What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a special file (RSS file) that contains information on
the location of various audio or video files on the internet. What
can I do with a Podcast?
You can subscribe to the podcast with a type of program called a
podcatcher. These programs will allow you to collect programs from a
variety of sources for listening offline at your convenience.
What is a Podcatcher?
A podcatcher is usually an always-on program which starts when the
computer is started and runs in the background. It manages a set of feed
URIs added by the user and downloads each at a specified interval, such as
every two hours. If the feed data has substantively changed from when it
was previously checked (or if the feed was just added to the podcatcher's
list), the program determines the location of the most recent episode and
automatically downloads it to the user's computer. Some podcatchers, such
as iTunes,
also automatically make the newly downloaded episodes available to a
user's portable media player.
Where do I find Podcatchers?
There are lots of these programs available on the web (usually FREE!).
iTunes
is probably the most popular and allows you to listen on your
computer or transfer the podcast to your iPod. See the list on the
left. Some require you to download the program to your computer and
others are web-based.
Do I have to have an iPod to listen to a Podcast?
No. In fact, you don’t even need an MP3 player
at all. You can listen and participate just with your computer. But if you
have an iPod or similar device, you can listen on-the-go.
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