Review: "It's All Geek to Me," David's Pogue's New TV Show

Flummoxed by your iPod? Upgrading your cell phone? In the market for a new digital camera? If your life's filled with digital thingamajigs and gizmos, chances are you're a devotee of gadget guru David Pogue, the popular New York Times tech columnist, and founder and author of the Missing Manual series. And now he's the star of his own TV show.

That's right. "It's All Geek to Me"--a six-episode TV show hosted and written by this multi-talented tech expert--begins May 18 at 8 p.m.(ET) on two channels, Discovery HD and The Science Channel.

Presenting himself as a well-meaning couples counselor between folks and their electronic gear, Pogue challenges viewers to have more fun with their cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras. I got hooked previewing his first show about camcorders--which includes a useful tip on turning an ordinary lamp into a tripod. He illustrated film editing by trimming some ordinary home footage of his energetic two- year-old and transforming it into an entertaining short: "Extreme Baby."

A born showman, Pogue's enthusiasm for electronic stuff is infectious. By the end of his first show, I began to think I could squeeze more amusement out of my gadgets. I also began yearning for a new camcorder and a new laptop. (Warning: watching this show could be expensive.)

Pogue follows the camcorders show with episodes on cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, and iPods. The last show in the initial series of six episodes covers rescuing and saving data on decaying or disappearing formats: home movies on film, vinyl records, VHS tapes, audio tapes, data on floppy disks, slides, prints, and more.

Occasionally Pogue's humor brings him to some dark places--literally. In the first episode, he drags his entire crew into the bathroom to illustrate filming in the dark. Yet the tight editing and clear explanations make the show informative as well as entertaining. And for those who can't bear to read the instructional manuals included with their new products, Pogue's the patient teacher they wish for.

In fact, the Ohio-born Pogue frankly admits he was born a geek. He started out as an aspiring musician, conducting musicals and choirs starting in elementary school. He grew into a spelling wiz--winning the Ohio State Spelling Bee championship in 1977. During his teen years he pocketed extra spending cash working as a professional magician.

After college (Yale), the starry eyed Pogue headed to Broadway. He got work as a conductor, synthesizer programmer, arranger, and assistant on several Broadway shows, and a few Off-Broadway ones. Despite the lack of demand for new young Broadway composers, Pogue also found work teaching the talented community of composers and actors how to use their Macs--including Stephen Sondheim, John Kander, Mia Farrow, Carly Simon, Mandy Patinkin, and others.

One thing led to another--a gig at Macworld magazine, a chance to write some books--and the rest, as they say, is history. Pogue has been sharing his love of gadgets and teaching us how to use them ever since. And now we've got him on TV, too.

--Sara Peyton, publicist, consumer books, O'Reilly Media