  Episode 9 of Doctor Who: Podshock is now available... "Drop the sonic device, Doctor!"
If you are subscribing to our podcast via the feed, you will get it automatically. If not, you can also grab it manually using the links below. Available in both Enhanced Podcast format and MP3 format. Do you need MP3? Click here for more information on our dedicated MP3 feed.
In this episode:
In the news - Doctor Who comes to the PSP in the UMD movie format, Black-tie dinner with Doctor Who guests for the BBC Children in Need charity, Pauline Collins returns to Doctor Who, "Scream of the Shalka" may be coming to DVD.
Features - Part 2 of our interview with Tom Dillahunt of the Podcast Who podcast, James reviews the new Sonic Screwdriver (toy/pen).
Feedback - New dedicated MP3 feed created for Doctor Who: Podshock.
Announcements - New Podshock stores (coming soon) and a new competition with prizes offered, and finally Doctor Who - TVM on Starz Edge cable/satellite channel in the US.
Doctor Who: Podshock features the latest Doctor Who news and discussions from both US and UK perspectives. Hosted by Ken Deep and Louis Trapani in the US and James Naughton in the UK, with segments by Australian correspondent Chris Rattray
Below are links to both the Enhanced Podcast format AAC version of the show as well as the MP3 format version of the same show.
Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 9 (AAC Enhanced Podcast format, 37.1 MB) Recommended
Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 9 (MP3 format, 30.5 MB)
Click the "read more" link below for Show Notes
Show Notes:
Doctor Who: Podshock
Episode 9
Week of the 3rd of October 2005
Ken Deep was away once again, look forward to the next episode of Doctor Who: Podshock when he returns.
The Podshock online stores mentioned in this episode are coming soon... stay tuned for details and the unveiling.
Pauline Collins Returns to Doctor Who (Outpost Gallifrey)
Scream of the Shalka DVD? (Outpost Gallifrey)
(I mistakenly said that the Scream of the Shalka webcast is no longer on the BBC site, it seems that this webcast is still available, see the links below to find it. -- Louis)
Scream of the Shalka and other Doctor Who Webcasts can be found on the BBC Doctor Who Webcasts section of their web site.
Tom Dillahunt's podcast is Podcast Who
Looking for a Sonic Screwdriver? Here are some Doctor Who online retailers that may carry it.
(During the BBC Children in Need Charity Dinner news story, I slipped and said 100 dollars, when in fact, the £100 dinner would actually translate to $176.55 at the current exchange rate at the time of this writing. -- Louis)
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About the Sonic Screwdriver... James and Louis seem to have little experience with the batteries in question - the AG13s. Louis says he isn't familar with those. I am a toy collector by hobby (and reviewer by trade) and many, many, many of my toys use these batteries. Especially the smaller toys that make electronic noises, or light up.
The AG13 battery, also known, I believe, as LR44, and 357A, among other names (thank you, lack of manufacturing standards!) are quite common, at least here in the US, (I can't speak for the UK) and are used in many toys, most famously here in the US in MacDonalds' freebie toys where almost all electronic effects are powered by these common batteries.
Also, they are common in laser pointers, which are so cheap here in the US now you can buy them for a buck at the local Dollar store - including three perfectly good batteries.
I bought my batteries at a local pharmacy for $6.00 for three, but even that is expensive. They can be bought in bulk for much cheaper.
I'm about to make an order from a company in the US for $9.99 for 50 of these batteries.
I use them quite frequently, as many of my toys (My Art Asylum Star Trek Phaser, my Enterprise Communicator and Phaser set, and many others) use these same laser pointer batteries, and I'm never in good supply.
These are also fairly large for watch batteries. Most watch batteries here in the US are no more than 3mm across, and about 1mm tall. (My own watches use these smaller batteries.)
These AG13s are much more similar to hearing aid batteries in size, but I'm not sure those are compatible.
Anyway, these batteries can be bought cheaply in bulk, and they're quite easy to find. I'm buying them from Bud-K, a knife and sword dealer here in the US.
But if you go out and buy them in a local pharmacy, yes, you will pay too much. When I bought my pack of 3 for $6.00 US, (about 4 pounds sterling) I also saw them for $3.00 for a single pack. I have no idea how these people sleep at night.
Another thing about today's cast, James implied that the exchange rate would kill us on purchase of the Sonic Screwdriver... that's not really how it works. Sure, James paid 9.99 pounds for his, which amounts to around $17.60 US for us here in the US. But that's how much we'd pay if it was manufactured here.
The exchange rate doesn't ADD to the value, it just uses different numbers. The relative value in real terms is approximately equal.
He's paying the same amount of money for it, only he's using a different number for the same value. I'm sure he pays a lot less for a gallon of milk in numbers than we do in the US, but the relative value is the same.
In US currency, my total for this toy (including VERY reasonable shipping from 10th Planet) was $24.00.
A comment on shipping cost. If I were to order this from Amazon here in the US, I would have paid more for shipping than I paid for the shipping cost 10th Planet charged me.
And $24.xx is about how much I paid (not including shipping!) for my Art Asylum Star Trek Phaser last year.
Which, by the way, takes the same type of AG13 batteries.
(By the way, pick that up if you can, it's the best Star Trek toy ever, and is being re-released in October sometime, and is available at Entertainment Earth for pre-order! And the Phaser One module separates from the Phaser Two hand-set. It is incredibly feature-rich!)
Anyway, great review, but I felt it was somewhat confusing for some people, so I thought I'd set the record straight on a few things.
I gave it a five TARDIS groans out of five on my audio review, but now that I've had it for a day or so, I should amend that to 4.5 out of 5 for a couple of reasons, not the least being the lack of difference in the two sounds, and the button system, which I fear will break if you push the wrong button. ANd the color should have been more accurate... a yellowish ivory rather than a fleshy peach.
But I'm incredibly happy with my Sonic Screwdriver.
Thanks again for a great episode!
Sean.