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Review: "It's All Geek to Me," David's Pogue's New TV Show
Flummoxed by your iPod? Upgrading your cell phone? In the market for a new
digital camera? If your life's filled with digital thingamajigs and gizmos,
chances are you're a devotee of gadget guru David Pogue, the popular New
York Times tech columnist, and founder and author of the Missing Manual
series. And now he's the star of his own TV show.
That's right. "It's All Geek to Me"--a six-episode TV show hosted and
written by this multi-talented tech expert--begins May 18 at 8 p.m.(ET) on
two channels, Discovery HD and The Science Channel.
Presenting himself as a well-meaning couples counselor between folks and
their electronic gear, Pogue challenges viewers to have more fun with their
cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras. I got hooked previewing his first
show about camcorders--which includes a useful tip on turning an ordinary
lamp into a tripod. He illustrated film editing by trimming some ordinary
home footage of his energetic two- year-old and transforming it into an
entertaining short: "Extreme Baby."
A born showman, Pogue's enthusiasm for electronic stuff is infectious. By
the end of his first show, I began to think I could squeeze more amusement
out of my gadgets. I also began yearning for a new camcorder and a new
laptop. (Warning: watching this show could be expensive.)
Pogue follows the camcorders show with episodes on cell phones, laptops,
digital cameras, and iPods. The last show in the initial series of six
episodes covers rescuing and saving data on decaying or disappearing
formats: home movies on film, vinyl records, VHS tapes, audio tapes, data on
floppy disks, slides, prints, and more.
Occasionally Pogue's humor brings him to some dark places--literally. In the
first episode, he drags his entire crew into the bathroom to illustrate
filming in the dark. Yet the tight editing and clear explanations make the
show informative as well as entertaining. And for those who can't bear to
read the instructional manuals included with their new products, Pogue's the
patient teacher they wish for.
In fact, the Ohio-born Pogue frankly admits he was born a geek. He started
out as an aspiring musician, conducting musicals and choirs starting in
elementary school. He grew into a spelling wiz--winning the Ohio State
Spelling Bee championship in 1977. During his teen years he pocketed extra
spending cash working as a professional magician.
After college (Yale), the starry eyed Pogue headed to Broadway. He got work
as a conductor, synthesizer programmer, arranger, and assistant on several
Broadway shows, and a few Off-Broadway ones. Despite the lack of demand for
new young Broadway composers, Pogue also found work teaching the talented
community of composers and actors how to use their Macs--including Stephen
Sondheim, John Kander, Mia Farrow, Carly Simon, Mandy Patinkin, and others.
One thing led to another--a gig at Macworld magazine, a chance to write some
books--and the rest, as they say, is history. Pogue has been sharing his
love of gadgets and teaching us how to use them ever since. And now we've
got him on TV, too.
--Sara Peyton, publicist, consumer books, O'Reilly Media
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