0.25 – Mark apologizes for missing last week’s episode due to b5media strategy meetings

0.55 – The guys are back at Starbucks (still no sponsorship) and dive straight into a seasonal topic – the gaming market and why people would be prepared to stand in line for hours for a games console like the Nintendo Wii. The answer is great marketing and a long development cycle

4.19 – Google cracked the $500 (U.S.) barrier this week, resulting in a market cap of more than $150bn.  What does this mean for the market?  Mark illustrates the power of the market-cap by saying that Google could now buy Yahoo! and eBay without breaking a sweat

5.39 – Kevin would’ve sold at $250 but Mark boldly predicts Google’s stock breaking $750

7.26 – A small swipe at the Globe and Mail leads into a discussion about the very healthy wireless industry.  Kevin believes that the wireless providers are doing a great job of milking their existing customers and being cautious when it comes to acquiring new customers

8.19 – For consumers this means relatively expensive plans in comparison with the U.S. and Europe.  Big bucket plans aren’t as prevalent in Canada as they are down south

8.59 – Mark asks, “is this an oligopoly?â€?  There seems to be price transparency and consistency between the providers which has lead to conservative pricing plans

10.10 – Is there room for more competitors?  Industry Canada says yes, while the Competition Bureau approved the Microcell Rogers deal.  Will the government institute a common carrier system?

10.56 – Mark can’t see another player coming to the market but Kevin points out that there are a lot of entrepreneurs in Canada which could lead to a fourth carrier – although not in the traditional Bell, Rogers or Telus mould.

11.51 – Speaking of phones, will Apple release the iPhone?  Kevin says that Apple’s PR team has done a great job in seeding the idea of the iPhone and that it can only be a matter of time before it’s released.  The only question is who it’ll be in partnership with

13.45 – Will Apple drive the market in combination devices and will the Blackberry start coming out with more advanced music features such as playlists?

14.15 – Kevin predicts that whatever technology is used in the phone, the handset itself will be a sleek, stylish success, although it won’t be as popular as the Razr

14.56 – Finally, the guys talk about podcasts!  A Pew study shows that podcasts are taking off as an alternative way to consume audio content.  Mark wonders where people have the time!  Kevin is amazed that people can make a living out of podcasting, and blogging for that matter

17.14 – The overarching issue is how traditional media is under siege from the new interactive web.  Mark thinks we’re in for a turbulent, but interesting ride in the media space

Audio comments for Mark and Kevin can be left on the Talking Tech hotline: 1 206-333-1327 or emailed to heytalkingtech@gmail.com.

Our announcer is the lovely Amber Mac and the music is No Mojo by Anthony Stauffer and Holy Smoke which is available on the pod safe music network.

0.30 – Mark addresses the declining circulation of the major North American newspapers in the first half of the year.  Are newspapers simply irrelevant to today’s generation?  Kevin thinks that newspapers haven’t been able to adapt to the world of free content – online and offline

2.53 – Newspapers have to stop focusing on the news and train their reporting onto the perspective, context and analysis.  The industry needs to report smarter which means smaller newsrooms with young reporters gathering information and experienced journalists telling people what the news means

5.13 – Some newspapers have embraced the new web better than others.  Business 2.0, a monthly business magazine, has launched 16 new blogs but this will have to spark a sea change in the attitude of the reporters

6.44 – If the newspapers want to maintain their relevance, they need to change their thinking to come around to the new way of thinking

7.26 – BCE and Telus are not being allowed to convert into income trusts, an announcement that saw their shares drop.  Mark says that BCE’s own decision to convert to an income trust was a defensive move pressure the federal government into closing the tax loop hole

9.00 – Kevin thinks that the decision was a blessing in disguise – if both had been income trusts, the investment levels into network infrastructure across the country would have been limited

10.04 - Mark agrees that the money not being diverted to unit holders can be used to innovate, expand and defend against the aggressive cable companies like Rogers.  It doesn’t make sense to cap your potential spending in capital investment

10.51 – He goes onto predict Telus will be in a stronger position after the announcement due to their bigger wireless division.  The only people that the decision to stop the conversion won’t be good for are unit holders and

11.40 - Kevin thinks shareholders will benefit, especially after Telus’s announcement it will raising its dividend by 36 per cent this year

12.24 – Income trusts may not be sexy, but the LG Chocolate phone launch in Toronto was!

12.54 – Kevin says that the phone’s technology is not revolutionary, but there is a huge amount of buzz in Canada around this cool new product.  He gives the phone his seal of approval

12.50 – Mark laments the end of the big PR launches with free bars, great bands and big swag bags.  In Kevin’s mind, the downturn of events is linked to the downturn of the IT industry and the lack of VC money compared to the first dot com boom

Audio comments for Mark and Kevin can now be left on the Talking Tech hotline: 1-206-333-1327 or emailed to heytalkingtech@gmail.com.

Special thanks to our new announcer, the lovely Amber Mac. The music, as usual, is No Mojo by Anthony Stauffer and Holy Smoke which is available on the pod safe music network.