Ken McGuire

Author: Ken McGuire

  • PodCamp Spawns Podcasts Old & New

    Playlist Mix #4

    PodCamp this past weekend was enough to give me the “kick in the arse” I needed to get the Playlist Mix back up and running. In an effort to develop my skills as a podcaster – recording, audio production, processing, structure etc. – I had started the the Playlist Mix back in March of this year. After three shows I wasn’t able to sustain the motivation to develop the podcast, largely in part to the other side projects I’m involved in between evenings and weekends.

    Realising that I’ve got a number of web projects that I want (and need) to launch, I had made a commitment to free up one hour for myself each evening to work on said projects, Monday’s result producing Playlist Mix #4 after a 5 month break. PodCamp provided some fantastic inspiration, insights and tips for people looking to venture into the world of podcasting, a lot of thoughts applying to those actively podcasting.

    Given that the KKM podcast is now being engineered by Alan in studio A (with myself and Ross taking the reigns as co-hosts) I figure I may get back to my own podcast. The practice, if anything, is most welcomed – as is the discovery of so much more music. I’ve also managed to start tucking into ‘Everything With Podcasting‘ and would recommend a read of chapter 14 (p166 – p179) on ‘Incorporate Standard Podcast Elements’.

    I should also mention that Sean McNamara, if you haven’t listened to it already, is up and away podcasting after his involvement at the weekend. I’ve given Sean a loan of a Samson C01U USB condenser mic for a week or so and glad to see him putting it to some use!

    If anyone would like to offer up feedback (listening back I can spot some practical errors, but thats how you learn, right!) by comment or email, I’m all ears! All music in the podcast is podsafe – as it should be!

    Listen: Playlist Mix #4 (36 min – Download)
    [audio:http://www.playlistmix.com/podpress_trac/web/10/0/podcast004.mp3]

  • PodCamp Ireland 2007 – Then And Now

    What a day. A few short months of planning, conference calls, meetings, trips to venues, calls to sponsors, emails, texts, jaikus, tweets and everything else that goes into making an event happen, all finally came together today (technically yesterday in the form of PodCamp Ireland.

    Late to bed on Friday night following another gig meant an early start Saturday morning joining Bernie and Neville Hobson for a great breakfast and chat in Zuni before trekking around the corner to set up for the day. Not to recap every little event and movement from start to finish but there are a few things I got to take out of PodCamp.

    Spending most of my day in the main room looking after a few audio bits, keeping an eye on the streaming and backchannel meant I never got to make the trip to the Hibernian (down the street) but I finally got to catch up with James, Michele, Krishna, Conn, Brian and a host of other people I’ve only previously conversed with via blogs / emails / skype etc. As much as I enjoyed finally getting to put faces to names and make proper introductions, it was great to “bend the ear” of some of the faces and names I didn’t know on the day.

    I did manage to take in Brian and Dean’s opening talk on creativity, the first morning panel session, podcasting for arts organisations, podcast artwork (Jennifer Farley), the second panel discussion (looking at building communities) while tripping amongst conversations with Michele Neylon (nice to finally meet), Elly Parker (nice moo cards and tip off about blurb.com), Grannymar (who got TRIPLE-DECKER sandwiches for lunch), Margaret Durand (FEIW, great chat about all things Deise and the music scene in the South East), Dean Whitbread (working in the mid 90s and broadcasting gigs), Cathy Fitzgerald (ArtLinks, all things community), Will Knott (custom laptop covers to medieval-esque archery over oak trees) and beyond.

    A closing address from Conn saw some of the collective head for food and drinks afterwards in Kilkenny, myself retiring home after clearing out the Ormonde and loading up a van full of audio gear. Leaving a gig earlier tonight (close to 1am) I happened to bump into Brian, Dean and Martin again, picking up GD’s business card and getting some further ideas going in talking with Brian in brief about getting this country of ours podsafe.

    I think that’s one of the great successes of today – so many ideas for so many people. Podcasting, blogging, social media has been somewhat demystified; techies met non-technies, podcasters met artists, bloggers met musicians and writes, journalists, photographers – a real fantastic audience.

