" by
Lovespirals from The Podsafe Music Network
• Introduction
- Link to LearnOutLoud.com Podcast Directory
- Comments or Questions about the Podcast directory E-mail
• Religion & Spirituality Podcasts
- Link to Religion and Spirituality Podcast Category Page.
- Link to The Catholic Insider Podcast
- Link to The Vatican Radio Podcast
- Link to Zencast Podcast
- Link to Rachel's Choice Podcast
- Link to Consciousness: The Inside Story Podcast
• Interlude Music - "Love Survives" by Lovespirals from The Podsafe Music
Network
• Politics Podcasts
- Link to Politics podcast category page
- Link to Left Right and Center Podcast
- Link to Sen. John Edward's Podcast
- Link to Governor Schwarzenegger's Weekly Radio Address Podcast
- Link to the Presidential Weekly Radio Address Podcast
- Link to the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Podcast
- Link to the CNN News Update Podcast
- Link to the Newsweek On Air Podcast
- Link to the CBS News Face the Nation Podcast
- Link to ABC News: The Afternote Podcast
- Link to Slate Magazine Podcasts
- Link to Shelley the Republican Podcast
- Link to Democrats are Lost Podcast
- Link to The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly Podcast

- Link to The All RNC Podcast
- Link to The Democracy Now Podcast
- Link to The Mother Jones Radio Podcast
- Link to The Progressive Radio Show Podcast
- Link to Radio Nation Podcast
- Link to THIS IS HELL Podcast
- Link to The Air America Podcasts
• Interlude Music - "Ecstatic (Radio Edit)" by Lovespirals from The Podsafe
Music Network
• Philosophy
- Link to Philosophy Podcast Category Page.
- Link to DebateGod Podcast
- Link to Awaretek Podcast
• Self Development
- Link to Self Development Podcast Category Page.
- Link to NPR: Health & Science Podcast
- Link to KCRW's Second Opinion Podcast
- Link to The Health Report Podcast
- Link to The NBC5 HealthWatch Podcast
- Link to The MommyCast Podcast
- Link to the Gay Parenting Show Podcast
- Link to Dr. Alan Rubin's HealthCast Podcast
- Link to the Intraspectus Podcast
- Link to the All in the Mind Podcast
- Link to the Sound Medicine Podcast
- Link to Strengthcast
- Link to the Motivation to Move Podcast
- Link to More Hip than Hippy Podcast
• History Podcasts
- Link to History Podcast Category Page.
- Link to Speeches and Historical Audio Podcast
- Link to History According to Bob Podcast
• Outro - "Our Nights" by Lovespirals from The Podsafe Music Network

- Link to the LearnOutLoud.com Podcast Directory
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Narnia Mania


If you haven't spent the last couple of months in a cave you're
probably aware that Disney is releasing their latest projected
blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and
The Wardrobe today. The Chronicles of Narnia was originally a
seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis. I fondly remember
reading these as a child. I'd have to check with my parents but I'm
pretty sure I probably read them all.

If you're a Narnia fan you'll want to check out a couple of things we've put together here
at LearnOutLoud.com. The first is our C. S. Lewis Author Page. We've collected every
audio and video title from or about C.S. Lewis that we could find. One of my favorites
include the The Chronicles of Narnia CD Box Set which contains unabridged
recordings of all seven Narnia books for a very affordable price ($52.50). Another
interesting title is a reading of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe read by Michael
York.

If you're interested in learning more about C.S. Lewis or delving into some of his non-
Narnia material there are a couple of things you may want to check out. You can start
with our free reading of the C. S. Lewis Wikipedia entry where you'll learn more about
the man behind Narnia. Then you can move on to The C.S. Lewis Signature Classics
Audio Collection, a collection containing The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce,
The Problem of Pain and Mere Christianity.

If you're heading to the movie this weekend drop a quick post in the forums and let us
know how it was.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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• Posted on: Fri, Dec 9 2005 7:07 PM

• Updated: Fri, Dec 9 2005 7:22 PM

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1,000 Registered Members!


We cracked the 1,000 member mark tonight (1,002 at last check). A minor milestone no
doubt but kinda cool nonetheless.

If you haven't registered yet you can do so here. Registration is free, takes only a few
seconds and allows you to do a bunch of stuff like post to our forums, rate and review

titles and more. So go register and join the Audio Learning Revolution today!

Updated: I just found out that we also crossed the 10,000 title mark on the site this week
as well. Right now we're at 10,082 and counting. Lots of options for you to get your
Learn Out Loud on. :)

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• Posted on: Fri, Dec 9 2005 8:59 AM

• Updated: Fri, Dec 9 2005 9:12 AM

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Lennon Out Loud


Today marks the 25th anniversary of the death of John
Lennon, one of the most influential rock musicians in
history. Very few people have had a bigger influence on
their craft than Lennon. For more background on Lennon's
life and untimely death, check out the John Lennon
Wikipedia entry. And check out Zaadz for some Lennon
quotes.

We don't have a lot of Lennon titles on our site but for those
curious in learning more about this incredible man here are
a few you might be interested in listening to.

