Podcasting

Podcasting is a new form of delivering media using the web. It can be used to deliver text, audio, image and video content.

Despite the name, you don't need an iPod or even an MP3 player to access a podcast. Most browsers can access a podcast and display it for you. You can also use an RSS reader, or even iTunes. I like iTunes because it streamlines accessing and managing podcasts, and it is available for Mac and PC platforms.

Think of a podcast like a TV channel. Users subscribe to a podcast (usually for free), and new episodes of content are automatically downloaded to their computer as they are published. The user has total control over subscribing and unsubscribing, skipping content, etc.

The best way to learn about podcasting is to try one. There are lots of them available online and you can search for them using Google, Yahoo or the iTunes Store. However, I have created a simple demonstration podcast that you might want to try.

	Subscribe using iTunes
	Subscribe using an RSS reader

If you don't have iTunes or an RSS reader, try a direct link with your browser. While IE6 doesn't support podcasts, other browsers like IE7, FireFox, Safari and many other do.

Digital Forge can assist you with all aspects of creating a podcast. We can create the content, compress it correctly for the web, author the podcast channel and episode data, and upload your files onto a server. If you need help with any of this, please contact us.