Hi. I’m Rob.

I usually use the “Rob The Explainer” category of this blog to dispense technology advice to others.  This time, I’m the one that’s got a question.  It didn’t fit neatly into a 140 character tweet, so I’m posting it here, in the hopes that someone can set me straight in the comments section of this post.

I’m going to be upgrading the PCs in my house to Windows 7, My wife and I do alot of digital media work–Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects, Premiere, etc. I’m leaning towards installing it as 64-bit for the better performance and greater headroom on RAM usage. In addition, Adobe has announced that future versions of After Effects and Premiere will only support 64-bit.

What I don’t fully understand is what are the drawbacks of going 64 bit? One I’ve heard is that there’s no Adobe Flash (yet) for 64-bit browsers, but that’s easily solved by installing the 32 bit version of browsers. Other than that, are their major drawbacks to installing 64-bit?

Also:
1) No snarky “well you should just get a Mac” comments, please.
2) I assume that you’re given the choice of 32 or 64 bit when installing Windows 7, correct?
3) Do most modern processors (Intel Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, i5, and i7) support 64 bit?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Over the past few years, people have been predicting an explosion in the use of mobile devices--bringing about changes to society that would equal or surpass those brought about by the personal computer.  For much of that time, I’ve been skeptical.  Sure, the convenience of having a device anywhere was great, but limitations on connectivity, input, and screen resolution made me think that mobile devices would always be supplemental to the PC. 

And then I got an iPhone. 

While it’s far from a perfect device--the battery life is too short, calls drop, and typing is no picnic--it has made me see a potential in mobile devices that I hadn’t seen before.  The iPhone’s extreme portability and vast library of applications tip the scales for me.  And the technology built into every iPhone--a touch screen, accelerometer, compass, etc.--make experiences possible that are neither practical nor commercially feasible on the PC.  Other technologies, such as e-ink, flexible displays, and advances in minitiurization will further differentiate what’s possible on mobile devices from what we do on the PC.  The PC will have its own advances, but their impact will be incremental compared to the changes brought on by improvements to and ubiquity of mobile devices.

These changes will also challenge us to think about the consequences of the technology: data security, personal safety, and the proper role of government regulation.  But hey, if I can watch Curb Your Enthusiasm on the beach while ordering a pizza, I say bring it on!

I was prompted to write this post by a YouTube video I saw by a mobile communications industry group.  The video both recapped the growth of mobile to date and predicted the changes we’ll see in them over the next decade.  Its predictions are bold, but they’re also plausible and specific.  If half of them come to pass, we’re in for a wild ride.  The video starts off with a bunch of new-agey corporate mumbo jumbo, but eventually picks up steam and gets more interesting.  Watch:

Back in 2006, I wrote a post called What Is A Podcast? and planned to follow it up with with recommendations on great podcasts worth a listen.  Well, guess what, loyal readers?  Today’s the day I cross that item off my to-do list!

The podcasts to which I subscribe cover a variety of topics: Marketing, technology, photography, politics, and video editing.  Today, I’ll focus on my favorite marketing podcasts.  Look for a follow up post with further recommendations…oh, around 2012ish.

Whaddaya Need, a Refresher Course?

For those of you that don’t know what a podcast is, here’s a quick rundown:

• A podcast is is an audio file that you can download and listen to on a computer, portable audio player (like an iPod), or burn to a CD.
• They’re usually episodic–once a week or so–and free.
• Some podcasts also feature video.
• You can subscribe to receive podcasts as they’re released through software such as iTunes, or just download each episode from the podcast’s website.

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

Listening to podcasts takes the right frame of mind.  In our short attention span world of 140 character tweets, multiple tab browsers, and snack-sized iPhone apps, listening to an hour-long podcast seems achingly slow and uneventful.  Like a soccer game.

Some argue that they’re not as efficient as blogs–you can scan a blog post much quicker than you can take in information from a podcast.  True, but reading requires your full attention.  Podcasts can be listened to while doing something else.  I listen to them while driving, working, working out, and sometimes as I’m drifting off to sleep.  Yeah. I’m hard core like that.  It’s kind of like the way Keanu learned Kung Fu in The Matrix.

At their best, podcasts can really get at the meat of issues and go beyond bullet-point descriptions.  It’s usually more than just one person doing the talking, so there’s a healthy back and forth of dialogue and debate.

My Favorites

Many podcasts maintain archives of past episodes, and much of the content has a pretty long shelf life.  So, if you find something you like, go back in those archives and listen to some older shows.  For each podcast below, I’ll give you the website of the podcast and a link that will automatically subscribe you in iTunes if you have it installed on your computer.  When you subscribe with iTunes, the podcasts will download automatically each time a new episode is added.

Marketing Over Coffee – Christopher Penn and John Wall sit at a Dunkin Donuts at 5 in the morning once a week and talk marketing, with an emphasis on social media and SEO.  [ website | itunes ]

Six Pixels of Separation/Media Hacks – The host of this podcast, Mitch Joel, is a former journalist, and it shows.  He’s an excellent interviewer and gets at the “why’s” of internet marketing, not just the “how’s.” The “Media Hacks” episodes bring together a stellar roundtable of panelists, including Christopher Penn from the aforementioned Marketing Over Coffee.  Great brain food! [ website | itunes ]

For Immediate Release – Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson are like the Bert and Ernie of podcasting.  They’ve been at it forever, and are currently on episode #486 of their biweekly podcast.  FIR eminates from a central core of PR and corporate communications, and radiates outward into social media, advertising, and more.  Shel’s like a favorite uncle you hope to sit by at family dinners, and Neville’s an affable English chap who has been tremendously encouraging and kind to me every time I’ve communicated with him directly. [ website | itunes ]

SEM Synergy – Bruce Clay is one of the founding fathers of Search Engine Optimization and anchors this show on SEO, Paid Search Marketing, and Social Media.  A bit more technical than other podcasts on the list, but they cover the nuts and bolts of search without losing sight of core marketing principals. [ website | itunes ]

Purse Strings – A podcast focused on marketing towards women.  Great for someone like me that makes awesome baby gifts! [ website | itunes ]

Internet Marketing – this one doesn’t publish as often as I’d like it to, but when it does, it’s often full of great information on–you guessed it–Internet Marketing.  Plus, the two guys hosting the show have the most lovely British accents that make it sound like you’re being taught by the Geico Gecko. [ website | itunes ]

Do you have some marketing podcasts to add to the list?  Use the comments section below to add your favorites!