The Beatles and The Beatles - Two biographies of the same
name but by different authors. The first is the newly released and highly anticipated
book by Bob Spitz. The second is an older title (originally published in 1968 and
revised in 1996) by Hunter Davies published by Blackstone Audiobooks.

John - A biography of John Lennon written by his first wife Cynthia and published by
Random House Audio. An unabridged version is also available.

Lennon wrote an array of amazing and innovative songs and his "Imagine" has always
been on my short list of favorites:

Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood
of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us

Overdrive) are offering some very cool innovations in the spoken word audio world.

The funny thing is that this is a bit of deja vu for Apple. They built a walled garden
around the Mac back in the 80s and we all know how well that turned out for them. I'm
certainly not anti-Apple. I love what Steve Jobs has done with the iPod in terms of
promoting portable media. I just think we've moved passed the days of only allowing
content to work with your player or your software. People don't want that. The era of
darknet is over. The era of lightnet is upon us.

So what does all of this mean? First of all, if Apple doesn't start changing their tune
(sorry, bad pun...) soon I think that the relatively more open platforms are going to win
out. I don't know a better tip-off of that than this recent blog post from Chris Anderson,
editor over at Wired Magazine. Like him, I've come to the conclusion that my next
portable device probably won't be an iPod. It'll probably be something like the Zen
Micro pictured above.

Second, if the open platforms start to gain more ground than the rules change a lot. The
iTunes/iPod/Audible dominance in the spoken word audio market changes significantly.
Certainly Audible is somewhat insulated because their service works with many non-
iPod devices, but they will face increased competition. Hey, that's what happens when
monopolies are dissolved.

I loaded up on all the Bob Dylan songs I could find earlier this evening. I really enjoyed
being able to go back through all the old stuff that I would never have bought on iTunes
but were now a click away with Rhapsody. The one that seemed most apropos for the
occasion? Well, it goes a little something like this.

The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the
present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin'. And the first one now Will
later be last

Yup, the times they sure are a-changing... I just hope that Jobs and the gang realize that
before it's too late...again.

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• Posted on: Thu, Dec 8 2005 5:08 AM

• Updated: Thu, Dec 8 2005 6:01 AM

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Audio Learning "Lens" on Squidoo


The Squidoo site went public today and our
lens on "Audio Learning" is in the Top 100
(#10 as of this writing). Here's the link:

http://www.squidoo.com/Audio_Learning/

Squidoo is a hot site (I love how their colors match ours!) and it's a great idea. Seth
Godin and the gang have done it again!

Kudos to Steve Rubel over at Micro Persuasion for the heads up (although I do disagree
a bit with his assessment of Squidoo).
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• Posted on: Thu, Dec 8 2005 12:18 AM

• Updated: Thu, Dec 8 2005 12:25 AM

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R. I. P. CDs Part 2: The Spoken Word


Aidin Vaziri, music critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, has a great article up (thanks
to Corante for the link) entitled R.I.P. CDs
Consider the alternatives to compact discs: iPods, satellite radio and hours of free or
cheap digital music to download legally. Begone, bright discs and pesky cases! Begone!
(that's a mouthful huh?). He focuses on music so let me offer a quick companion article
covering the spoken word. You might want to read his article first to get the full
context:

10. Audible.com/Apple iTunes - As much as I sometimes get frustrated that Audible
could be so much more than it is, I have to admit that they do a lot right. They've got a
great selection, affordable pricing plans and a lot of free stuff. Plus, they basically
invented portable spoken word audio and for that I thank them profusely.

9. The Teaching Company - Yup, The Teaching Company finally offers digital
downloads. This is a very cool development because lugging around their voluminous
courses can be a bit cumbersome. Only a smattering of courses are available for
download but we'll hope their entire catalog is made available soon.

8. Nightingale-Conant - Another newcomer to the download world. We'll never know
but my guess is that Nightingale-Conant has single-handedly added billions (I don't
think I'm exaggerating here) to the world's economy through the people it has helped to
inspire and to educate.

7. IT Conversations - I love, love, love what Doug Kaye is doing here. And you're only
going to see more of it as his Conversations Network gathers more steam. I've said it
before and I'll say it again: Doug Kaye and the Conversations Network will change the

world. You heard it hear first.

6. Net Library and Overdrive - Free audio book downloads for everyone? How cool is
that! Sure it's the Windows Media format (not compatible with iPods) and sure you
have to have a library account and sure they expire just like regular library books but
did I mention that these audio book downloads are free?

5. Learning Languages On Audio - I can't tell you how cool it is to be able to learn
Spanish when you're walking to the store or pick up a bit o' Italiano when you're
running on the treadmill. While a lot of this stuff is still available only on CD publishers
like Pimsleur (Simon & Schuster), Berlitz and Living Language have made a good
chunk of their foreign language material available for download.

4. Podcasts - A year ago I didn't know what a podcast was. Now I think I'd have a hard
time living without them. There is so much good stuff out there and I think we're only
scratching the surface of what we'll see eventually. Personally the podcasts that are my
must-listens include IT Conversations, Diggnation (from the guys @ Digg.com), a new
favorite Venture Voice and our very own Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast.

