Podcast directories and software

How to find and listen to podcasts

By J.D. Lasica
Ourmedia

I want to hear some podcasts. Where do I get started?

First, pick out some programs to sample. You can listen to streams of podcast shows on lots of Web sites. You'll likely want to browse through some popular podcast directories.

Once you've zeroed in some that you like, you can subscribe to them by downloading podcasting software.

Podcast directories

  • iTunes Podcast Directory: The most popular way to find podcasts.

  • Odeo: Podcasting company in San Francisco lets you browse podcasts via the Web and play them through your Web browser.

  • PodShow: Podcasting company in San Francisco lets you browse podcasts via the Web and play them through your Web browser.

  • Yahoo! Podcasts: A directory of podcasts and vidcasts that lets you listen and watch from your Web browser.

  • GarageBand Radio Network: Hundreds of podcasts with new music.

  • Podcast Alley: A wide-ranging directory.

  • Podcast.net: Another directory.

  • Podcast Network: Another directory.

  • NPR Podcast Directory: A guide to downloadable shows airing on National Public Radio.

  • Education Podcast Network: A clearinghouse of podcast programming that may be helpful to teachers.

  • PodTech Network: Covering Silicon Valley, technology and media podcasts.

  • Indiepodder (formerly iPodder): the first listing of podcast recommendations, from Adam Curry.

Previewing podcasts via a Web page is nice. But keep in mind: If you want to download podcasts to a mobile device for later playback, you'll need to download a program that lets you do that.

Podcast software providers

  • iTunes: Apple bundles a podcast receiver with a wide-ranging directory of audio and video choices.
  • Juice: An open source podcast receiver that works in Windows, on the Mac and in Linux.
  • Indiepodder (formerly iPodder): An early program that lets you subscribe to podcasts.
  • Transistr (formerly iPodderX): A podcast receiver for Mac OS X that went dark long ago but promises to resurface shortly.

One way to subscribe to a podcast is to copy and paste a podcast feed address into your software. iTunes, Odeo, and several others offer an easy one-click subscription.

You can also use hundreds of different RSS news readers, or feed aggregators, to subscribe to podcasts, such as FireAnt. But you'll need to take additional steps to transfer them to a handheld device, which is why most people just use iTunes if they have an iPod.

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