Digital Planet
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Digital Planet is a BBC radio programme broadcast on the BBC World Service, and also podcast on BBC News Online. Currently presented by Gareth Mitchell and with expert comments from Bill Thompson, it's a weekly look at technology stories and news around the world.
From 2001-2004 it was presented by Tracey Logan and during that time it was one of the BBC's few webcast programmes, with cameras in the studio to provide a live feed.
The show is currently broadcast on the World Service at 12.30 PM GMT on Tuesdays.
Up until the 27 March 2006, the show was known as "Go Digital".
[edit] Show format and topics
Digital Planet covers a wide range of issues affecting technology. This can very and cover many different areas, although often there are segments on technological solutions to problems facing charitable or humanitarian causes, with a speaker representing the cause being interviewed by Gareth Mitchell. One example is the segment on a screen saver which harnessed the power of idling home PCs to help perform complex mathematical calculations to help cure malaria.
Other topics covered have included, among others:
- Modern Plane technology
- The problems faced with smartphone set up
- Blu-Ray Disc vs. HD DVD
- The use of open source software around the world
Usually views sent either by e-mail or over the BBC News website are read out and discussed briefly by Gareth Mitchell and Bill Thompson.
