I don’t listen to many podcasts. The SMS Text News and All About Symbian podcasts are good weekly listens when it comes to all things mobile-related, but aside from that my main podcast consumption comes courtesy of The Guardian’s fantastic range of podcasts. They really are professionally done, sounding like Radio 5 Live probably would if it wasn’t quite so ‘tabloid’. The two I subscribe to are Media Talk and Tech Weekly. So, when Tech Weekly presenter Aleks Krotoski posted a message on Twitter advertising a Tech Weekly meet-up at Urbis here in Manchester I had to head down.

Unfortunately, many of Manchester’s technology-minded population were at the b.TWEEN08 conference at the Museum of Science & Industry so it wasn’t the biggest of turnouts. Still, the Guardian had laid on free coffee and nibbles (including some impressive looking Scotch Eggs!) and there were lots of interesting people to talk to about all things tech-ish.

My problem was ‘how do I introduce myself?’. I don’t run a digital media company, I’m not a programmer, hell, my blog only launched this morning. So, besides giving 14sandwiches a plug I mentioned my day job running a school’s media facilities and creating video and audio content for its website.

This led to some interesting conversations about the slow pace of digital innovation in education. Seriously. Sometimes getting teachers to embrace video and audio can be a struggle (but it’s getting better). Shaun Fensom of Manchester Digital was talking to me about the importance of Manchester’s tech firms recruiting at Further (rather than Higher) Education level. Apparently the main difference with a Higher Education graduate is they cost more!

Hugh Garry from BBC Radio One shared his frustration at trying to get popstars to play Guitar Hero against their fans at the recent One Big Weekend event. That led me to consider how interesting it would be to test how technically proficient pop singers really are using Singstar. Something tells me many wouldn’t be too keen!

The subject of education came up again when I was talking to Aleks about her PhD on using games in education (or more broadly “examining the relationship between communication patterns and group processes in the diffusion of information through an online community” – phew!). There’s loads of potential there. I’d love to see Super Monkey Ball for the iPhone used as a co-ordination trainer for young children. That accelerometer coupled with rolling monkeys would really get them engaged. Or how about Wii Sports for when the PE Teacher’s ill and the supply teacher has to take the class?

I demonstrated Qik to a couple of people from Lewis PR. As you can see here, it wasn’t my best camerawork but ignore the vomit-inducingly fast panning and shots of chairs and you can hear me demonstrating Qik’s features and explaining who Robert Scoble is while Aleks interviews Paul Robinson in the corner for next week’s podcast. When they return to the table there’s a bit more Qik-related chat at the end of the video.

Finally I chatted to Paul about this weekend’s Tony Wilson Experience. I was glad to hear he shares my frustration that the organisers have invited 200 of Manchester’s most creative people to an event and denied the the chance to take video and photos while there. Seriously – you have to put all your stuff in a locker when you get there!

More on that soon. I’ll be down at The Tony Wilson Experience for its kick-off at noon on Saturday.