I really like the idea of the various “hands-on” shows that TWIT is doing, but in listening to the podcast of MacBreak Weekly yesterday, it got me to thinking. There are at least 4 shows on TWIT devoted to the Apple ecosystem:
iOS Today
Hands On Mac
Hands On iOS
MacBreak Weekly
If you add Hands On Tech (which seems to be a general catch-all show), that’s 5 shows in total. I get that there’s individual reasons for each show, but it seems like there’s a high potential for overlap in topics, especially in the first 3 shows (and HOT)
To be honest - from the descriptions of the shows, it sounds like the shows could be segments or clips from a broader-topic show. Hands On iOS, for example, looks like it could be a short segment in iOS Today. Given the tight integration between Mac and iOS devices, Hands On Mac could be very similar.
I like the general premise - namely, short bite-sized shows that can be consumed by a listener quickly and the information put to use. But I don’t really want to subscribe to one more show - especially is there is a likelihood of overlap in information. Does that make sense?
If you are creating new Hands-On Shows, it would be nice to seem them cover areas that aren’t already part of a current shows. For example - you don’t really have any shows that cover the gaming consoles (XBOX, PS, Nintendo, etc).
Thanks for all of the great work. These aren’t complaints at all - just observations and thoughts.
I like the premise of breaking out clips from larger shows into their own feed to make it easier for people to find them rather then buried in a show an hour long. You do have a point the number of Apple shows is a bit much, considering that both of the hands-on shows could be in one called Hands-on Apple.
The shorter format shows also gives the flexibility to focus on one thing that would be dropped from the larger format shows.
Gaming shows have been covered in another topic and the consensus was that there are too many other sources out there also doing it, so it would need a top person in gaming news to host the show and draw in an audience.
If you listen to all the shows (I listen to a wide majority) you are going to hear some of the same things multiple times. Most of the “Weekly” shows (specifically This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly, Windows Weekly, Security Now, All About Android, Tech News Weekly and probably one or two others) are discussions that are driven off of a list of recent news. In many cases, these news items are duplicative across various topics. This is driven by the fact that some news weeks are slow, or, as now, some news weeks are driven from a huge pandemic.
I think the entire idea of the Hands On shows was to avoid news, and focus mostly on one topic per short (5 minute or so) show. I personally think this is a great idea. If you want an overview of the news, stick to the weekly news show. If you want some how to and deeper insight into specific target topics, go for the hands on shows. If you’re crazy like me, watch 'em all
I see the non-Hands On shows as more of a discussion and panel show for the week’s news. The Hands On shows are how-to shows explaining single subjects and how to use them.
I think that’s what’s really making me take a closer look at this.
4 Apple shows that cover largely overlapping topics (with the possible exception of MBW). But I see it in the Google shows too. AAA covers a lot of Google-oriented stuff that isn’t directly Android (like Stadia and ChromeOS) that seems like it would crop up on TWIG (which I don’t really listen to).
I realize that game consoles are potentially done better elsewhere, but XBOX at least is more than just a console - it’s Microsoft’s media platform (and, for all intents and purposes, the successor to Media Center) - like Apple TV is Apple’s media platform. Yet the sole Microsoft platform I’ve heard discussed as a potential HO show is Hands On Windows.
I like the short topic nature of the Hands-On shows. I just wonder at the overlapping material for some shows - and the lack of attention for other platforms (in the case of others).
This community is made up of people with a wide variety of interests, and participatory styles.
I, for one, really enjoy and look forward to physical button pushing demonstrations, and real world troubleshooting and device problem solving. Sure wish there was a better way to interact on troubleshooting.
And I like the idea of a seperate show for each OS.
I advise the use of a dictionary and enabling a spellchecker.
Duplicative is not a real word. It is a “Bushism” (though old Ronnie Raygun was excellent at making up words too) https://www.thesaurus.com/misspelling?term=Duplicative
This brings up the issue that some of the show names are not that representative of the show.
Reading another thread here, I found out that TWiG is not just about Google, but covers most of the large internet companies. I have never listened to the show since I did not care to listen to a bunch of Google news, but now I may give it a listen.
I like FLOSS Weekly, but the name is horrible. Might get more sponsors and listeners with a better name.
And before people start posting new name ideas, the first step is to get @Leo to recognize that some shows have a branding issue. I never watched the old Framerate show since I thought it was about movies or something and did not look closer, but I watch Cord Killers since I found it when looking for streaming media info and even joined their Patreon.
If the title is ambiguous then people may not dig a bit deeper to learn more when scrolling through their podcast app suggestions. Discoverablity is the big challenge now it seems.
Personally, I think the Hands-On shows are different enough to warrant existing (short how-to videos is nowhere near the same as a news/panel discussion roundtable) but even with keeping those separate, there’s still plenty of duplication, especially with Apple specifically.
The 2 Apple Panel shows (iOS Today and MacBreak Weekly) could easily be combined as there’s much overlap between Mac and iOS and the gap is closing every year.
Same thing for the Hands-On Apple shows, could just put Mac and iOS in one feed and have Leo and Mikah alternate episodes.
So instead of 4 Apple shows, you would have 2, probably called Apple Today and Hands-On Apple.