3. Audio Cassettes - For some reason I still love the good ol' cassette. Sure they're bulky
and all but I love being able to carry them from place and place and always have them
remember where I am. A cool thing about cassettes too is that you can find older
material from people like Wayne Dyer on eBay that isn't available anywhere else.

2. Free Audio - I love to pay for my audio but I also like free stuff. Like free speeches
from Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Like free audio books such as Common Sense
and As a Man Thinketh. That's good stuff and the more I save on this stuff the more I
can spend on other stuff right? (I think I just set a world record for number of times
using the word "stuff" in the same sentence...)

1. Audio CDs - Wait...wasn't this supposed to be about the death of the CD? Yeah, I
guess it was but I have to admit that there is still a lot of stuff that I listen to on CD. As
far as I know the Sony rootkit wasn't installed on any audio books so spoken word
listeners are in the clear. And most cars only have CD players which means that CDs
are often the best option for many people.

The bottom line is that it doesn't matter whether you're listening to a download, a CD or
a cassette. The important thing is that you're listening. There are more choices out there
than ever before. So get busy and start Learning Out Loud OK? :)

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• Posted on: Wed, Dec 7 2005 6:27 AM

• Updated: Wed, Dec 7 2005 7:12 AM

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Another re-design and a DRM primer


Just a day after we announce Audible's new
re-design I notice that Simply Audiobooks
now has a brand new site and that they are
selling downloadable audio books. There's
certainly a lot going on in the audio book space. This brings the number of major audio
book sites that have undergone significant re-launches/site re-designs in the last couple
of months to three: Audible.com, SoundsGood.com and Simply Audiobooks.

Simply Audiobooks is selling downloads using the Microsoft Digital Rights
Management (DRM). Unfortuately this means that they won't be compatible with the
Apple iPod. Here's a quick primer on audio book DRM (for those that care):

-Digital Rights Managements or DRM refers to the technology that makes it difficult to
illegally copy or share an audio book. For instance, you might be able to listen to an
audio book you've purchased on two different computers but not on three. That would
be an example of DRM in action.

-Apple's DRM is called FairPlay and they do not license it. The only company that can
use Apple's DRM for spoken word audio is Audible.com and that arrangement is in
place through 2007. What this means is that if you are looking to purchase an audio
book with DRM you must go through Audible. Of course if the audio book does not
have DRM (e.g., an MP3 file purchased here at LearnOutLoud) then you can play it on
the iPod with no problems.

-Microsoft's DRM is called PlaysForSure. Anything you purchase with the Microsoft
DRM attached does play for sure...unless you happen to have an Apple iPod. This is
definitely a downside of the Microsoft DRM since 75%+ off all portable media devices
are iPods. The companies utilizing the PlaysForSure DRM include SoundsGood.com,
Simply Audiobooks and Jiggerbug.

-While DRM does offer protection to publishers and content producers it isn't without
its downside. There can be compatability issues and other usability problems such as not
being able consume your legally downloaded content as you would like to. There's also
an additional cost to implementing DRM.

Anyway, I've probably told you more than you ever wanted to know about DRM so I'll
stop for now. If you've got any thoughts or questions about DRM let's continue the
discussion in the forums.

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• Updated: Wed, Dec 7 2005 12:46 AM

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In Today's Audio Learning News...


A few quick newsworthy audio learning-related items to pass along:

AmigoFish Launches - Dave Slusher has launched AmigoFish, a new service to help
you find podcasts you'll like based on your ratings of podcasts you've already listened
to. It's about time something like this came out. I'm very surprised that Slusher beat
Yahoo, Odeo, Podcast Alley and others to the punch on this. I hope he does well with it.
It's definitely a much-needed service that becomes increasingly valuable as more people
use it.

New Audible Re-Design - Audible.com has unveiled a fairly significant site re-design.
I don't what to make of the new look. I think I liked their old site better. It was more
inviting. And adding to "Beta" moniker to their logo is just a bit too trendy. If you have
a brand new service you're launching telling everyone it's still in Beta is kinda cool but
I'm not sure you need to do this just because you've redesigned your site...

Bookchips to Be Available in Airports - Audiofy announced a deal with Airport
Wireless Rental to make their Audiobook Chips available in airport stores. This makes a
lot of sense as it's a great way to business travels and others to grab portable audio to
listen to while in the air. I think they'll do real well with this.

Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast Launches - OK, one internal item of news. :) Today we
started sending out the Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast, a daily podcast of inspirational
quotes and teaches. Check it out when you get a chance. We think you'll dig it. To
subscribe go to http://www.learnoutloud.com/wisdom or search the iTunes directory for
"zaadz".

OK, that's the news and I am outta here!

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E-Magazine #7 - December 2nd, 2005


Special Holiday Edition: Holiday Gift Ideas +
Daily Wisdom Podcast + We've Been Dugg

Holiday Gift Ideas

Audio books make great holiday gifts! Rather than giving someone a
book they may never read or another piece of clothing to stuff an already full closet,
why not get them something you know they'll use. Just about everyone has a good
amount of time in their vehicle and a well-chosen audio book is an excellent way to help
them enjoy that time.

