Despite what Pandora thinks, I have a pretty wide and varied taste in music.  My iPod shuffles between rock, country, rap, and even classical throughout the day in my rather eclectic music collection.  I’m always on the lookout for new music.  These days, however, it’s almost always because I heard it on a TV show or commercial, in a movie or video game, or some other non-traditional means.  I almost never listen to the radio anymore and that’s because of one thing: podcasts.  Last week when I was without my Celica, not being able to listen to my podcasts was probably the hardest thing to adjust to.

Podcasts can be found on pretty much any topic though it still heavily favors news & technology — the first industries to adopt podcasting.  For me, beyond my weekly must-listen in the form of TWIT, the granddaddy and standard-bearer for all tech-related podcasts, I don’t really listen to any other technology related podcasts; I get enough technology in the hundreds of related articles I read every day.  As for news, I’ve tried repeatedly to get into the NPR podcasts but I just habitually find myself leaning more toward other podcasts.  Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me is always entertaining but more often, I pass the quick trips with ESPN’s PTI and College Football podcasts.

I’m a complete history junkie and, as far as I’m concerned, the history podcasts are the jewels in the world of podcasting.  I’m constantly searching iTunes for more quality podcasts along the lines of The History of Rome and The History Network.  For longer trips, Christina and I have steadily been listening to the in-depth TPN::Napoleon series.  Also, Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History is… well, for hardcore history fans… but is also an excellent podcast.

iTunes + iPod + crazy car adapter + podcasts = awesome nerdiness.