A professional Mac conference of a different kind, a focus group where you can get paid, and the latest in Mac news commentary are all included in this week’s show, along with information on the User Group Report’s evolution into something new: MacVoices. The guests are Paul Kent of The Mac Networker’s Retreat, Sue Arment of Digital Life Discoveries and Dennis Sellers of Macsimum News.

Paul Kent of Mactivity profiles the upcoming Mac Networkers Retreat, summarizing the intense, professional-level sessions that attendees will benefit from. Paul tells us why this conference is different than just about anything out there by design, and why you might want to consider joining them on Monterey Bay.

Sue Arment of Digital Life Discoveries tells us about her company, how they assist technology vendors who want to connect with real users, and fills you in on how, if you use GarageBand or are a music podcaster, you can share your opinions and get paid for it

Dennis Sellers of Macsimum News is back to discuss recent, and upcoming, developments in Mac news, including the iPod nano, Apple’s stock price, the breakneck pace of product development at Apple and more.

User Group Report #535: The Mac Networker's Retreat with Paul Kent, GarageBand and Podcasting Focus Group with Sue Arment, Mac News Braintrust with Dennis Sellers and the Evolution of The User Group Report [ 51:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Interested in podcasting? Get information on both the basics and the state of the online broadcasting phenomenon from the author of a new book on the subject. Want a new graphics challenge? Learn about a 3D animation tool that delivers professional results and sports user group pricing. What do all the iPod headlines mean? Find out in the Mac News Braintrust.

Jack Herrington, the author of Podcasting Hacks from O’Reilly, gives us a feature-length look at the world of podcasting. This isn’t just another “podcasting is cool” interview, but a discussion of some of the trends and recent developments in podcasts, plus a little practical advice for those considering joining the fray.

Lorenzo Puleo of Kinemac discusses his sophisticated yet easy to use 3D animation software, what you can do with it, and the user group discount you can enjoy when purchasing it.

Bryan Chaffin of The Mac Observer and The iPod Observer provides his thoughts and analysis on the the Motorola CEO’s nano outburst, the cost of online music downloads, cracking iPod nano screens and more in the Mac News Braintrust segment.
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User Group Report #534: Podcasting with Jack Herrington, 3D Animation with Kinemac, Mac News Braintrust with Bryan Chaffin and Macworld Expo Update [ 1:17:03 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download