Sidepodcast

F1 2009 – iPod Touch / iPhone Review

Less than a month ago, the first F1 game for a many a year arrived for the Wii console, and Lukeh provided us with a fantastic review. So good was it, that we went out and purchased the game solely on the man's advice. Lukeh returns today to offer similar insight into a mobile version of F1 2009 for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

This year we have indeed seen the return of F1 to videogames and it was a great return as I so much explained in my previous Wii review. It came just as much as a surprise to myself as it was to many others that an announcement last week confirmed that Formula 1 was indeed coming to iPods worldwide this week. The game weighs in at £3.99 / $6.99 so it’s got a bit of price on it for an iPod app, but is it worth it?

What must be remembered is this is an iPod, not a Playstation Portable or a Nintendo DS or any fully fledged gaming handheld. Whilst the iPod is more than capable of holding its weight with it’s gaming capabilities, it’s never going to include games as detailed as the aforementioned rivals. Nevertheless, I feel that the F1 2009 game for the iPod touch / iPhone is a nifty addition to the series that Codemasters seem willing to build.

First off, the graphics genuinely opened my eyes in surprise. For something so delicate, it really shows off the possibilities of gaming for this format. From the few tracks I’ve played since purchasing the game earlier this evening, everything noticeable from real life tracks is there – the urban classic streets of Monaco, the giant overhead stand of China, the overseeing forests of Spa. It is a visual delight and a true tribute to the power of the iPod/iPhone. When you’re flying down at 200mph it runs smoothly and nothing seems to be out of place, so needless to say this aspect of the app impressed me immensely.

The controls though are where things start to get dodgy. As with most iPod racing races, you use the system’s accelerometer to steer the car with various buttons on screen to accelerate, brake, change camera and use KERS. The initial impressions of the controls came to me with must frustration – the default steering sensitivity is, for lack of a better term, wild. You know how when Formula 1 cars warm up tyres they swing from left to right? That’ll be you initially upon first play. From my own point of view, I would suggest jumping into the options and turning the setting down a little, as it makes the driving a whole lot more tolerable. Furthermore, the default control system both acceleration and brake pedals on the right of the screen, and KERS button on the left. (Obviously it can be adjusted for left hand players.) Whilst others may find this alright, it felt very clumsy to me going to accelerate but finding myself braking instead – luckily an alternative setup of acceleration on the right and brakes on the left can be found in the options, an option I found immediately handier to use. Again, it’s just a personal thing so it may be different for you. In general though, it handles as you’d expect albeit it completely insanely at times, but it’s nothing deal breaking. Just very, very tough.

So what will you be getting in terms of content for your £4 or $7? Well I’d better give you a warning now – there is no racing as in 20 cars on a grid racing. The two game modes include Time Trials and Endurance, both seeing you racing in any car of your choice on any track of your choice. Time Trials does what it says on the tin, with your goal simply to set times and see which is fastest. Endurance sees you going out for laps and continually trying to beat them with consistency being the name of the game rather than the more general time trial mode. To be fair, with 17 tracks and 20 cars you’re not exactly lacking variety so there are no complaints there but I’m sure many will have wanted racing. It’s perfectly understandable though why it’s not there though. Your times can also be uploaded to Agon Online, a built in system that uploads your best times and shares them with the world as well as allowing you to browse yourself and view friends’ times.

So, should you buy it? Of course that is not my decision for me to make for you but in my advice I would only buy it if you really want an F1 game on your iPod / iPhone. Visually it is incredible, rivalling what we see on the Wii version of F1 2009 but it is very, very tough with the oversensitive handling and quite unique way of handling the game. Again, it’s what’s to be expected of the iPod and it is impressive considering what small weight the system has but, at £4 / $7, it’s probably recommended for the more advanced players of the system. It’s definitely a promising start though for future installments, just don't expect an easy ride with this app!

The game is available to download now from the App Store.

Is That an iPod in Your Pocket?

With the voting for the 2008 Weblog Awards due imminently, we've come to the sudden realisation that we're up against some serious competition. In fact, we stand no chance, but that's okay, because in the podcast category we are up against both This American Life and This Week in Tech - both brilliant podcasts that I listen to regularly and love.

