Once upon a time, many years ago, when I was a child, I used to dream of owning a magic book that would contain every comic strip, poem, fact and story that I'd ever desire.
It was the period in my life that I listened to a tiny radio under the bedclothes late at night, on medium wave to Luxy 208, BBC Deutsche, Radio Tirana, Radio Sweden and music from all manner of stations across Europe.
I wished for a small radio powerful enough to hear stations from further afield, just like I could hear on my grandfather's shortwave radio.
Today, that dream is a reality. The smartphone in my hand, on my pillow, in my kitchen as I cook, does it all.
Today's newspapers, anything I want from the internet. Streaming any radio station I fancy, be it Bosnian or Uruguayan. Listening to shortwave receivers and tuning them, from New Zealand to the Netherlands. And podcasts, oh my gosh, podcasts.
I've used many different podcast apps on my Android phone but Google's podcast app works best for me. It seems to give me almost all of the content I want, from Radio Prague to The Guilty Feminist, Radio Canada International to the Night Vale. One of the best presents of 2018, free of charge.
