Aussie Geek Podcast #020 :: Invasion of the Robo Daves
For the first time ever, in 110 podcast episodes, Dave’s not here. Cait and Keith have put together a piece of AGP history. We had quite a bit of fun messing with Dave’s carefully crafted show… and we’re looking forward to having him back for the next episode.
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Tech News
- AdMob Metrics show huge iPhone trend
- Norway to Ban Gasoline by 2015
- Foreign GPS Banned in China
- Last.fm kills off third-party mobile apps
- Twitter gets you fired in 140 characters or less
- Google releases a half-million books for Sony eReader
- Fujitsu Colour eBook reader challenges Kindle
- Volvo City Safety makes cars smarter
- Australia’s Internet Filter ruled by a single bureaucrat
Geek Project
- Wall-mounted PC
Sites and Services
- Old Version: Find old or obsolete versions of classic apps
- Top Twitter Friends: Visualize your Twitter Network
- Sumo Paint: Photoshopping on the Web
Feedback
Farewell
Featured Music
Cruisebox - “On a Podcast”
Download at Mevio
"I Want To Be a Celebrity"
Buy at 
This is the first time that I have listened to the whole show on the PC instead of the mp3 player. Good experience because you can look up the details of what is talked about while listening.
The link to the wall-mounted PC is here http://blog.glowview.com/2009/03/20/custom-self-contained-hanging-wall-pc/
I actually thought the desktop setup was more awesome than the wall-mounted PC. He must have way too much time on his hands.
Top Twitter friends was amazing and I’ll have to try Sumo Paint at work (picnik.com) doesn’t work there.
Cait’s rants are good too.
I think I was the one that suggested the Fujitsu link… I have a real rant on for eBook readers. Have a look at the Plastic Logic website for another really cool eBook tablet and I’ve still got my Kindle 2 rant on my website. I need to make another blog post!
Hey! What happened to MY music?! ;P
We are the Herne. You will be assimilated. (and Twittered at)
Don’t worry Herne… I’ll be back and using your selected music
I am really looking forward to hearing this episode of the AGP, I really had nothing to do with it, either prepping or recording. But I am absolutely positive that Cait and Keith have done a great job… should be downloaded by the time I finish this comment
I would like to thank the guys for picking up the ball and running with it as my month has been very tiring and busier than as is usual. Heartfelt thanks to them, and listeners for their patience and understanding that we all have day jobs that are taxing on our time and mental stability. Thank you
I think they should’ve done more of the “Robo Dave” … would’ve been amusing as hell!
Nice job Cait and Keith!
Good Job Cait and Keith, a good show!
On the car thing… they need cars that have a high top speed to get fast acceleration which is important. Also don’t forget there’s no speed limit on the motorways in Germany for example! I’m sceptical about the enviro benefits of electric cars - isn’t it just pushing the pollution further down the chain to the power station? I wouldn’t mind a little hydrogen runabout though - just fill it up with water and off you go!
Top Twitter Friends is fantastic - although it seems a bit buggy. Some people I regularly chat with don’t show up at all. I am beginning to suspect that the Herne and the Rooster are in fact the same person, the amount of chatter that goes on between them!
Good out-music too. I’ve been skipping through Herne’s thrash rock choices of late!
Cait, can I get a MP3 of you doing the whole “Blah Blah Blah” thing
So cute and funny - I need this on a soundboard at work LOL 
Thanks for putting the show together - it was very different but a surprise when I hopped in the car and had news that a new podcast was out!
Guys good show.
A couple of things.
Norway is a huge oil producing nation. That is what is weird about this. It’s like Saudi Arabia banning petrol cars. (
From the Wiki on Norway:
Resources
Export revenues from oil and gas have risen to 45% of total exports and constitute more than 20% of the GDP.[29] Only Russia and OPEC member Saudi Arabia export more oil than Norway, which is not an OPEC member.
TATA is NOT a new car company (you obviously haven’t been to India). Check the Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Motors
Tata Motors was established in 1945, when the company began manufacturing locomotives. The company manufactured its first commercial vehicle in 1954 in a collaboration with Daimler-Benz AG, which ended in 1969[2]. Tata Motors was listed on the NYSE in 2004, and in 2005 it was ranked among the top 10 corporations in India with an annual revenue exceeding INR 320 billion. In 2004, it bought Daewoo’s truck manufacturing unit, now known as Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle, in South Korea. It also, acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera SA, giving it controlling rights in the company. Tata Motors launched the Tata Nano, noted for its Rs 1,00,000 price-tag, in January 2008.
Guys good show. I’m really glad you did it, you did really well.
A couple of things.
Norway is a huge oil producing nation. That is what is weird about this. It’s like Saudi Arabia banning petrol cars.
From the Wiki on Norway:
Resources
Export revenues from oil and gas have risen to 45% of total exports and constitute more than 20% of the GDP.[29] Only Russia and OPEC member Saudi Arabia export more oil than Norway, which is not an OPEC member.
Also………
TATA is NOT a new car company (you obviously haven’t been to India). Check the Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Motors
Tata Motors was established in 1945, when the company began manufacturing locomotives. The company manufactured its first commercial vehicle in 1954 in a collaboration with Daimler-Benz AG, which ended in 1969[2]. Tata Motors was listed on the NYSE in 2004, and in 2005 it was ranked among the top 10 corporations in India with an annual revenue exceeding INR 320 billion. In 2004, it bought Daewoo’s truck manufacturing unit, now known as Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle, in South Korea. It also, acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera SA, giving it controlling rights in the company. Tata Motors launched the Tata Nano, noted for its Rs 1,00,000 price-tag, in January 2008.
@Herne wow, that one is THIN! http://www.plasticlogic.com/product.html it’s scary thin. But if it’s tough enough, why not. Key difference seems to be the innards, plastic electronics instead of traditional. That’s one to keep an eye on. Sorry about the music, you can blame me for that
We’ll use yours on the next one. Hehe, I loved the Robo Dave. Keith’s idea.
@Dave No worries Dave, we had fun making it. Robo Dave did his best
@Tom Thanks Tom! It was heaps of fun. I mentioned the autobahn on the show, as many current domestic cars aren’t appropriate for it. The police have Porches and things now, I don’t think a Nano will help them chase anyone. But the Nano has broken so many car paradigms, it’s going to cause a lot of headaches for old school manufacturers and even a few sleepless nights for Toyota (why didn’t they think of it?). While electric looks like pushing the pollution elsewhere, that alone is useful as the “exhaust” can be captured, filtered and released where it won’t be inhaled. City folk inhale a revolting amount of nasty crap every day. CBD dwellers can’t eat veggies grown in that environment, too filthy. Hydrogen is more unsustainable than electic, when the energy used to create the hydrogen.
Top Twitter Friends does seem to ignore some people, you’re not alone in that experience. Me I understand, but public accounts seems like a bug.
@cait It looks really cool, but if they can’t get the price down to a manageable level then there’s really no point.
An eBook reader’s primary function is for reading books. Adding all those extra bells and whistles just inflate the price. If they can’t get a device down to $100-150 then it’s not going to go anywhere.
Schools will not pay $350 per unit for an ebook reading/writing device and give one to each student. It’s just not cost effective.
Have you seen this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50×8h7fF4DU