PodSession: You're being watched, and Macs now do Windows

Om and I received a variety of feedback last week as podcast listeners stood up against research reports about podcasts and their audiences. Some people thought a 20-minute discussion of hot tech news was just right and others wanted even shorter, more digestible chunks. This week Om and I recorded two 10-minute podcasts to try something new and introduce a little variety. It was also tough to pick just one topic this week since both Apple and Google had big announcements last Wednesday.

You're being watched

Your cellular carrier knows where you are at all times. Pinpointing your location helps connect phone calls and lets emergency personnel send help to your location even if you have no idea where you are. New ad-supported networks such as Earthlink and Google's municipal WiFi network in San Francisco will track your activity to better target advertising based on your location and/or browsing habits.

What are you willing to give up for free or cheap access to the Internet? Om and I discuss who's watching you and why, and introduce some new business ideas that will encourage users to opt-in to tracking.

You're being watched - Geolocation and privacy. The podcast is 12 minutes long, a 6 MB download.

Windows on a Mac

Apple released a public beta Boot Camp last week, a preview of what's coming in the next major OS release. The blogosphere was abuzz at the news of a new shiny toy from Apple and its implications. How will "Leopard" change the way we choose applications and games?

I boot into Windows to use applications I cannot get on a Mac or to take advantage of new features that may eventually make their way into the Mac version. Boot Camp allows me to boot into financial mode or gaming mode with one piece of hardware. I think Apple's move makes a lot of sense as users are less likely to miss 10 GB of disk space than 512 MB or more of RAM.

The Windows on a Mac podcast is 10 minutes long, a 5 MB download.