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A podcast is a series of digital audio or video files that are released periodically and downloaded through web syndication. It often takes a form similar to a radio or talk show, although it is completely up to the creator(s) as to what the structure and direction of the podcast will be; a podcast can be about anything. And like a broadcast, it can be an ongoing series or episodes of a particular program.
The word "podcast" originally came from combining the words "broadcast" and "iPod," although Apple did not invent the term. In fact, podcasts are not intended only for the iPod or iPhone. Because many podcasts are in the MP3 audio format, you can listen to them with almost any MP3 player–it can be a portable device or software on your own computer.
The most common question related to podcasts asks how they are different from other forms of accessing media files on the internet such as downloading from a blog, website, or streaming via webcast. The main difference is that podcasts are distributed via an RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication). This means that listeners are able to subscribe to a podcast using special client software applications known as "podcatchers." These include iTunes, Zune, Juice, and Winamp to name a few. The software is then able to access the RSS web feed and automatically identify and download new files from a particular podcast when they are released or as they become available. This ability to consistently and automatically download new files is what ultimately sets podcasts apart from everything else. |