We've combed the Catalog at LearnOutLoud (rapidly approaching 10,000 titles) to pick
out a few titles that make great gift ideas. Here are some of our recommendations:

The Chronicles of Narnia CD Box Set - By now you've probably seen the commercial
for Narnia, the new Walt Disney movie that will be released in a couple of weeks. This
movie is based on the Chronicles of Narnia series of books by C. S. Lewis. This box set
contains all seven unabridged recordings (31 discs in all!) at a very reasonable price.

Freakonomics - If you're the type who views economics as a boring and stuffy subject,
Steven Levitt's bestseller Freakonomics will shatter those myths. Levitt offers an
informative and enlightening look at society through the lens of an inquisitive
economist. Highly listenable and a great gift for just about anyone on your list. Other
similar titles include two from Malcolm Gladwell: Blink and The Tipping Point.

Titles that are religious or spiritual in nature and that make great gifts include Joel
Osteen's popular new audio book Your Best Life Now, Eckhart Tolle's classic The
Power of Now and the The King James Bible read by James Earl Jones (we like to refer
to this one as the "King James Earl Jones" Bible!).

Finally, a great audio book that just about everyone will enjoy is David McCullough's
"Biography of a Year" 1776. It's also available in an abridged version here. If you're
interested in getting a little taste of 1776 for free, check out the free WGBH production
of David McCullough's presentation Biography of a Year: 1776.

That's just a small sampling of what's available. We have over 2,000 titles discounted
20-40% off. Visit our On Sale Section to find that perfect holiday gift.

We've Been Dugg and Delicious'zed...

It was a pretty exciting week here at LearnOutLoud headquarters. We ended up on the
front page of technology news site Digg.com which led to prominent placement on
social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us and Furl and brief write-ups on Lifehacker
(don't worry, it's a site about personal productivity, not hacking...) and Yahoo! News.
We experienced traffic levels that were almost 10 times the norm which explains a bit
of the sluggishness that you may have noticed.

Welcome to all of the new people who visited and those of you who subscribed to our
newsletter and are reading it for the first time. It's great to have you onboard at the start

of the Audio Learning Revolution!

Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast To Launch Monday

On Monday we'll be launching the Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast, a daily podcast
consisting of inspirational quotes from philosophers, psychologists, spiritual teachers
and optimal living gurus along with related commentary. The Zaadz Daily Wisdom
Podcast is hosted by Brian Johnson, Philosopher & CEO of Zaadz, Inc. It's a great
podcast to subscribe to and listen to first thing in the morning or on your way to work.
Some of the individuals profiled in the first month of the Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast
include Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Martin Seligman, Socrates and
Marianne Williamson.

We've had a chance to preview the first month's worth of episodes of the Daily Wisdom
Podcast here and you're in for a treat. We've reviewed thousands of podcasts and we
haven't come across anything like what Brian has put together. To subscribe to the
Zaadz Daily Wisdom Podcast go to http://www.learnoutloud.com/wisdom or search the
iTunes Directory for "zaadz". While you're at it head on over to zaadz.com and check
out their hot new site.

Announcing the Winner of the Nano Contest

We're proud to announce the winner of our Nano contest which is Brad Rhoads of
Winfield, IL. Brad won by linking to us from his blog here. Congrats Brad!

Titles Under $10

A few titles under $10 from our Sale Section:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (CD for $9.80, Cassette for $9.10)
Acres of Diamonds (Digital Download for $2.98)
The Magic Story (Digital Download for $1.98)
Unlimited Power (CD or Cassette for $9.80)

Latest Resources, Articles and Blog Posts

Resources:

• Sounds True Publisher Page

Articles:

• Recording a Lecture or Seminar

BlogOutLoud.com:

• How to Become an Audio Learning Junkie, Part One
• Bono Out Loud

• Wiki Out Loud: Wikipedia Entries on Audio

• The "Tepping" Point Part One and The "Tepping" Point Part Two

Visit our blog at: www.BlogOutLoud.com.

Register and participate in the LearnOutLoud.com Forums.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays everyone! Cherish the time you have with your friends and family.
Count your blessings. Remember the important things (hint: it's not stuff...) this time of
year.

Best wishes,

The LearnOutLoud.com Staff
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Audio and Video Learning Around the World


So I popped on in to Google Analytics tonight to check on our stats and found the map
of our vistitors fascinating. Each of the dots on the map represents a city from where at
least 30 people came to our site in the last week. Where did we receive the most visits
from? Taipei. 710 visits this week. Gives me chills just thinking about people in China
firing up their web browser and listening to audio and video learning content, improving
their English skills, etc.

I exchanged e-mails today with a sweet lady from China who explained to me how

grateful she was to have found LearnOutLoud.com. Here's a bit of what she said:

maybe its main idea is not to practise one's listening, but obviously it's a big potential
benifit to english learner, especially who want to improve their listening.

