| Tech Trends |
| Podcasts and Podcasting |
| by Manoj Khanna |
Podcasting is the hottest new personal tech trend. If you are not into it now - soon you will be!
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Do you podcast? If you are familiar with iPod or iTunes you've probably at least come across it. If you are not familiar with the term, consider a podcast as similar to a broadcast - except that in podcasts listeners use iPods (or other mp3 players) to "tune in." You typically broadcast your message through your website or through Apple's iTunes Center.
A common misconception is that podcasting requires an iPod or other MP3 player. In reality, podcasts are just audio (or occasionally, video) content of live shows that can be downloaded, and often are placed on portable MP3 players to listen to on-the-go. While iTunes is a very convenient way to get podcasts, it is not specifically required either - but has become a bit of a standard due to its popularity.
Podcasts are a fairly simple, cheap and sure way to get your message across to millions of people in no time. They're relatively easy to create as well. All you need is a regular computer microphone (or other voice recording equipment). Once the raw recordings have been created, a variety of programs can be used to convert it into small episodes of programs in mp3 format and there you have it - your own mini series of podcasts.
Its a brand new trend and many are already into it. If you have a talk or a discussion which you feel is worthwhile for others to listen to it surely is worth making into podcasts. Who knows it could land you a gig on TV or Radio station if any producer is listening to it as well!
Over the past couple of months I have seen an increase in personal as well as corporate podcasting. We already have TV channels podcasting their favorite shows, various radio stations with customized podcasts, and some companies even have tutorials/training or their corporate info or special interviews on podcasts. I remember listening to a podcast which was developed by a group of teenagers about pop culture, music, and movies. Similarly there are podcasts on IRS tax advice, landscaping, cooking, etc.
The sky's the limit. If you have not yet heard of it, I encourage you to explore the world of podcasting.
For more information on this subject, an excellent resource is Wikipedia's definition on Podcasting. |
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