A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files that a user can download to a personal device for easy listening. Streaming applications and podcasting services provide a convenient and integrated way to manage a personal consumption.

Podcast

Ayesha Raza

Imagine this: you’re in your room facing your computer. Over the microphone you say, “Good day, listeners. Today’s podcast is on… ” And as you continue to say your piece, the recording continues. This record is what people in your neighborhood, in your city, across the country, and even in other parts of the globe can hear as they tune in from their computers or digital audio players.

What are you doing? You are podcasting! As science turns imaginations into realities, you can become a DJ or to be specific, a podcaster, and have your own radio show, and be heard. Anywhere. Anytime. Anyhow you want it. You think this is cool? This is sub-zero cool!

Just as we’re getting accustomed to terminologies like e-mail, voice-chat, blogs, and so on, we now have PODCASTING. New Oxford Dictionary defines podcasting as “the digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to a personal audio player”. But really, what is it?

Podcasting is a conjuncture of the words “iPod”, the most popular audio digital player created by Apple Computers, and “broadcast”, which means to put on air; hence, the association of podcasting to iPod or Apple computers. However, any brand of digital audio player is okay and any computer with a built-in or add-on microphone and soundcard will do.

The recording is uploaded into a website and becomes a web feed, aptly termed a podcast. Podcasts can be any music, advertisement, or information in audio or video format that is downloadable. They range from talk radio, comedy shows, news, political views, evangelization messages, language tutorials, business reports, and so on. Any subscriber can podcatch – meaning, download – and listen to podcasts.

But you say you’re not even trained or experienced to be a podcaster? There is no need at all. The charm of podcasting is that you can be your natural YOU!

So gear up! Catch the finest podcasting software offer in the market. Get the Podcast Blaster Package and unlock a whole new world of podcasting made easy and more!

In its exclusive offer, the Podcast Blaster Package is bundled with Podcast Manual, Podcast Software, Podcast Safe Music and Podcast Sound Files. The Podcast Manual will teach you how to record your podcast step-by-step, guide you on what equipment you need or add if you want to expand, and direct you on how to get the audience you want. The Podcast Software is the recording application — intuitive, easy to navigate, and Macintosh or Windows-compatible. It comes with built-in special effects, user-friendly editing features, and proper export modules that will transform recording into podcast, no sweat! Finally, the Podcast Safe Music has over 100 sound files, or over 40MB, such as professionally produced voice-overs, loops, background effects, stingers and Podcast-safe music. The package also includes a guide to the best websites with free music downloads. If you get stuck with a technical problem, turn to the Podcast Blaster Team who will also assist your sales, refund, and other requests or inquiries. Podcast Blaster is confident you will be satisfied with the package that it offers 100% money-back guarantee! Plus, you get a special bonus software!

What’s the most precious commodity in the world? Nope. Not gold. Not platinum. Not uranium. Not diamonds. The most precious commodity in the world is not something you can mine, or harvest, or hoard in safety deposit boxes.

The most precious commodity is something you have an almost endless supply of. Major industries go out of their way to get it from you. Entire trades have sprung up for the sole purpose of enticing you to part with yours.

Why, it’s your attention. I’m hoping by this point that I have yours. Capturing the attention of today’s mass-media savvy consumer is quite a trick. Consider the competition: streaming video on the desktop computer, television shows on your cell phone, video game consoles that allow you to play with competitors halfway around the world. How in the world are you going to get a consumer who has all of these entertaining options available to pay attention to your products and services?

Enter the podcast. Podcasts are audio or video files distributed over the internet. Listeners download the files, and either play them on the computer or a listening device, such as an I-Pod. Podcasts can be on any topic — there are regular podcasts devoted to life in Iceland!– and any length. Some are a few minutes, others go for over an hour.

Podcasts have two distinct traits that will appeal to exhibitors:

1. They allow the listener to multi-task: Many of our clients are busy, busy people. They may not have the time to sit down and read a magazine article, much less the new book you’ve just authored. Yet they can listen to your podcast while driving to work, going for the morning jog, even while working on some less-vital aspects of the day’s paperwork.