The potential for audio and video learning and podcasting is amazing. It can open up
new worlds for people in places like China. And there will be an incredible demand for
ESL and other english language programs in these countries. Likewise there will be a
lot of demand for programs to learn languages like Mandarin. A prime example of this
is the fact that the third most popular podcast on Yahoo's podcast directory is
ChinesePod, a podcast out of Shanghai that teaches Mandarin Chinese through daily
audio lessons.

The most apropros sign might have been the title that my new friend in China originally
e-mailed me about. What was it?

The World is Flat

Yes, indeed it is.

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Podcast History

By LOLSeth on Podcasting

I decided to take a hand at recording my own Wikipedia entry
today. The results, for better or worse, can be found here with my
rendition of Wikipedia's entry for Podcasting. I was astonished to
see how much the definition and history of podcasting had
expanded over the past few weeks (then again, just look at how
much Wikipedia itself has grown in the last year). I keep up with
podcasting's development on a daily basis so I have an incremental
knowledge of what's happening and what might happen. When you actually step back
and take stock of what's changed in this sphere over the last few months, you see the
incredible strides the medium has made.

Personally speaking, I've never had such direct access to an emerging technology much
less known at the moment that I was actually taking a small part in its development.
Thanks to podcasting I basically got a crash course in how the internet of the 21st
century works. We started doing our own shows at LearnOutLoud last February and
that seems like a million years ago now. Back then we didn't know if anyone was

OK, so less than 48 hours ago I'm bitching about how options for video learning are
more limited than for audio learning because of the lack of ability to "space shift." With
the iPod and other portable MP3 players that are out there, audio is almost entirely
portable (with the exception that it's still a pain in the ass to connect iPods and MP3
players to many vehicles). Video on the other hand is much less portable...at least until
today.

Apple just announced their brand new video iPod at their "One more thing..." event in
San Francisco. They have a cool new commercial that allow you to see the new iPod.
Check it out:

New Video iPod Commercial

I just wandered down to the Apple Store here in Santa Monica and unfortunately they
don't have any video iPods in the store yet. I'd love to see the quality of the video first-
hand. I'm also curious to see the screen size and try to gauge whether this is a viable
platform for viewing and what type of video content might work best on the video iPod.

Regardless of whether the video iPod takes off, I think that this will be the day that
people will look back on and point to as the beginning of the portability of video.
Imagine what this allows me to do. I can take some video content, throw it on my iPod
and watch in anywhere. On the train on the way into work in the morning...hooked up to
my PC or laptop...through my new hi-def television (OK, wishful thinking there...).

Just as the original iPod (and other MP3 players) made music and spoken word content
portable (do you remember the days of lugging cases of CDs around with you?!), I think
that the new iPod will absolutely do the same thing for video. DVDs? What are those? I
think as soon as a few years from now people might be asking that question.

It's a brave new world and we're glad to be a part of it. We're excited to bring you
educational and self-development video content in the coming months. So when you do
get that brand spankin' new iPod for the holidays make sure y'all come back here to fill
it up!

Before I go, here are some more cool links related to the new iPod:

"One more thing..." Special Event Video

Engadget's First Impressions of the new iPod
How to get your own videos onto the iPod

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• Posted on: Thu, Oct 13 2005 12:00 AM

• Updated: Thu, Oct 13 2005 12:03 AM

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Help us Change This!


There's a cool website called ChangeThis.com that I've been a fan of for quite a while.
They invite authors to write "manifestos" that propose new ideas and ways of looking at
the world. In the past they've had some pretty cool manifestos from the likes of Tom
Peters, Guy Kawasaki and Seth Godin.

I have a proposal listed on their site right now. It would be a manifesto about audio
learning and its ability to revolutionize peoples' lives. If you have a minute (it won't
even take a minute), please cast a vote for the proposal at the following URL:

http://www.changethis.com/proposals/545

The more votes the proposal gets, the more likely that it will be turned into a full-blown
manifesto.

Thanks in advance for helping to support the Audio Learning Revolution!

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• Posted on: Wed, Oct 12 2005 3:57 AM

• Updated: Wed, Oct 12 2005 4:04 AM

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Podcast Show Notes: Oct 11th, 2005

By LOLSeth

Audio Learning Revolution Podcast for Oct 11th, 2005
• Intro Music - "Warning" by DJ Lennoxx from garageband.com
• Introduction

