What is a podcast?

A podcast can be thought of as an internet radio show that you can listen to anytime and anywhere.

The show is simply an audio file, usually in MP3 format, which is the same type of file you may already be using to listen to music on your computer. You can listen to the podcast shows on your computer, transfer them to an MP3 player or burn them to a CD. An iPod is not necessary!

Most podcasts allow you to listen to the show or download the sound file directly from the podcast's website. But the magic of podcasting is that you can download a program (most of them are free) that will automatically collect the shows you want to listen to. You don't have to remember to check back with each podcast you like to see if a new show is available. Just tell the program which podcasts you want to listen to by "subscribing" to the podcast (don't worry, almost all podcasts are free) and the software will let you know when new shows are available, or even go ahead and download them for you.

The most popular software that will do this is iTunes. If you have a disability related to vision, you may want to try @Podder (for low-vision) or Accessible Podcatcher (for blind).