Mr Fry, would you mind narrating all audiobooks please?

I love reading. Didn't used to. I'm one of those people where it has to be an extremely good book if I'm to have even the slightest chance of getting through it. I'm not one of those people who particularly loves the smell or feel of a book, in fact I've always found books to be slightly awkward to hold, never finding the ultimate comfy position. So when I discovered the audiobook format I was encouraged. They started out pretty expensive but, like all technology, they came down in price once the competition kicked in.

Key to the audiobook is the narrator. Some stories need a certain type of voice. For instance, I spent a couple of days on a sun lounger listening to Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last year. I couldn't think of a better person to be the voice of JK Rowling's amazing creation. In fact, I have just bought the Fry Chronicles to listen to at the gym. He has one of those very interesting voices doesn't he?

Oh, I also got over my book lethargy with an ebook reader. I can fly through books now, so I'm guessing it was the constant reminder of how large the book was that squashed my enjoyment.

Back to audiobooks. They're great for long car journeys. I have devoured Sherlock Holmes books on trips to see family and friends, sometimes driving slower if I know I can finish a book. I've chuckled to Nick Hornby books as I whip up a storm in the kitchen. I've fallen asleep too many times to Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers. I've now rowed several thousand metres to Mr Fry's life story.

What a joy it is to still have books in our lives as the publishing landscape changes. It seems that with audiobooks, ereader formats and interactive books for the iPad, the future of publishing will be about choice. And for me, that's a good thing.

Defrostiamus!

I looked out of the window this morning and wondered if I was actually dreaming of being on the ice world of Hoth. With no taun-tauns or AT-ATs around, I concluded I was actually awake and facing an imminent struggle with the de-icer and scraper. With an audible groan I picked up my bag and slipped and slid down the path to the car. As I yanked the frozen door open I had a flash of recollection: YES! I'm not in the 1950s, I have stuff that defrosts cars!

Now, back in the late eighteenth century when I passed my driving test things were slightly trickier. One had to ride the choke like a pin-ball machine even to get the damn car started. Then it was de-icer (don't get any on your hands!) and a fight with the windows armed with a scraper. This morning, however, I simply turned the key in the ignition and pressed a couple of buttons. One for the rear windscreen, that hasn't changed over the decades. But the other button, well, that's where it gets clever. One press and, in one simutaneous and marvellous moment, the heater kicked in for the windscreen, and both the headlights and wing mirrors defrosted. A couple minutes selecting a CD to listen to and I was ready to go.

One twist and one push, like some kind of Harry Potter wand magic. I have vowed to stop moaning as a new year's resolution.

Twitter, the tip of the iceberg...

I haven't been on Twitter very long. In fact, I haven't really been a fan of Twitter before now. Didn't see the point, but I thought that coupled with this blog it would be a good way to promote the blog, catch up with tech news and maybe follow a few funny people too. My golly gosh, how I have underestimated the power of Twitter. Imagine if you could whisper and be heard on the other side of the world. Imagine a place where you can hear the informal thoughts of some of the best minds. Imagine a place where people with a particular interest can have a global conversation.

I recently started to follow a fake Twitterer. For anyone who has seen the US telly series The West Wing, President Bartlet seemed a better choice than the then-real-guy-in-charge at the time, George Dubya Bush. Now I clicked the follow button I suppose because I thought it might be funny. What happened next made me understand the power of Twitter a little better. Now, on Twitter you can put a hash in front of something, and anyone else who does the same has their 'tweet' propagated into a list following that reference. The fake President Bartlet, or @Pres_Bartlet as he is known, sent out a tweet to his followers wishing anyone working over Christmas all the best, and a request to hear their stories. From nurses, to husbands and fathers in the armed forces, to people who are desperate to work, these are the stories of real people around the world, sharing their thoughts about something dear to them.

As human beings we are drawn to connecting to each other and communicating how we feel. I suspect that even if Twitter disappears over the coming decades, this form of human connection is only just beginning.

For the record, @Pres_Bartlet has over 7,000 followers and rising. Currently I have 6.

The Blue Snowflake, I loves it I do...

Awwww that sounds cute doesn't it? Leeeetal shnowflake cutchy coo! Well folks, the name might sound cute, but this little sucker packs a punch.

I don't know about you, but I've spent years in and out of studios, music shops, front rooms and bedrooms, trying to get recordings right, trying to sound the best I can with what I have. In the last ten years home recording has changed. Thanks to the company who shall not be named, the podcast has become its own medium, up there with radio and TV like it had always been there. So too have the tools to make them. Ten years ago I was using a 4-track recorder to capture my quirky take on life through music. Now I record drums, guitars, strings, vocals, brass, anything I can possibly imagine through my MacBook at home. Amazing.

Recently a friend set up four analogue microphones, put them through a mixer and into the line in of his MacBook. I offered this as an alternative. Guess what? Twice as loud as all the others put together. It provides a beautifully crisp sound and can slip onto your laptop screen with its handy design. I imagine it would be amazing for podcasts on the road although my experience of it has always been in home recording. Most of what you hear over at musicofedgar.com was recorded using the snowflake, so make your own mind up.

If you're looking for an entry level USB microphone, you could do a lot worse than the Blue Snowflake. I loves it I do.

iPhone 4: a rather fantastic sunny day camera...

Here I go again, Apple this, Apple that. I can't help it. I've tried to fight the geeky title 'fanboy' but it seems to draw ever nearer. Ok, the reasons why I'm not a fanboy:

1. I won't buy a product if I don't think it's up to the job.
2. I buy products to do stuff, not just to complete the collection.
3. I don't have every product Apple has ever made (although they're racking up).

Seriously, I don't have an iPad, or an iMac, or a MacBook Air. In fact I only have four products that work fairly seamlessly together. I can write about that in another post though. My point is I'm not a fanboy. Yet.

So, on Thursday we woke up and green had turned to white, an amazing amount of snow overnight. After suffering cabin fever throughout Thursday I was delighted to wake up on Friday to find the same snow but with that big yellow orb in the sky shining bright and not a cloud to be seen.

My first thought: photos. The iPhone 4 has surprised me for a number of reasons, one being the quality of the camera. Yes, the flash was never going to be the best in the world, and in low light subjects still turn out a little grainy. However, when the sun comes out I seem to get comments of amazement. With its 5-megapixels of loveliness, it weighs in at less than my point-and-shoot, but with the HDR function (where it takes three photos and puts them all together to make the colour nice) I have to say I think it's better. Throw in the geotagging and the HD video recording and, well...this is where the other products come in. I got home, turned on my Apple TV and showed my photos straight away, nice and big. Ooh...aaahhh...the living room lit up like Guy Fawkes night fireworks.

The iPhone 4 does most things well, that's why I have one. To carry one less item around - like my camera - makes my life easier. Well done Apple. Now let's get that video streaming from the iPhone gallery sorted.