If you are new to the show and are not subscribing but downloading the files from the website, it could be a bit of a process to sort through all the listings and download the shows.  So, taking a cue from Shel & Neville, I have added a list called "Blue Box MP3 Files" that is down toward the bottom of the various menus on the right side of the blog.  I’ll keep adding shows there as we have them so that there is a nice concise list.  Enjoy…

As mentioned on the latest show, we now have two logo suggestions from listeners for our iTunes image. Martyn Davies contributed the one on the left with his artsy view of a phone keypad. Scott Berkman contributed the one on the right with his homage to the original “blue box”. What do you think? Comments? Opinions? We’d love to hear from you either as posts to this message here on the blog or via email to blueboxpodcast@gmail.com.

As most of you should know by now, Martyn Davies in the UK sent us in a new musical intro that I used as the intro and outro for the last show (#6), replacing all the ringing phones used as an intro in earlier shows.  What do you think?  Do you like this one better?  Do you think we should bring back the phones?  Merge them?  Or do you have another idea?  We would love to hear comments… either as replies to this post here on the blog or as direct e-mail to blueboxpodcast@gmail.com.  Please do send them in – and thanks to Martyn for giving us something new to consider!

Since the start of this show back in October, we’ve generally posted new shows on either a Monday or a Tuesday.  However, over the next few weeks: a) Jonathan is travelling; b) my schedule is packed; and c) we are doing some interviews which may (or may not) require more post-production than our usual show.  Which is a long way of saying that if everything works out, the shows will appear as normal… but there is a chance that they may be posted later in the week… stay tuned…. (and thanks for listening).

Listener Martyn Davies from the UK sent in this suggestion for an iTunes image.   He said he simply used his cell phone camera to take a picture of his desk phone keypad!  Very cool!   I like it….  what do others think?

As threatened in show #4, I did throw together a quick image to embed in the MP3 file so that users of iTunes or the new video-enabled iPod will see an image when they play the podcast.  As I indicated, my own graphical talents are a bit limited, so the image is purely a blue box with text.  Anyone who would like to improve on this is very much welcome to do so… it’s easy to think of including a phone somehow…   and the URL should be somewhere.

The image needs to be in JPEG or PNG and we actually need two sizes: 300×300 for the iTunes Music System and 157×157 (the size shown at right) for actually embedding in the MP3 file.  If you have one you would like us to consider, please do send it to blueboxpodcast@gmail.com  – Thanks!  (Also, if you just like this one, comments to that effect are also welcome.)

I am very pleased to announce that Jonathan Zar will be joining me as a co-host of the show.  Jonathan is the Secretary of the VoIP Security Alliance (VOIPSA) and is employed by SonicWall.  (In the interest of full disclosure, I should also indicate that I am Mitel’s rep to the VOIPSA Technical Board of Advisors.)  I am delighted that Jonathan will be participating and our first joint effort will be posted shortly.

All is good – the domain is now mapping here to TypePad and you should see no further issues. Let me know if you do.

Although TypePad domain mapping has worked perfectly fine for three other domains using the same configuration, I am currenting having some issues getting TypePad to correctly map bluebox.dreamhosters.com/ onto this weblog and so in the meantime you may see a URL beginning with "lodestar.typepad.com".  I am working on it…