A podcast is basically an audio file (most commonly in mp3 format) that is distributed over the Internet via a technology called RSS. The gist is this: You subscribe to the RSS “feed” with a special program that downloads the newest file automatically once it’s released. That way you always get new episodes automatically without having to hunt them down on a website.

Most podcasts take the form of classic talk radio shows but are produced by people like you and me. They often concentrate on one specific topic or area of interest that is close to the heart of the people doing the show. Podcasts are free to download and you can listen to them on your computer or sync them to any device that supports the audio file format that the podcast is released in. The whole genre is pretty new and is often considered to be somewhat of a revolution by the people doing it.