Podcasting, I just don’t get it. What is it again?
Most people who read this, probably already know what podcasting is, but-
Even though Movies, TV shows, News organizations, etc have “podcasts,” people still give me “deer in the headlights” looks when I talk to them about it, so let’s discuss it here, very simply.
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a digital recording of something. Think of it like a radio show, available on the internet, that you can listen to when it is convenient for you, or download to an MP3 player, so you can take it with you.
Do I need an Ipod to listen to a podcast?
No, any mp3 player will do just fine. You don’t even need an mp3 player at all, you can listen from any computer.
I have an mp3 player, how can I get it in there, to hear it?
Okay, stay with me. On one side, you have a podcast you want to hear, and on the other, you have an mp3 player. To get the podcast onto your mp3 player, you need two more things; A computer (with an internet connection), and an Aggregator. An Aggre what?
An Aggregator is like a Mailman for the podcasts, you really like.
The most popular Aggregator is Itunes. However, there are many others. * You can even use Google Reader to subscribe online, even if you don’t own an mp3 player. I love to use it at work. Shh, don’t tell. 
Once you subscribe to your favorite podcast, the aggregator will download the most recent podcast, when you connect your mp3 player to the computer. Subscription? What?
- Hang in there. let me explain.
In the days before aggregators, you had to check back at a website again and again to see if there is a new podcast for you to hear, but a subscription will allow the aggregator to check for you, whenever you connect to the internet.
Okay, let’s review;
Podcast- a digital, radio show
Aggregator- a program between your mp3 player and the podcast you want to download
Subscription- a bit of code that will tell the Aggregator, “Everytime I connect my mp3 player to the internet, check my favorite podcast site for new shows, and if there is one, download it on my mp3 player for me”.
That’s it for now. More fun to come. Enjoy podcasts, and the internet!