    All the action on the day can be relived through a quite active Jaiku channel or the uStream.tv channel (sessions only from main room available for viewing). Rumour too has it that we’re earmarking September 27th 2008 for the next PodCamp Ireland on an even grander scale.

    I’m looking forward to it already.

    Thanks a million to everyone who was there today both physically and virtually, to those of you who dropped in during the day and disappeared and to Bernie, Conn, Krishna and Brian who I’ve been working with over the past few months to get all of this up off the ground. Here’s to the next one…

    Photos via flickr to come tomorrow, for now – sleep.

  • Live At PodCamp Ireland

    PodCamp Panel Discussion

    Finally have the laptop online, I’m standing at the sound desk if anyone fancies saying hello!

    PodCamp Ireland Jaiku stream

    uStream.tv (Live video and audio) via Edgecast

  • MAXroam To Launch Today

    MAXroamPreviewed at TechCrunch40, Cork-based MAXroam (formerly roam4free) launches later today with Cubic Telecom getting its launch next month.

    Kickoff for MAXroam looks set to be midday (12pm GMT) today and if you purchase a MAXroam sim, something I intend to do as I’ll be traveling in November this year along with trips to Toronto and possibly San Francisco in the New Year, you might win yourself an iPhone. Not only that, but the iPhone is unlocked so you’ll have no problem using your new MAXroam sim or your own Irish sim.

    Mention of a blogger program too… curiosity has got me there but I’m sure most, if not all, will be revealed at 12 today.

    Update:     Site launched before midday, grabbed myself a sim card. For €29.99 with €5 credit, the price is great considering the savings it can create.

  • PodCamp Ireland Podcast – Countdown Is On

    Conn and Krishna have got the ball rolling on podcasting this week on PodCampIreland.com ahead of PodCamp this coming weekend in Kilkenny.

    The podcast looks at audio quality and production techniques and as a result, the quality of this podcast is fantastic.

    Interesting thoughts via Conn on recording conversations via Skype.

    You’ll also get to listen to a track from one of my favourite Irish acts at present (boosted now by the fact that he’s taken up residency in Kilkenny), Clive Barnes, who plays Kilkenny on Friday night this week. I’m also giving away two pairs of tickets to his gig via KilkennyMusic.com so if you like what you hear, just leave a comment saying “I want tickets to Clive Barnes” and I’ll include you in the draw!

    Check out PodCampIreland.com during the week for further updates on the weekend ahead.

    PodCamp Ireland – Audio Production Techniques
    [audio:http://www.podcampireland.com/media/podcampireland-2007-09-21.mp3]

    (original post)

  • Net Visionary Awards Voting Open

    Net Visionary Awards

    The Net Visionary Awards voting is up and running from this morning, a few names in there I’ll recognise, a lot of names in there I won’t recognise.

    Congratulations to everyone nominated, you can vote until October 19th.

    Me, I’m looking forward to the Blog Awards – if anything it’s cheaper to attend 🙂

    Going through the feeds this morning, Michele raises an interesting point or two

  • BarCamp Galway Today – Live Updates Availabile

    BarCamp Galway Today

    There’s live updates available from BarCamp Galway today with two options thus far available to you…

    • Keep an eye on the Jaiku channel as a back channel for discussion during the day, if you’re not in attendance it’s a great way to keep up with what’s going on either online or via SMS. If you are in attendance I’m sure you can use to to keep up with what’s happening at some of the other talks… I know I’ll have the mobile on for the day on this one.
    • Conn will be streaming some of the day’s events here on uStream.tv, again something I’ll be keeping an eye on. Perhaps a Jaiku alert when streaming is about to kick off?

    The Intruders cameras will be out and about as well so me might see some recaps and interviews from them in the coming week or two.

    As seen on the wiki, there’s a solid number due in attendance (around 80), the day of course being held in the DERI building at NUI Galway. Details on talk streams, speakers, directions, accommodation and all the jazz can be found on the wiki. Good luck to everyone on the day, sorry can’t be there but will be keeping tabs online throughout the day.

