With the podcast, presentations, music and files have become easy to handle and broadcast. Podcasts are found as audio files in MP3 format and are delivered through the Internet with the help of RSS feed subscriptions. These subscriptions are usually free and the subscriber can listen to his or her preferred show in their own leisure. That is the main attraction of podcasting, there is no schedule to follow! Now comes the part of the podcast client.
Clients are actually applications that are run on a workstation or personal computer while relying on a server to perform some operations like receiving data. A podcast client is an application that enables you to receive podcasts. So it can be seen that it is necessary to have a podcast client if you intend to subscribe to a podcast. Once you have subscribed to a podcast, you will find that the podcast client helps you check automatically for new shows when asked to do so.
Once the podcast client checks the new shows, you can then listen to the podcasts on a computer or any portable device like MP3 player, PDA or cellphone at your leisure. It is very easy to get a podcast client as it is freely available on the Internet. You just have to download the podcast software.
Some of the more famous podcast client software are Nimiq-Windows and iPodder-Mac OS X, Windows, Linux. However, as the file size of the podcast can be quite large, it is better to use the podcast client software on a computer that has a broadband connection like DSL or Cable Modem. This is because if you use a dial up Internet connection, the download of the podcast will take a very long time. Remember that technology is improving by the hour. So the software you have now may prove to be the older version of podcast client in a matter of months. Search the Internet for the latest software if the links of sites don't work and download accordingly.
Once you have the podcast client installed, it is time to learn how to use it. The best place to find out how to use podcast client would of course, be its website! These sites usually have documentation and tutorials teaching the usage of podcast clients. However, there are a few basic points of podcast clients that have to be kept in mind. Let it be known that most of the podcasting clients have built in directories to help its user look for podcast RSS feeds.
If you don't find the best RSS feeds here, you can always choose from the podcasting directories on the web. As these directories list the podcast RSS feeds subject wise, it is rather easy to choose the podcast you want. To let you see the top ten RSS feeds, some directories also have rating systems with the best directories having the URL of the website of the podcast, along with a description of the podcast.
Once you find the link of the podcast RSS feed you want to subscribe to, you just have to right click on the link and select 'copy link location'. After getting the podcast RSS feed link, you paste it into your podcast client software. However, as each podcast client software may accept different links in different ways, it is better to first check the software's documentation. Upon doing all this, you will have manually added a podcast RSS feed link to your podcast client. Now click 'Check for new Podcasts' button to enjoy your podcast!.
Sandra Stammberger is the editor of Podcasting Central. An online resource center focusing on the iPod and podcasting.