With that in my mind, plus the fact that I have finally managed to catch up with my podcast feeds over the holidays, I thought I would share some of the non-F1 shows I listen to. Here are ten of the many, many podcasts I have subscribed to - not including the two already mentioned and in no particular order:

Buzz Out Loud

From the CNET stable of podcasts, Buzz Out Loud is a weekday show, roughly half an hour long, discussing everything that affects the technology and media industry. The show is friendly and informative, good at explaining some complex things, and is very happy to take feedback and be corrected by the growing Buzz community. [link]

Friday Night Comedy

This fine podcast rotates between the always excellent Now Show and the mildly amusing News Quiz. I know Mr C subscribes and unsubscribes just to hear the former, but I don't mind chuckling my way through the odd news quiz while I wait for the amusing Punt and Dennis to return. [link]

Media Talk

From the Guardian, this show does what it says on the tin, in that it talks about all things media. From newspapers, to TV, to online presence, and specifically how companies are making the transition from old media to new. The conversation can get a bit pretentious, as though we are eavesdropping on insiders having a good old chinwag, however sometimes that's where the gems come from. [link]

Sky News: Headlines Update

Although Sky News isn't my favourite, this is a good video podcast for keeping up with the main headlines of the day. There are several updates throughout the day, and I don't watch them all. I tend to catch up with them when I feel I haven't been aware of the news of late. It's a good summary, but needs a proper ending. [link]

60 Second Science

I found 60 Second Science after starting F1 Minute. I wanted to see how other people managed the mini-podcast genre, and this one really caught my attention. It has the exact feel of the Minute, with a good story captured in 60 short seconds. My only complaint is that the actual show is 1:15 on most days, but that's the price of advertising, I suppose. [link]

Brigitte Dale

I love the off beat nature of this video blog (don't call it a vlog, she hates that). It's about life in general, although particularly focuses how we as human beings forge relationships with others. One of the Sidepodcast Diaries is a homage to this video style, but I'll leave it for you to find which one. [link]

The Official LOST Podcast

Although it hasn't been updated for a while, when the series is on TV, the Official LOST podcast is an amazing thing to behold. The writers of the show actually take the time to discuss what's going on in the show and examine some listener theories. They even take questions, although they don't always answer them. If only we could have this behind the scenes access to all shows. [link]

Lucy Kellaway

I'm a big fan of the FT, although I have no idea how people find the time to read it. Lucy Kellaway's column is a breath of fresh air in what can be a lot of stuffy business news. A witty look at the world of management, I really like the idea of people reading their columns to me, so that I don't have to. [link]

The Archers

I have two reasons for listening to this show. I don't care if you believe them, or if you assume I'm a boring old woman. Firstly, I'm impressed with the level of access the message board users have to the script writers. I wrote a personal blog about a particularly noteworthy incident. As also mentioned in that entry, I'm also intrigued by the production values. [link]

Something to be Desired

An online comedy, currently on series 6, this podcast has been around since 2003. I love the fact that this screams of a home-made TV show but is really good, friendly and funny at the same time. It's also clearly successful, as the actors stick around and fans like me keep coming back for more. [link]

That's just a quick insight into some of the non F1 shows I listen to. I'd love to hear what un-sporty shows you have lined up on your iPod (other mp3 players are available but not recommended). Please feel free to share, or to comment on the ones I've listed above - although don't mention The Archers, okay?

Daily: 26th December 2008

Boxing Day is traditional for sitting around, eating leftovers, and watching dodgy Xmas television. If you're near to your computer while all that is going on, then Sidepodcast.com is a brilliant place to hang out. Here are some of the things we've been discussing in the absence of F1 news:

• Shameless plug: The Sidepodcast Alternate Christmas Message is now available. A special tribute to a departing driver, with a well known story told a different way. It also spurred on the idea that I look like a Flump. Harrumph!
• We, as podcasters, tend to stick to all things online, and therefore have caused a debate over DVDs and CDs are comparable to mp3s and iTunes. Plus whether we prefer books or a Kindle.
• The above conversation started with the plethora of iPods given as gifts this Christmas. Let us know what you got, if you haven't already, especially if it will help you listen to Sidepodcast more often!
• Steven Roy found a DC quiz, so have a go and let us know your score. I got 3, which is pitiful, and I must do more research.

