Please welcome 'Material', our new show about Android and Google

I have always had an interest in Google and Android. A couple of years ago I switched to Android for a few months to try and get a feel for what was happening there. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but was eventually pulled back to the iPhone.

During this period and afterwards, I searched to find thoughtful and interesting voices in the Android community, and overall I came up short. I wanted a podcast with a selection of really entertaining people, that cared about production values, and having a fun and insightful conversation. I struggled to find something I was happy with.

So when we started Relay FM, I knew that this is something I really wanted us to try.

Some time ago, I started talking to Russell Ivanovic (of Pocket Casts fame) about what a Google-focused show on Relay FM could look like, and over the course of many months, and many iterations, we decided on a panel show format.

Naturally, I love the format and style of Connected, and we both really wanted something like that, but for the Google and Android ecosystem.

So the hunt was on for some people to work with on this project, and we are so thrilled to welcome Andy Ihnatko and Yasmine Evjen to Relay FM, with Material.

Russell, Andy, and Yasmine all bring a totally unique perspective to Material, which I think you're really going to like. This show is being created to give you the lowdown on the how and why people use Google's products, and I think you're going to enjoy it, no matter what platform you're on.

Episode 1 is out today (along with a bonus episode 0), go and check it out and let us know what you think!

Introducing Relay FM's 2015 Summer Pilots

We are thrilled to debut two new shows on Relay FM. Both of these shows are currently committed to an initial run of ten episodes, and are premiering on Relay FM today.

First up we have Reconcilable Differences, featuring Merlin Mann and John Siracusa. We are thrilled to welcome these two podcasting powerhouses to Relay FM, and we are so happy with how this show is shaping up. On each episode of Reconcilable Differences, you'll get to hear John and Merlin prod at each other’s backgrounds as fans of technology and pop culture, filling in holes, arguing minor differences, and generally teaching each other about the things they both love.

This is the first time that John and Merlin have hosted a podcast together, and episode one of this show features heartwarming and enthralling stories of growing up.

The first three episodes of Reconcilable Differences will be released over the next three weeks. After this point, each episode will be released fortnightly.

Now we come on to Cortex, featuring CGP Grey, in conversation with Myke Hurley. Over time, Myke has become increasingly fascinated by the methods Grey uses to get his work done, and this show will be exploring how he remains productive, while producing Youtube videos that are seen by millions of people.

Cortex is going to feature Myke quizzing Grey about many facets of the way he works, how he manages his time, what his workflow looks like for creating Youtube videos, and why he puts 'sleep' on his calendar.

Episode one of Cortex is all about how Grey chooses his computing devices and how he manages and arranges them. Over the course of the first episode you'll also hear Grey's growing disappointment in Myke's systems, and many suggestions on how he needs to rethink them.

Both episodes of these shows are available for you today. Subscribe to them, rate them in iTunes and share them with your friends.

We are incredibly thrilled to welcome Merlin, John and Grey to the Relay FM family. This is a great day for us.

Links:

Reconcilable Differences:

Cortex

Don't miss the Rocket/ATP crossover extravaganza event

This week, Rocket co-host Christina Warren and ATP co-host John Siracusa swapped shows.

Episode 119 of ATP covered the Pebble Time, Apple Watch SDK and Jony Ive's recent promotion.

On Rocket, the gang discussed the potential future of virtual reality in gaming, iMessage woes and Tomorrowland.

I've listened to both episodes, and they're both excellent, as always. Be sure to check them both out this weekend.

Welcome, Mac Power Users!

I've listened to Apple podcasts for a long time, and with over 250 episodes published, Mac Power Users has been a constant listen of mine for years.

Mac Power Users isn't just a podcast; it's an institution. The guest list is impressive, with greats like Rod Roddenberry, Merlin Mann, Aisha Tyler and David Allen making appearances.

That's why today's announcement is so exciting: MPU is joining Relay FM.

David and Katie share an unparalleled passion for learning about, teaching and exploring new ways to get things done. From workflows and applications to interviews and more, Mac Power Users is always on point.

I've learned a ton of things from David and Katie. You won't find a nicer, more authentic pair of Apple nerds around. Myke and I are thrilled to have such great voices from the Mac community as part of Relay FM.

How to subscribe:

The current podcast feed will be redirected as well and this is scheduled to happen this Thursday, April 30th. However feed direction can cause problems so we're asking everyone to instead please subscribe to the new RSS feed to make sure you don't miss an episode and avoid other problems.

Introducing the Relay FM app, powered by Glide

We're thrilled to announce a little secret project we've been working on for a while — the Relay FM iPhone and Apple Watch app.

Focused on and built around the live stream experience, the Relay app brings our live shows to you in an all-new way.

You can select your favorite shows to follow them and receive a push notification when they go live. Simply tap play, and the stream begins without any fuss. If you missed a show, you can stream a previous episode right from the app.

If you have an Apple Watch, you can even switch on from your wrist.

The app will include the Relay FM chat room, where you can ask questions, provide real-time followup and suggest show titles. Show links pop into the app as we add them to the site, so following along is easier than ever.

We've partnered with Glide to power the app. Their platform is just fantastic, giving us complete control of the content in the app using Dropbox and Markdown. Marco Arment said, "The best way I can explain it is that Glide is to apps as Squarespace is to websites," and we couldn't agree more. It really is an amazing platform.

Their new version packs a lot of technology we're featuring in the Relay app, and the company has launched a Kickstarter campaign to make the platform accessible to all. Go check it out.

We're still putting the finishing touches on the app, but we expect to ship soon. Stay tuned!

With podcasts covering technology and creativity, Relay brings together some of the most influential and unique voices on the internet to create powerful content each and every week.