Studio: 5by5
Category: Tech News
What It Is
Dan Benjamin discusses everything Apple and music recording with writer Jim Dalrymple.
Technical Details
The show runs between 60 & 75 minutes and is released every Wednesday. Like Back to Work from 5by5, the show is just a rambling conversation; this time the conversation is about Apple products, Apple news, music recording products and guitar amps. You can watch the show live; I’ve never done so. The show’s been around since early 2012 and the iTunes archive contains all the episodes.
What About It
I’m no tech geek; I still don’t even own an iPod. Anyway, the show kind of fails for me on that basic premise level, but this isn’t really crippling at all. Take 4Player for instance; I’m no video game guy, but I find the conversations very interesting and the wit and charm of the hosts ends up making me love the podcast. I was hoping the same thing would happen here; I love 5by5’s Back to Work, which features Benjamin and Merlin Mann. Unfortunately, I don’t find the raspy voiced, brusque Jim Dalrymple to be anywhere near as funny, silly or compelling as the wackadoodle, sincere Merlin Mann. Okay, I don’t mind listening to tech news; tech is a big piece of modern society and I try to keep up to a very, very small degree with new tech developments, but this podcast just doesn’t work for me. Benjamin will occasionally drop a good joke, and Dalrymple will bust out his most charming trait, a gut-busting, booming laugh that rattles the windows. I guess I just find Dalrymple’s personality unappealing; I’ve heard him called arrogant, but that’s not the vibe I get. He’s just . . . a little too lackadaisical to make a great podcast host; perpetually mumbling and giving monosyllabic answers, you know? Yeah, not my thing.
Essential If
You miss listening to that anti-social, somewhat ill-tempered guy from down the hall mumbling into his beard about Apple and want a podcast that will replicate said experience.
Avoid Like the Plague If
Due to a tragic misreading of Scripture, you believe that Satan started Apple in the Garden of Eden.
Best Entry Point
I’m not going to pick one. I mean, I think that if this is your thing, just about any episode will do. I mean, they’re all kind of the same. I would have trouble picking any particular episode out of the brief run I listened to. Just get the latest one if you want to try this one.
Strongly warned against. ½ star.
Next time, back to American Public Media for one of their flagship shows.