- Link to LearnOutLoud.com Podcast Directory
- Comments or Questions about the Podcast directory E-mail - Promo: Link to
Animal Voices Podcast.
• Interlude Music - "Fast Jazz and Funky" by Larry Seyer from The Podsafe
Music Network
• Science Podcasts
- Link to Science Podcast Category Page.
- Link to The Naked Scientists Science Radio Show Podcast
- Link to Disaster News Network Podcast
- Link to Slacker Astronomy Podcast
- Link to Science@Nasa Podcast
• Social Science Podcasts
- Link to Social Science podcast category page
- Link to NOW - PBS Podcast
- Link to the Here On Earth podcast
- Link to A Time for Choices Podcast
• Interlude Music - "Run Rabbit/The Chase" by BRAIN BUCKIT from The
Podsafe Music Network
• Sports & Hobby Podcasts
- Link to Sports & Hobbies Podcast Category Page.
- Link to Winecast Podcast
- Link to Grape Radio Podcast
- Link to Wine Making Radio Podcast
- Link to Crushing Grape Podcast
- Link to Endurance Radio Podcast
- Link to General Aviation Weekly Podcast
- Link to Rockets Away! Radio Podcast
• History Podcasts
- Link to History Podcast Category Page.
- Link to Speeches and Historical Audio Podcast
- Link to History According to Bob Podcast
• Interlude Music - "Watcher of the Skyline" by m7 from The Podsafe Music
Network
• Misc Podcast Categories
- Link to Languages Podcast Category Page.
- Link to Very Vocabulary Podcast
- Link to Literature Podcast Category Page.
- Link to Crackle Back Short Stories Podcast
• Outro - "El Puente Closing Theme" by Larry Seyer from The Podsafe Music
Network

- Link to Audio Learning Revolution podcast page
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• Posted on: Tue, Oct 11 2005 11:50 PM

• Updated: Wed, Oct 12 2005 12:04 AM

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Space Shifting


I heard another great phrase today which got me thinking. I've had to explain podcasting
to more than a few people lately and one of the words I often use is "timeshifting"
which is essentially the TiVo-like ability that allows you to listen to what you want,
when you want. But for me that didn't really do podcasting justice. There was
something else there...

Then I heard the phrase "spaceshifting" today and it fell into place. You see it's not just
that I can listen to what I want when I want. It's also that I can listen to what I want
where I want. With my iPod my content follows me around. I can be at the office or in
my car or out for a jog and I'll still have my same audio books and podcasts with me. I
think that's one of the things I'm most digging about podcasting and audio learning in
general.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for video learning. With video, in most cases,
I'm still somewhat tethered. If it's a DVD course I need to be at a PC or TV with a DVD
player. Then I have to load up the DVD (usually takes a few minutes), figure out where
I am, etc. It's not the instant gratification that we're coming to expect in our society.

Let me give you another example of this. I was checking out Integral Naked tonight and
was a bit bummed that most of the content was video (I promised I would tell you
why...). If all of the stuff was audio I think I would be stoked. I'd download it all to the
ol' iPod and that would be the end of it. But with video I honestly don't know if I'll find
the time to sit down and watch all of it. The files are short and since I have to be at a PC
I can't just crash on my couch and watch it.

Don't get me wrong. I love the potential for video learning. There are many things that
are so much easier to learn when you combine video with audio. But we've still got a
long way to go. I want to be able to load all my video content on a portable device and
be able to watch it on the device anywhere I am or plug it in to my laptop, PC, TV, etc.
if I want a bigger screen. Give me time shifting and space shifting and then it'll be off to
the races.

Of course that's probably a ways off...unless Apple decides to go ahead and announce
the new video iPod at their "One More Thing" event tomorrow. :)


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• Posted on: Tue, Oct 11 2005 8:53 AM

• Updated: Tue, Oct 11 2005 9:10 AM

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Integral Naked


David did a great job of highlighting some good sites for
MP3 downloads of great authors and teachers a couple
of days ago. I'll add one more to the mix: Integral Naked.
It's an interesting collection of audio and video self-
development material with interviews with such luminaries as Deepak Chopra and Tony
Robbins.

In Integral's own words:

Integral Naked is a multimedia doorway to the world of integral awareness.
Conversations, performances, live events-all involving the most influential, provocative,
and important thinkers and leaders in the world. Often these are moderated by Ken
Wilber, considered the most influential integral theorist today, and his colleagues at
Integral Institute.

It's a $10 monthly subscription which is pretty cheap considering the wealth of material.
I was a bit bummed that most of it is video rather than audio (more on that later...) but
it's still a pretty cool collection of content. I listened to a couple of interviews that Ken
did with Tony Robbins today and was pretty impressed by what I heard.

Definitely go check it out as you'll have some more good stuff to stick into your iPod.

(Kudos to my buddy Bri for the tip on this one.)

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• Posted on: Tue, Oct 11 2005 6:33 AM

• Updated: Tue, Oct 11 2005 6:44 AM

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The Dan Millman Podcast

By jbischke on Podcasting

I'm proud to announce the launch of another new podcast. We just put the
wraps on the first episode of the Dan Millman Podcast. Dan is one of our
all-time favorite authors and an amazing teacher. For those of you who
aren't familiar with Dan, here's a brief bio:
Dan Millman is a former world champion athlete, university coach, martial
arts instructor, and college professor. His books, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior,
The Journeys of Socrates, and The Life You Were Born to Live have inspired millions
of readers in 29 languages.

If you've read or listened to any of Dan's book we're pretty sure you'll love the podcast.
You can check out the first episode here:

http://www.learnoutloud.com/millmanpodcast

If you dig it make sure to subscribe to the podcast using iTunes, Odeo or your other
preferred podcatching apparatus. We'd love to hear your thoughts as well. Please feel
free to send feedback on the Dan Millman Podcast to suggestions@learnoutloud.com.

