1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 Hello, I'm James Cridland, the radio futurologist. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,000 Every couple of weeks or so I write a blog post about radio and the future of all of that. 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:15,000 But this time I'm not going to read any of those because I need to read something for this microphone. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:24,000 So that's what I'm going to do. This is an ALabs ION Mini WL microphone. 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:30,000 It's a bit unusual in that it is a completely wireless microphone. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,000 So there's not a wire at all connecting the microphone to the computer. 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Instead it uses a UHF connection, apparently, which is very exciting. 8 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:48,000 HD quality audio. It says that it has incredible warm, rich and full tone that keeps your audience hooked. 9 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:54,000 Now I'm about six inches away from the microphone itself. 10 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,000 It's made for minimalist or smaller setups, it says. 11 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:05,000 And one of the things it does say is that it features a zero latency stereo headphone monitoring jack on the receiver. 12 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:13,000 That may be the case. It may be a zero latency, but it definitely does not sound like it's zero latency. 13 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,000 There is definitely latency in my headphones. 14 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:21,000 I'm not quite sure where that latency is coming from, although there's virtually no latency. 15 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:26,000 But there is some latency. So it claims it's zero latency, but it isn't. 16 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Anyway, one of the things that I normally do on my podcast is I just read my latest newsletter, which I can't do. 17 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:40,000 But james.cridland.net slash blog is where I put all kinds of other things. 18 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:47,000 And particularly on this, a trip report from when I do flying. 19 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:56,000 So here's a little bit of the trip report from Singapore to London. 20 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:05,000 And yes, I was in Singapore. I was weighed down by an annoyingly bulky box of audio equipment that I was returning to a company in London. 21 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:13,000 So I decided that much though I'd like to spend six hours walking around Singapore, I'm probably best retiring to the first lounge, 22 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:19,000 which is usually and indeed universally acknowledged as the best on the network since I've got work to do. 23 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 On entry, they request to see my passport as well as my boarding pass. 24 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 I suspect Word has got a round about how good it is. 25 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,000 And there's a black market in boarding passes, I think maybe. Anyway, it's great again. 26 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,000 I have a decent coffee. I work for a few hours and have a lovely meal and a drink. 27 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,000 And I'm remarkably productive. 28 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:45,000 Given that this first lounge is run by Sofitel, who run all Qantas lounges, I'm fascinated at the difference 29 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:51,000 and what Qantas can learn from this space to help all of their other lounges reach the same standard. 30 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,000 A shower follows and then it's off to the gate. 31 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:01,000 And for this leg, I've got a points upgrade to premium economy, even though I am in an aisle seat. 32 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,000 Julian comes up to give me a platinum welcome. 33 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:11,000 Julian genuflects next to my chair, looking up into my eyes, locking me in eye contact, 34 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,000 professing his sheer and utter joy at me, me, flying his humble aeroplane. 35 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:22,000 He would hold my hand if he could, maybe steal a quick kiss, a passionate embrace, possibly with tongues. 36 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:30,000 He's overjoyed at my presence, although not that overjoyed, since after his short speech of love and respect on bended knee, 37 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:37,000 he adds, I'm working on the level below, so I won't see you during the flight, but if you need me, you can always come down and find me. 38 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:44,000 He tells me that the staff looking after me here include something like Beverly male, Beverly female and Anton. 39 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,000 Which is really weird. Is that what he calls them? 40 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:53,000 I guess we'll never find out, since he's working in first class, not premium economy, and I'll never see him again. 41 00:03:53,000 --> 00:04:01,000 I skip dinner, since I'm still full of the munisophants of the Qantas first lounge, and sleep for much of the flight, 42 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,000 waking about three hours before landing and discovering that there was a Toblerone left in the galley. 43 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Breakfast is the usual Qantas affair of a mystery muffin, some fruit and a hot breakfast, 44 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:18,000 including scrambled eggs that are actually quite tasty, and the curious Qantas baked beans, created by a chef who has never had baked beans before, 45 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,000 and asked ChatGPT for a recipe instead. 46 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:27,000 If these are your baked beans, Neil Perry, just stop and think about what you're doing. 47 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,000 I watch my downloaded stash of YouTube videos. 48 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:37,000 Someone restores a 1940s desk lamp. James May gets someone else to cook him a cheese sandwich. 49 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:43,000 The latest edition of Have I Got News for You with Mel off Mel and Sue, ABC's Media Watch. 50 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:49,000 John Oliver rants about farm workers and AI. Big Clive distills some cheap cider. 51 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Some quite annoying people walk around the hidden bitch of Archway Underground Station in hi-vis vests, 52 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,000 saying annoying things like, give it the beans, whenever they turn their torch on. 53 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,000 Tom Scott does something wearing protective clothing. 54 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:07,000 A man eats some lava bread, a thing made out of seaweed, which doesn't look very nice. 55 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:14,000 And then I arrive in London Heathrow with beef eaters and Shakespeare and theatrical history on the walls, 56 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:19,000 and nothing suggesting that the country is in any way progressed from the 1950s. 57 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:24,000 I'm told that security people are on strike and there might be a wait, but there isn't. 58 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,000 And then, into the city. 59 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:32,000 You can find more of my trip reports at james.cridland.net slash blog. 60 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:59,000 But until next time, keep listening.