  • Jaiku Friday, Didn’t You Know?

    Its up there amongst “denim day”, “no uniform day” and other such prestigious events, but today is “Jaiku Friday”, didn’t you know?

    Walter made the suggestion, Bernie has the low down.

    (Google Results for Jaiku Friday)

  • Ken McGuire Photography

    Ken McGuire Photography

    Well, I’ve decided to call a halt to the photo blog I was running under photo.kenmc.com, having gone through a few different iterations and approaches from portfolio-ish style to mobile blogging, photos from the mobile phone and all the rest…

    As a result, I’ve launched Ken McGuire Photography, something I’ve been putting off doing over the past few months until the theatre calmed down and I had a bit more free time on my hands in terms of getting out and about and getting back to doing something I love. The site, driven by WordPress with a few tweaks along the way for good measure, will house portfolio work old and new.

    There’s no comments on the site, but all the images are being hosted through flickr and individual pages have links back to their home on flickr – you’re free to leave a comment there if you wish. I might yet introduce some pop-up comments, we’ll see how it goes.

    There’s a few images in there at the moment, but its the start of something for me, something I’ve been longing to get back around to and hopefully this is the kick in the arse I need for it!

  • Win Tickets For Dave Browne (Picturehouse) In Kilkenny This Weekend

    davebrowne1.jpg

    Yep, giving away two pairs of tickets through KilkennyMusic.com to go see Dave Browne (Picturehouse) in concert this weekend. He’s playing the intimate Cleere’s Theatre in Kilkenny in advance of launching his live EP ‘Prelude’ next month and his upcoming album ‘Windows To The Soul’ in the new year.

    Tickets are €20 for the gig, I’ve got two pairs to giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post on KilkennyMusic.com (or alternatively here on kenmc.com). Winners chosen at random by lunchtime on Friday.

    Doors open 9:30pm Saturday night with stage time set for 10pm.

    Dave Browne – Everybody Wants Love
    [audio:http://www.kilkennymusic.com/wp-content/uploads/dave-browne_everybody-wants-love.mp3]

  • Apple iPhone For UK On November 9th – Some Points To Note

    I almost forgot about this one this morning until skimming the Guardian over breakfast, but Apple have announced the iPhone for the UK, with a release date of November 9th. Here’s some points to note from the press coverage this morning…

    • The iPhone will retail at £269 (€386) and will be carried, as previously suggested, by O2
    • There will be no discount on the handset
    • First-time buyers subject to minimum 18 month contract with O2
    • Steve Jobs wouldn’t talk revenue share
    • Subscribers in UK will have bundled access to 7,500 WiFi spots – what does that leave Irish market?
    • No 3G
    • 80% of O2’s “high value customers” would love an iPhone, not necessarily buy an iPhone
    • Contracts start from £35 (€50) per month including unlimited data
    • EDGE and WiFi all the way
    • UK only today, other European countries within the next quarter…

    As much as I have a love for all things Apple, there’s still not enough in an iPhone to sway me, plus no concrete details on a rollout within the Irish market. Did someone tell me the Nokia N95 8GB model is hitting the shelves here around the same time?

  • Aggregating Politics, Getting Political

    Politics In Ireland

    A review of Statcounter over the weekend showed some activity on the blog here, coming through Politics in Ireland in search of the discussion over Keola Donaghy on KCLR on Friday afternoon. Likely, this is due to the mention of a particular Labour Party TD who featured in the radio interview.

    Politics In Ireland, run by Damien Mulley, is now it it’s second iteration with a much improved facelift. Aggregating feeds from blogs political and non, Politics In Ireland allows you track news developments and issues raised online featured the country’s political parties and politicians, the content of which can be broken down by party, constituency and TDs past and present.

    A quick dip into my own constituency (Carlow/Kilkenny) brings up recent mentions by Bernie Goldbach of local Minister For Trade & Enterprise at the launch of Sprit of Enterprise in Tipperary recently.

