Podcasts! Or, Stuff to Listen to On the Go

"Episodes are available for download from…"

It used to be that if you missed an episode of your favorite radio show, you were out of luck unless it came on again later as a rerun. But things have changed and now not only are radio shows available for download to enjoy at your leisure, but almost anyone with something to say, a decent microphone, and an internet connection to create their own radio shows.

pod·cast
noun : podcast; plural noun: podcasts

1. a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

Origin
early 21st century: from iPod + broadcast.

Podcasts can be like radio shows, delving deeply into a single topic like the podcast Serial or the episodes of Radiolab, or they can be stories, like the old-time weekly radio dramas, with a new episode each week. If you like SFF (science fiction / fantasy) a friend of mine (Kate Baker) is an award-winning narrator for Clarkesworld, so of course you should check out what she does!

That's what a podcast is, but how do you listen to a podcast?

You install a podcast app on your phone, subscribe to the podcasts you want, and then when you're driving or exercising or doing the dishes: listen.

Here are some popular podcast apps --you might have heard them mentioned on the radio or seen them advertised on the web: PocketCasts, DoggCatcher, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, Sound Cloud, Google Play, Apple Podcasts.

To get one of these, go to your app store (Google Play if you use an android device, or App Store if you use an apple device) and search for either the vague term"podcast" or for a specific podcast app. Once you've downloaded your app of choice onto your mobile device, you search and then subscribe to the podcasts that interest you. Be careful to limit the number of podcasts you download to your device at any one time, or your phone memory will quickly fill up.

There are a couple ways to find good podcasts. First is to ask family and friends what (if any) podcasts they like. Another option is to search for podcasts on a subject that interests you, ie "history podcast" or "science podcast".

Some popular podcasts:

Freakonomics, HowStuffWorks, Pod Save America, Serial, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Stuff You Should Know, 10% Happier with Dan Harris, 99% Invisible, TED Talks

The nice thing about podcasts is that there are so many, you are all but certain to find one that interests you. The bad thing about podcasts is that there are so many, you are likely to find more that interest you than you have time to listen to.

If you'd like to get an idea of just what a podcast can be, I highly recommend listening to the Radiolab episode on Color, which uses music show the difference between the color vision of different creatures.

Terms to Google
How do I use ____ podcast app

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
--Arthur C. Clarke