What is a podcast?
Q: You keep mentioning that Tech Talk with Noobie is available as a podcast but I don’t know what a podcast is. How do I use the podcast?
A: A podcast is really nothing more than a fancy name for a digital audio file, usually in mp3 format. So when I say that Tech Talk with Noobie is available as a podcast it means that you can listen to the show using any mp3 player or iPod. To listen to the current or any previous show, you just download the appropriate mp3 file to your computer and then transfer it to your mp3 player or iPod.
As an alternative you can skip the download process and just listen to the show over the Internet by visiting the Noobie web site at http://www.noobie.com/techtalk.
But there is one other characteristic of a podcast that separates it from an ordinary mp3 file. That is the ability to subscribe to the podcast’s feed. If you look at the top of the Tech Talk with Noobie page on the Noobie web site you will see a link that reads Subscribe to this feed. When you click that link you will be presented with several options for subscribing to the podcast. One of the easiest ways to subscribe is by adding the podcast to iTunes which you can do by clicking the Add to iTunes link on the subscription page.
Once you are subscribed to a podcast, you no longer have to check the Noobie web site to see if a new Tech Talk with Noobie show has been added. Rather just open up iTunes and it will check automatically to see if a new show is available and if so, iTunes will download the new show.
When a new show is downloaded you can just listen to the show through your computer’s speakers using your iTunes software or you can connect your iPod to the computer and the new show will be automatically transferred to your iPod
This post was originally broadcast Friday, May 11, 2007 on Tech Talk with Noobie, a weekly radio show on WCBK 102.3 FM in Martinsville, Indiana. Tech Talk with Noobie airs every Friday between 11:30 a.m. and noon. If you have a question you would like Noobie to answer on the air, simply e-mail your question to .
Add A Comment
Need help leaving a comment?
Just fill out your name, email address (for our eyes only) and web site address (if you have one, this is optional) above. Next, type your comment in the comment box. Feel free to use the Enter key to leave spaces between paragraphs.
The last step before submitting your comment is to enter the CAPTCHA word. This is the funny little series of letters and numbers you see below the comment field that helps prevent comment spam and ensures your comment can be seen on the web site immediately after you submit it.
The last step is to click the "Submit Your Comment" button. Thank you for commenting.