10 tech podcasts to start listening to right now

Podcasts are becoming more and more popular as a medium of entertainment. "What are podcasts," you ask. Podcasts are a series of audio files made available online. Reminiscent of old radio, they have all the appeal of a talk show or a television series without the visual element, but unlike radio or television of old, you can listen whenever and wherever by subscribing to specific podcasts, downloading old or listening to new episodes.

According to podcastinsights.com, there are over 525,000 active shows and over 18.5 million episodes on iTunes.

There hasn't been much research on audiences outside of the US, but Edison Research’s annual study of the medium found that, on average, podcast consumers listen to 7 episodes a week. The study also found that the demographic for podcast listeners are 52% men and 48% women.

In the last few years, there has been a surge in listenership, a fact that has drawn a lot of attention from business owners, celebrities, advertisers, and consumers. With an abundance of topics to talk about, a quick look at iTunes or Tune In will reveal anything from film reviews and cooking advice to celebrity gossip and enterprise tech.

Speaking of tech, here is a list of 10 technology podcasts to start listening to right now:

1. This Week in Tech
by TwiT

This Week in Tech is probably the most conclusive podcast on the subject out there right now. Hosted by Leo Laporte, the show brings together top tech experts in a roundtable discussion of the latest trends in high tech. Topics can range from everyday tech and gadgets to larger scale projects from tech giants like Google. Whatever's making waves in the tech world right now, you can be sure it will be covered.

In the latest episode they talked about Google I/O's interestingly creepy robocallers, Microsoft's integration of Alexa and Cortana, and Cambridge Analytica coming back as Emerdata.

2. Security Now
by TwiT

Security Now presents all of the latest security threats and solutions and is hosted by Steve Gibson, the man who coined the term spyware and the creator of Spinrite and ShieldsUP. The show unpacks higher level cybersecurity issues and makes it accessible to everyone.

The latest episode examines two new attacks called eFail and Throwhammer, but only after talking about the evolution of UpnProxy, a common but serious misconception about hard drive failure, and other security and privacy news.

3. TechStuff
by HowStuffWorks

As the name suggests, TechStuff is a show about technology. Host Jonathan Strickland explores the latest tech, the people behind it, how they market it, and also looking at how technology affects our lives, culture, and society in general. There is also a TechStuff Daily for when you only have five minutes to spare.

The latest episode is a profile on inventor and philanthropist, Alfred Loomis, a man who had a significant impact on world history through the funding of scientific research.

4. The Vergecast
by The Verge

The Vergecast is a source of updates on what's happening in the world of technology and gadgets right now. Run by The Verge, an American technology news and media network operated by Vox Media, The Vergecast hosts, Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn, make sense of the technological world that you find yourself in.

Two of their latest episodes focused on the 20th anniversary of the iMac, Google I/O and Microsoft build.

5. Hackable?
by McAfee

Winner of the Best Branded Podcast at the Shorty Awards, Hackbale breaks down the fictitious image of hackers we get from TV shows and explains the reality. The podcast brings in real hackers to do away with the myths that are believed all too easily by referencing common hacking tropes in popular television shows.

In the most recent episode, they discussed how power grids, gas pipelines, and traffic control systems are all accessible online and, as such, their potential to get hacked.

6. Crypto Radio
by CryptoRadio.io

Crypto Radio is a podcast about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. They explain the technology behind everything, simplifying difficult concepts for anyone who isn't in the industry, and bringing in experts to appeal to those who want to know way more than just the basics. They interview top thinkers and entrepreneurs in the industry, cover topics like the history of Bitcoin, prominent people in the industry, and where this technology is heading.

In the latest episodes, the hosts talk to Kenny Rowe of Rchain and MakerDAO about stable coins, their benefits, downsides and potential uses. He also discusses the third generation of blockchain technology.

7. Command Line Heroes
by Red Hat

Command Line Heroes is a podcast about the true stories of developers, programmers, hackers, geeks and open source rebels who are changing the technology landscape as we know it. Hosted by Saron Yitbarek and produced by Red Hat, the show focuses on ICT, the development thereof and how it impacts us in our daily lives. They also take a closer look at the people who deal with tech issues on a daily basis and where we would be without them.

In the most recent episode, they have listeners imagine a future without open source and what that would have meant for the world. They also take the time to celebrate open source tools and the impact it had.

8. The Internet of Things Podcast
by Stacey Higginbotham

The Internet of Things Podcast is all about the gadgets and IoT solutions that make our lives better, easier, and more interesting. From smart homes to automated factories, host Stacey Higginbotham covers it all.

The topic for the latest episode was how the Wi-Fi Alliance creating a new standard for mesh networks. They also talked about Sigfox's new sensor and network in a box offering, as well as a new home hub from Hubitat that keeps data local.

9. Future Jam
by Future JAM

The Future Jam is all about imagining where humanity is going in terms of society and technology. The podcast looks at a time range as far as you can imagine. Tomorrow, ten years from now, or as far as the mind can wander. That leaves a lot of room for possibilities.

In the latest episode they discuss Blockchain technology, why it is considered the internet 2.0, looking at IBM's case scenarios, and teaming up with Jared from Digital Gold to break it down.

10. Developer Tea
by Spec

This one is for the developers and programmers out there. Developer Tea is a Software How-To podcast. Host Jonathan Cutrell, CTO at Whiteboard, helps driven developers connect to their ultimate purpose and excel at their work so they can have a positive impact on the people they influence.

The latest episode is called “3 Habits of Learning Developers”. In it Cutrell talks about what it takes to become a really good developer. He covers the development of long-term learning habits of developers and ways that you can evaluate the health of your learning environments.

By Daniëlle Kruger

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