5by5.

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I thought I would share one of my favorite resources for staying up-to-date with geeky goodness. 5by5 Studios is a preeminent podcasting and internet broadcasting company that focuses on technology. Based in Austin, Texas, 5by5 Studios was created by your internet pal, Dan Benjamin.1

The site currently produces almost 20 different podcasts. Topics include productivity techniques, business, mobile app development, web design, digital arts, workflows, and of course, Apple. While there is a slight Apple slant in regards to certain show titles and the equipment discussed therein, many are truly Apple-independent.

Several shows are hosted by industry leaders in their respective categories. For instance, Web standards legend Jeffrey Zeldman hosts the The Big Web Show, the buoyant Merlin Mann hosts Back to Work, Instapaper creator Marco Arment hosts Build and Analyze, and John Gruber hosts The Talk Show. Most shows also feature prominent guests each week.

Dan Benjamin goes out of his way to give users as many possible ways to enjoy the content. Each show offers a pop-out web player, a limited number are streamed live on the website, and all are available in iTunes. It is truly amazing that such high-quality material is available for free. Accordingly, shows are ad-supported. I know you want to cringe, but believe me when I tell you that they are for awesome products and the readings are often hilarious.

The 5by5 podcasts are an integral part of my week.2 If you think any of the topics sound cool, check out the website and start listening - you won’t regret it.


  1. Not everything that comes out of Austin is terrible (I’m looking at you Longhorns). ↩︎

  2. I easily spend more hours listening to 5by5 podcasts than I do watching television. ↩︎