I've given up with the record for the latest posting of a Daily thread, my guess is that at some point this year, the post will go up minutes before the day runs out! Nevertheless, this one gives us plenty of time to chat, so I'll see you in the comments.

Daily: 10th December 2008

It's been a relatively quiet day both on the blog and for Formula 1. I think we're all recovering from the shock of last weekend, me included. I stepped out of my front door again, big mistake, and have picked up yet more germs. Can't even blame Silverstone or Cardboard tents this time. Oh well. Here's some of the things we have been discussing:

• Day 1 of the Jerez test - Toro Rosso lead the way, Buemi better than Bourdais again? Raikkonen was back in action, whilst McLaren had test drivers aplenty. No Red Bull or Toyota, though.
• Autosport is reporting that the standard engine will be going ahead as no less than five teams have registered their interest. That's half of the current grid, or more than half if you discount Honda. Interestingly, the article says Renault are amongst those signing up for the deal. No more Renault engines?
• We're also trying to decide which iPod Scott should buy. I'm personally a big fan of the Nano, although I sometimes run out of space, especially if I'm behind on my podcasts.
• Don't forget we're on C in the I Spy game, and I think 73 is the next to be completed on the Numbers game. If we could get to 100, that would be cool.

I'm hoping the second day of testing might be more interesting than the first, as it was hampered by bad weather conditions, and no surprise cars looking awful. Either way, feel free to add your thoughts on the above, or any other things that come to mind. I'll see you in the comments.

About that iPinger

It's very rare that a new technology appears at exactly the time that you need it to, with exactly the right functionality for a perfectly acceptable price. But that is what happened to us recently when we discovered the iTouchMidi.

Almost.

Not long after taking to the air with our first live edition of the Debrief (before it was actually even called that), a cool piece of software appeared on the iTunes App Store that allowed a user to trigger samples via a WiFi connection by means of an iPod Touch. This was ideal as it meant Christine could be left in charge of the various samples we use in the show, instead of them being controlled off camera.

Sadly, if you watch about three minutes into this instalment of the live show, you'll see the iTouchMidi make a rather brief début on the grounds that five seconds after it's introduction, it crashed.

The product was duly put to the back of our minds until the panel show idea came to fruition (an idea borne from the twisted mind of Mr. Roy, by the way), and the need for Christine to trigger samples came to the fore again. Luckily, by this time the software had moved on a couple of iterations and appeared to be more stable, thus we went live with the iPinger for the first time. I think it was stable for about an hour before everything died and Rich commented:

Really worried about what Me has been drinking to crash his Mac!

Yup, the pinger crashed the Mac.

In fact, since it's introduction the software has managed to crash not only the laptop but also the iPod itself maybe a dozen times in four shows. Despite a plethora of software updates and three separate purchases from the App Store, iTouchMidi have managed to create the most unstable piece of software I've ever encountered.

Okay, I shouldn't be mean to them, they clearly have an innovative product and it's not like anyone else is having a go. I'm also confident they didn't have a two hour F1 panel show in mind when they conceptualised it, but in future we'll be using a tethered keyboard and sticking to a more tried and tested solution.

Video Podcast Chapters

As you may well know, we've included chapter selection within our enhanced weekly audio shows since day one, to allow for easy navigation of lengthy episodes. At times this has caused a bit of confusion because it means we're putting out two versions of every show, one in MP3 format for the majority of listeners and an enhanced version in AAC format for anyone with an iPod or iTunes.

Although this approach does create a bit of extra work, we've always figured it to be worth it, in order to benefit from the additional interactivity the enhanced format provides (along with chapters, we also add images and website links). The feeds page details the various options for downloading both versions, as well as how to subscribe to our video podcasts, and it's these that I'm keen to talk more about today.