    Further to tracking the site via RSS feeds for all elements (overall, parties, politicians) you can also grab a javascript widget for your blog or even a WordPress plugin to boot.

    Drop by and see what your local politicians have been up to in the online world.

  • KilkennyMusic.com Are Fundraising EUR1,000

    Today, KilkennyMusic.com have started a 3-week fundraising project i.e. we are trying to achieve a goal of EUR1,000 within three weeks. It might be a little more than that as we’ve set a target of US$1,500 to allow us purchase a high definition video camera (the exact figure being US$1,524 when converted).

    The Arts Office in Kilkenny have been kind to us over the past two years with grant funding to a total of €8,048 allocated to KilkennyMusic.com for the purchase of equipment for live use. This money has been put to fantastic use and has allowed us to facilitate some of Ireland’s finest bands in a variety of different music venues through Kilkenny and Carlow.

    KilkennyMusic.com     operates on a strict non-profit basis. I foot a lot of the bills and overheads where needs be and where possible; we’re not sponsored by any individual or business and over the past two years monies raised have gone right back into the bands and upgrading our services.

    Aside from myself there are three other extremely talented and committed individuals who are doing an awful lot for music in Kilkenny, now expanding into the South East (before the launch of our national identity for 2008). What we’re hoping to do is this: over the next 25 days (upper limit established by fundable.org) to raise the grand sum of US$1,500 in minimum donations of US$10. The sum raised goes towards the purchase of a Canon HV 20 DV camera. This will allow us to

    • Start broadcasting our gigs online, weekend gigs and the free One Take Sessions held every third Thursday.
    • Archiving high quality digital footage of our gigs and special performances to showcase on Kilkenny Music TV. Footage would also be used in preparation for DVD releases of gig highlights in Kilkenny on an annual basis.
    • KilkennyMusic.com will begin to regularly podcast video interviews with bands both local and national in an attempt to a) boost the profile of the bands in question and b) boost the profile of Kilkenny as a “go-to” music destination in Ireland.
    • Offer additional services to bands seeking video as a promotional tool for their music – live footage, studio footage, video postcards etc.
    • Overall offer a higher quality of service across a broader media spectrum

    This has been advertised on KilkennyMusic.com and I’ve opted to bring it here to kenmc.com as well. An amazing amount of services under the KilkennyMusic.com banner are provided for free (from gig nights to promotion, press and beyond) and we’re hoping that people will get behind the fundraising idea (people in Kilkenny and beyond, and those who follow the gigs and online developments) and support KilkennyMusic.com.

    Donations that come in at the €250 mark will have the option of company branding (logo) as “sponsor” on the close of videos published in the online realm, this option is entirely up to the individual or business donating. We have also agreed that if the donations break US$1,500 within the 25 day cap that additional monies pledged will be donated to an Irish charity, nominated by members of the KilkennyMusic.com online community and forum.

    If you know anyone who might be interested, feel free to spread the word.

    Quick link: http://url.ie/5jg

  • Keola Donaghy Case On KCLR (Audio)

    The afternoon show on KCLR 96FM this afternoon covered the ongoing case surrounding Keola Donaghy‘s entry to Ireland. Speaking on the show via phone were Conn Ó Muíneacháin and Labour Party TD Ruairi Quinn.

    Hopefully we’ll still be able to see Keola at PodCamp Ireland in two weeks time.

    You can listen to the segment in full below, run time is 13:13.

    [audio:http://www.kenmc.com/uploads/kclr.mp3]

  • Social Networking Is On The Rise

    My Bebo Profile
    My bebo profile, click here to view.

    Who would have guessed it, but social networking is on the rise, or so says the Kilkenny Advertiser.

    An article by Brigid O Gorman in yesterday’s Advertiser here in Kilkenny looks at the power and rise of Bebo, although in terms of social networks doesn’t make much of a comparison (something I like out of Bernie’s media deliverables). The article looks at all the features available on Bebo and gets some quotes from a local self-confessed Bebo addict who reveals that one of the plus sides to Bebo is “the fact you can use Bebo at any time of the day”. Don’t know about you but I don’t know too many websites that shut down at 6pm when the office doors close. When this girl heads to college she might also find her opportunities to access Bebo at any time of the day quite restricted.