Oh, and don't forget to check out our Dan Millman author page. In addition to the
podcasts we have links to nine other audio titles and as well as his Peaceful Warrior
Workout DVD.

We're honored to be able to bring you Dan's podcast and we hope that you have as much
fun listening to it as we had putting it together.


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• Posted on: Mon, Oct 10 2005 7:07 AM

• Updated: Mon, Oct 10 2005 7:15 AM

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MP3 Downloads of Great Lecturers & Speakers

By LOLDavid

We just put up three new publisher pages for What Is Enlightenment?, The Great
Lecture Library, & iAmplify:

www.learnoutloud.com/whatisenlightenment
www.learnoutloud.com/greatlecturelibrary
www.learnoutloud.com/iamplify

These are three great publishers that offer downloadable lectures
from leading speakers in a wide variety of fields. What Is

Enlightenment? features speakers that discuss the latest trends in spirituality,
psychology, religion, politics, science, and other topics. For $10/month you can
subscribe to them and have access to all their streaming audio and video as well as the
ability to download all their audio content on MP3. They've got samples of all their
titles and they offer a free one month trial that gives you access to all their content.

The Great Lecture Library is a digital audio library of 1200 lectures and sermons from
over 600 speakers that have been recorded at the Chautauqua Institution over the past 35
years. These lectures cover a vast array of topics and can be purchased a $5.95 per
lecture or for an annual subscription fee you have access to all their lectures through
streaming audio as well as a set number of audio downloads. They have a 15 day free
trial that gives you access to all their lectures through streaming audio.

iAmplify features MP3 audio downloads from fitness professionals, lecturers, spiritual
leaders, and self help speakers like Marianne Williamson and Barbara De Angelis.
Users can browse through 24 different topics with downloadable programs on personal
growth, yoga, parenting, and a wide variety of exercises. Once programs have been
purchased they can be downloaded as MP3s or played through streaming audio.

So check out these publishers for great original audio content that you can download
and take with you.
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• Posted on: Mon, Oct 10 2005 2:05 AM

• Updated: Mon, Oct 10 2005 2:43 AM

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Language Learning Software

By LOLDavid

Sometimes when learning a language you don't want just the Listen & Repeat CDs or
tapes because there are limitations to simply learning a language on audio. You can't see
the words you're saying which limits your understanding of how spelling informs the
pronunciation of the language. You can't read or write the language at all with audio
language programs and that can be important when you're in a European city trying to
read all those signs. And interactive language learning software can be a lot of fun since
there's so many entertaining tests, exercises, and games you can play to learn the
language instead of just memorizing it through listening and repeating.

So in the case you're interested in obtaining CD-ROM or online software for language
learning you should check out our recently added publisher pages for Rosetta Stone and
Transparent Language. You can check them out by going to:

www.learnoutloud.com/transparent
www.learnoutloud.com/rosetta

Rosetta Stone offers software in 29 languages with Level 1 & Level 2 programs that
you can buy on CD-ROM or access through their monthly online subscription which
costs $49.95 per month. Level 1 programs provide 92 interactive lessons and Level 2
programs include 118 lessons. Through these lessons you'll learn through 4 methods:

1. Listening to native speakers speak their everyday language
2. Speaking the language and making sure your pronunciation is right through speech
recognition that compares your voice to native speakers
3. Reading exercises that link written language to real-life objects
4. Writing exercises that check your spelling, syntax and punctuation

Transparent Language has a more extensive offering of languages with over 100
different languages to learn through their 7 product lines that are available on CD-ROM
with some of their titles available as online software that you can download. These
product lines are all described in detail on their publisher page but basically they are an
interactive mulitmedia immersion into a foreign language teaching you how to
comprehend, converse, pronounce, read, and write a language. Their Complete Suites
include three of their software programs along with Linguaphone's PDQ Talk which has
4 audio CDs and a translation dictionary.

Demos of their products are available online. For the online demo of Rosetta Stone click
here. To download Transparent Language's free trial software click here. We feature
most of Rosetta Stone's titles and Transparent Language's titles on our site so check
them out.
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• Posted on: Sat, Oct 8 2005 7:10 AM

• Updated: Sat, Oct 8 2005 9:04 AM

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Cure for the Common Commute


It's starting to catch on. People are awakening to the fact that
their morning commute doesn't have to be this dreaded, boring,
tedious activity. Driving to work can be the one time during your
day when you get to be selfish. You get to listen to what you
want to listen to and learn about the things you might not
normally have the time for. It's a great way to learn and develop
personally and professionally.

Kudos to the gang over at Simply Audiobooks for helping spread the gospel of audio
learning. They've launched a campaign called "Cure for the Common Commute" which
is both catchy and apropos.

The common cold and the "common commute" have a lot in common. Many people
deal with both and both are very annoying. There are some common-sense ways to
prevent the common cold and likewise, there are some easy ways to prevent frustrating
commutes. We can think of over 8,000 of them in our Catalog. :) (Speaking of which,
we added over 1,500 new titles to our catalog this week. Check it out!)