It's possible to add chapter markers to video episodes too, although we couldn't really see the point when shows rarely stretch beyond the 6 minute mark, especially given that chapter navigation wasn't particularly user friendly either. That all changed though, with the release of an update in February to Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch (or iTouch as I prefer it) firmware.

We've talked about how good the iTouch is for viewing widescreen video podcasts before, but this software update added something unique - a chapter guide:

Now we had a reason to add markers to our videos.

The above screenshot is displaying a list from a recent Inside Track video. Not only can we set the marker name, but it's also possible to specify a cute little thumbnail to represent each one too. The touch interface makes jumping between each section a snap but they also appear within iTunes if you don't have such a device to hand.

We've actually been doing this since the beginning of the season, essentially it's exactly the same thing we've always done for audio shows, and just like the audio episodes, none of the advantages are visible on this website. You have to subscribe to get the full functionality, but hopefully we can get that sorted soon.

I'm relatively confident that I am the only person in the world excited about this, but if you've ever found it useful, or if you think we're wasting our time, please do let us know.

Adobe Flash Player

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced that they've updated their Flash Player to handle H.264 video, as well as HE-AAC audio.

This is big news for us, as we currently have to release Sidepodcast TV in two formats (H.264 for the iPod and Flash for the web), whereas in the future we'll be able to upload a single file that should work everywhere. Not only will this save us bags of time, it'll save on hosting costs too. Our audio shows will also benefit, as we currently release enhanced episodes for the iPod but they don't work so well in a browser.

Despite the geeky acronyms, the update allows for better quality video with smaller files sizes and greater support for industry standard formats, so users will gain from this release too. The update is free to download. So what are you waiting for?

We have a test page available if you'd like to see how Sidepodcast TV will look using the new software and more information about the announcement is available from Adobe.

I'll Name that Zune in One

Earlier this week a brand new podcast client arrived on the scene. Created by Microsoft in response to Apple's iTunes software, the Zune Marketplace means that owners of Zune devices now have an easy way to manage their favourite podcasts.

By all accounts this latest generation of software is a major step forward from the aborted first release. This time around users not only get a podcast solution, but the devices now support m4a and m4v file formats (essentially the two formats we use at Sidepodcast).

The first thing to note is that just like the original device, the Zune is limited to retail outlets within North America. I've no idea if there's a plan to expand the sales reach any time soon, so for the moment we are zune-less. Luckily there's no such restrictions on the software, so it was duly downloaded.

According to Microsoft, the initial directory listing would contain just 1,000 podcasts. So I was initially surprised to find both our audio and video shows listed. F1 Minute was missing, but looking at the details it would appear that the list was created some time before the show existed. All is not lost though, it's easy to add missing podcasts, which we did.

The next thing we tried to do was subscribe to something from the directory, and this is where the system fell to pieces. For reasons unspecified, users must have a Zune account to subscribe to anything in the directory and nobody outside of the United States is eligible for one. Which leaves us a bit stuck.

Presumably the theory behind this is, users would have no use for the software without the device, but as a stand alone client it seems like a pretty decent piece of software. Shame.

However, not to be beaten, it is still possible to add your own feeds manually. A simple process but one that is ultimately an unnecessary distraction.

All said, if you live within the US, and fancy an alternate podcasting eco-system, this one's worth checking out.

Video 12 - Hungary Preview

• Length: 04:31 
• Size: 50.1 MB 
• File: video12.m4v 
• Transcript: video12.pdf 
• Torrent: video12.torrent 

It's been 12 months since Jenson Button won his first Grand Prix. This season's not been as kind on the Englishman, but with a bit of luck the weather might be changeable and Christine's favourite bloke might, just might, stand a chance of bagging some points at the Hungaroring.

Qualifying well here is almost as important as it is in Monaco, so Saturday afternoon is when all the action will happen. On a dry day, there's not much to recommend about this dusty circuit - overtaking opportunities are few and far between, meaning strategy is everything.

Music played: Brother Love, Summertime

Music comes from music.podshow.com, with special thanks going to Red Bull Racing, Honda Racing F1 and RTV GmbH for the use of their video footage and images.