2. The feed the societal need for self improvement: Podcasting offers listeners the experience of attending a one-on-one lecture with some of today’s most foremost experts. Listeners who want to advance their careers, improve their health, or do a better job raising their kids are natural audiences for podcasting.

Podcasting can play an integral role in your development as an Expert. Regular podcasts that share industry information, insights, advice, and guidance will create the impression that you’re someone the public can turn to. This is an ideal time to display your expertise and speak directly to the topics that are relevant to your market and target audience. Considering the low cost of podcasting — you can get up and running for a few hundred dollars — can you afford to forgo this opportunity?

To be an effective podcaster, remember the four C’s. Your broadcasts must be Concise, Chatty, Clear and Consistent.

Concise: Each podcast should have a clear focus. Pick one point you want to concentrate on and select your material to support.

As you know podcasting is simply an audio file that is placed on a website. If it is combined with an RSS file — people can subscribe to your feed, and listen to your words of wisdom at their leisure. This is a good thing, it is getting your words — your voice — your identity to the masses.

Publishing your podcast is simple as well — look to Blogger, TypePad, and then use Feedburner to convert your podcast into a feed.

The simpliest way to get setup and to start experimenting with your own podcasting– is to simply get a microphone and of course, free software from Audacity.

Okay, as we all know, not many are comfortable with hearing their own voice — but hey, it’s your voice — and the voice allows your listeners to know that, yes, I am a real human, and not a machine.

Once done, you will need to upload your podcast onto your server. The only limitations I see would be how much, or little space, you have on your server– as well as the bandwidth usage.

To get your podcast out to the masses, you will need to hit the directories that cater to podcasting. Well, one of the quickest way to get this done, is through Feedburner. Just check the “Podcasting button” and you will be directed to a page with all the information you need. In fact, they have a site called “PingShot” that will automatically notify the directories and web-based aggregators when you publish new content — I mention this one, because it is free. No sense, paying for something if you are in the experimental mode, right? But . . .

There is still a learning curve here, and you will need to take a little time to devour some of the info on the different sites to get the information you want, as well as, how to use it. But it looks like podcasting is now the in thing. Will it last? I think it may. But it looks like the next, new and great thing coming to the Internet is the Video Casts. The only thing I see that may keep some from partaking in this media is the bandwidth and storage. But we will see.

Imagine a mobile classroom that’s accessible to the student wherever he or she may be, and that holds lectures whenever he or she is in the mood for it. This is the kind of learning scenario that those with the knowledge to share are able to provide through Podcasts. With these downloadable files from different learning sources, portable digital audio and video players now offer the anytime, anywhere option to learning.

Before the iPod and other portable media players became popular not so long ago, on-demand learning was possible through audiotapes and compact discs primarily featuring audio versions of books. Now that more advanced technology has made it possible for more people to make podcasts at a smaller cost, more and more of these audio lectures are turning up, thus more information in this format has become available to just about anyone.

Aside from being able to choose the time and venue for your learning experience, as a podcast user, you are also able to dictate the pace, as well as be able to better retain the information by replaying, or learning by repetition. This method of learning, however, will not provide you with clarifications in case something in the content of the podcast is unclear to you. Yet it provides students a convenient means of preparing for class discussions and quizzes, even while on the commute to school.

Visiting podcast directories aimed to answer the user’s learning needs, one will find podcasts on science, language, philosophy, management, history, and arts, to name a few subject groups that may be included in the student’s curriculum at school. There are also podcasts on the topics of spirituality, self development, and professional advice. Of course, podcast versions of many major literary works that may be discussed in class are also accessible through the Internet.

Meanwhile, you can also check on the biographical background of an important figure you’re studying, from scientists to philosophers, from artists to political figures. For the more practical learners, podcasts of language courses are becoming more and more popular, as the portable media players make it easier for learners to check back on different parts of the lecture without much delay. There are also pieces on hobbies, sports, travel, and even teaching for professional teachers.

Sooner or later, teachers and professors will catch on and even look around on the Internet for “recommended listening” to prescribe to their students. They may even rise up to the challenge of providing their lectures in podcast format and making them available to students online even for the purpose of reviewing or helping students who missed the actual lecture. Whatever development arises from this technological advancement, it just goes to show how much technology has affected how people learn.

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