One day we might figure out the cure for the common cold. In the meantime, finding
the cure for the common commute seems a little easier.


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• Posted on: Fri, Oct 7 2005 9:43 PM

• Updated: Fri, Oct 7 2005 9:52 PM

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ThinkArete: The Podcast

By jbischke on Podcasting

I'm proud to announce that we've got an exclusive new podcast up
on LearnOutLoud.com. It's called ThinkArete: The Podcast and I
think you'll really enjoy it. It's a daily podcast done by Brian
Johnson, CEO and Philosopher and CEO over at Zaadz, Inc. For
those who've never heard the word "arete" before (I hadn't until I
met Brian), here's a brief description:
The classic Greek philosophers had a word for the process of self-
actualizing and striving to reach your highest potential. They called it 'Areté.'
(pronounced ar-uh-tay) In fact, Areté was one of the most important values in classic
Greek culture. Guys like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle tell us that the meaning of life is
happiness and that the way to achieve happiness is to live with areté (aka excellence,
striving to reach your highest potential). By looking at the universal truths taught by
philosophers, religions, and current psychological research, I think we can find the keys

Looks like we got a little write-up about our trip to Louisiana published in
the Glendale News-Press today. I thought I would pass it along in case
anyone is interested. Here's the link:

Cross-country aid - Jet Propulsion Laboratory employee does his bit to help
victims of hurricane devastation.

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• Posted on: Thu, Sep 22 2005 10:13 PM

• Updated: Thu, Sep 22 2005 10:17 PM

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My "Broken Records"


On my iPod and around my apartment I have several audio
books that I would call my "broken records." These are
audiobooks that I'll throw on somewhat continuously in the
background when I'm walking places, cleaning, making
something to eat, etc. I don't necessarily listen to them in a
linear, start-to-finish fashion. Rather I'll just pick them up
whereever I happen to be and listen to them for 10 to 20 minutes
or longer.

With many audio books it's hard to do this because there is some sort of sequencing
required and if you pick them up mid-way through you don't really have the proper
context. And of course with many audio books you really don't have much need to listen
to them more than once. But my "broken records" are titles that I honestly don't feel I
could listen to too much. They serve as almost a kind of spoken word "soundtrack" for
my life.

So without further ado, let me present to you my list of broken records along with some
comments. I hope some of you will order these and allow yourself to become immersed
in them as well. They contain timeless wisdom and are a great alternative to having the
TV or radio blaring in the background during daily life:

My Broken Records

• Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill's classic on achieving financial success.
What I love about this book is that there is so much in here that can contribute to
success in all areas of life. It is a bummer though that Audible.com hasn't put
this title up. In the meantime, I'll stick with my cassettes...
• How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie's classic tome on
interpersonal relationships is a favorite of mine despite the somewhat cheesy
title. What's amazing is the fact that the vast majority of the advice in this book

is common sense and yet it's rarely practiced by most people.
• The Secrets of the Power of Intention, There is a Spiritual Solution to Every
Problem and It's Never Crowded Along the Extra Mile by Wayne Dyer - Dyer
probably consumes a good 20% of the space on my iPod. He has a magical
voice and I truly feel that listening to him is a superior experience to reading his
books. His live stuff is particularly good and there is so much incredible wisdom
in here that, if you're like me, you'll find yourself returning to it over and over
again.
• The Bible - I certainly don't listen to it as much as I should but I do find that
having the Bible on my iPod makes it convenient for me to return to it when I
have a few minutes waiting in line somewhere. (I don't know exactly which
version is on my iPod so I just linked above to our super cool "The Bible on
Audio" page where dozens of audio versions of the Bible and individual books.)

I have a couple other broken records that run in the background as well during specific
times of my day. Wayne Dyer's 101 Ways to Transform Your Life wakes me up each
morning from the stereo system in my bedroom. Pimsleur's Spanish I runs in my
bathroom while I'm taking a shower or brushing my teeth. Yup, I'm pretty much
addicted to this stuff...not that that's a bad thing.

Feel free to let me know if you've got other suggestions for broken records. I'd love to
get your take on this.

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• Posted on: Wed, Sep 21 2005 8:54 PM

• Updated: Wed, Sep 21 2005 8:54 PM

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32 GB iPod Nanos and a Podcast Directory on Your Phone?


I spent the better part of the day today immersed in the future of digital audio and video
at the Digital Hollywood conference here in Santa Monica. I had a few cool chats with
some people on the inside of what's coming down the pipeline next. I had a particularly
cool talk with the founder of Melodeo, a company that is bringing you podcasting to
mobile phones. You can check out a demo of their "mobilcast" technology here. It's a
pretty cool technology and no doubt represents a part of the future for podcasting.

Speaking of the future, last week Samsung announced that they will be doing a flash
memory chip that can hold up to 32 GBs of data. What does that mean? How about the
possibility of a 32 GB iPod Nano? How cool would that be? Devices will get smaller
and storage capacity will get larger, the latter being particularly relevant as
"videocasting" (the video equivalent of podcasting) grows in popularity. Here's a link to

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