    If its Bebo talk you’re looking for, give the article a read here (PDF format). PDF taken from Kilkenny Advertiser digital edition

  • Silverlight Heads For Big Screen In Dublin

    Silverlight Heads For Big Screen In DublinAn email yesterday from Fergal Breen points me to another event I’m likely not to make but what matters is that IrishDev.com are behind a Silverlight event being held in the Cineworld Complex on Parnell Street in Dublin on Thursday fortnight (September 27th).

    The event is free but registration is required to attend. Things kick off at 7:30 in the evening and the bar opens at 9:30pm allowing for some good networking opportunities.

    On the event itself…

    Rich internet applications are the foundation of Web 2.0 and there are a host of new tools out there promising to help you deliver interactive, animated web applications. Microsoft has recently released Silverlight – their sparkly new platform for delivering rich internet applications, which focuses on high-def experiences and media streaming. Silverlight works cross-platform and cross-browser, supporting Firefox and Safari as well as IE, and Mac and Linux.

    In September, Martha Rotter, from the original Silverlight crew, invites you to witness how Silverlight can light up the web with Rich Interactive Applications. Join her, free to learn how to use Silverlight at Ireland’s largest cinema complex. It’s Silverlight, on the silver screen. If you see one movie this year, skip it and join us instead. Next year, they’ll be attending your Silverlight RIA.

    Find out more about the Silverlight event by clicking here or contact 1890 81 21 00 for details.

  • DemoBar To Rock Dublin Tonight

    I say it will ‘rock’ Dublin tonight as the event (DemoBar) looks set to be a great one. There’s ten fantastic Irish companies on display tonight, beer, banter and if I was any way closer to Dublin and a little easier with my time tonight and tomorrow then I’d be there with a fine helping of bells on.

    Glowday will be launching at the event and handing out a few beta invitations, as will Vinny Glennon’s JustRoutes.com. TouristR should reveal a new facelift tonight with Jan shedding some more light on the upcoming TripPlanr while Walter should be able to show off some new features for Pixenate along with the brand spanking new Pixenate Facebook application – honestly, I think I’ve waited for taxis for more time than it took the application to get online, seriously quick turnaround there!

    When and Where

    It all kicks off in the Ely HQ on Hanover Quay in Dublin, this evening from 6:30pm. Google Map Here. Rumour has there’s going to be around 100 people there this evening so get in while you can!

  • iPhone Fever Set To Grip The UK?

    It looks like the UK are going to get an iPhone announcement. At least that what you might believe upon the readings. The invitations extended for the press event on the 18th (next Tuesday) bear resemblance to those issued for the recent US event which saw the price drop of the iPhone, launch of iPod Touch, revamp of iPod Classic and a whole lot more.

    Telefonica look set to be the iPhone carriers for the Spanish market with O2 (part of Telefonica) carrying the iPhone in the UK. Vodafone are giving the N95 8GB model a big Christmas push in the UK (along with with the Samsung SGH-F700V and Sony Ericsson W910i) and look to be gearing up for a nice battle with O2 – what oh what could they be battling against?

    What I want to know is, what’s the story with Ireland? If, as anticipated, the UK gets an iPhone release date on Tuesday next, can we expect that this date and subsequently the mobile carrier, will be reflected in Ireland?

    Either way you look at it, iPhone announcement or not, I reckon we’re set for some interesting Apple talk this coming Tuesday.

  • Keith Bohanna And The IIA

    Quick word of congratulations to fellow Kilkenny resident Keith Bohanna who returns to the IIA board following the recent elections.

    It is an honour to have been elected… Nice to be back here after a break – a different and more realistic environment for the board of the IIA to be operating in and I am looking forward to it.

    Fair play good sir.

  • Pixenate On Intruders.tv

    PixenateIntruders.tv have an interview with Walter Higgins of Pixenate online this morning.

    Keep em coming.

    Pixenate will be on display at DemoBar this coming Thursday.