Podcasting, the latest invention of developers, is gaining popularity more and more every day and may become a real salvation for those people who are tired of listening to music and reading electronic books. Let’s see what podcasts are.

What podcasts are?

This term came up with bloggers, when instead of texts they began to post their thoughts and lectures in audio format. Faster, easier and more convenient both for them and for site visitors. Podcasting is a procedure for the formation and distribution of voice and video materials online. What are these podcasts? Computer data in MP3 format – for voice recordings and Flash Video – for video, with a specific theme and a clear periodicity. The podcast consists of a large list of specially selected songs, the connection is really to find both paid and free.

Such sites are similar to social networks on the principle of work, there are similar groups-channels: trade, humor, sound books, lectures on different topics. Often, users even subscribe to the selected channels, they are sent new records. Own radio podcasts create radio stations so listeners can find the materials of their favorite programs or original shows.

Podcast and webcast – what’s the difference

Podcasting became popular very quickly, many users even switched from text to audio and video communication, especially facilitated the invention of life for students. What do podcasts give? Recording lectures is easy to “scatter” on the whole group, and if you need a picture of a board with formulas, then the webcast will come to your aid. The term “glued” users from “web” and “broadcasting” – wide broadcast. These are videos, movies, excerpts of entries posted on the Internet. The recording is conducted to a digital camera, then it is processed on a computer. The development of webcasting and gave impetus to popular blogs.

What is a podcast on Windows?

Useful podcasts can be found on the Internet and users of smartphones with the “Windows” system, because this amusement is very popular. Specialists recommend using software such as iTunes, it is most convenient to synchronize computer data with the Apple device through this program.

Podcasts for Android

Since such online files are distributed by thousands, there are already more than one application for listening and viewing them.

How to use podcasts on iPhone?

As soon as the first interesting podcasts appeared on the Internet, Apple instantly developed their introduction into their system. Using such files on the iPhone simply, they are sorted by topic. Only for gadgets Apple also released specialized free software with convenient settings.

Podcast variations

Audio blogs

Whatever they say, podcasts have grown technologically from blogs, and audio blogs are still and will occupy their place in the huge variety of podcasts. The audio blog has one presenter who talks about his life, his hobby or his own experience.

Two dudes talking

This definition was overheard in the Hello Internet podcast. And this podcast is the brightest example of a show in which two (or three, and sometimes even more) presenters discuss various interesting things and events. It can be anything from Apple news to cars, photos or macroeconomics. This is nice format, because it gives you a feeling of participating in a conversation with intelligent people when you are actually just bored in a bus or do housework.

Interview

It may seem that a podcast interview in which a permanent presenter in each issue talks to a new guest is the same as “two dudes talking”, but it is not. The purpose of the interview is to tell about the guest, about his “was born, studied, married”, so to speak. In a traditional colloquial podcast, some external events or phenomena are at the center of the discussion, the guest is in the center of the interview.

Talk show

In such podcasts, as in the interview, the permanent presenter in each issue communicates with the new guest. However, the conversation is not about the guest and his creative path, but about some events, news, ideas, about which the guest knows more than others, and can offer interesting judgments. In general, it looks like “two dudes talking”, one of the dudes changes every time.

Podcasts with high production value

Conversational podcasts, as a rule, contain a minimum number of sound effects, there are no other voices except the voices of the leading ones, even advertising is simply read out, and does not represent a clip on which the entire team is working. All this characterizes podcasts with low production value – podcasts with low costs for production of releases. Often one of the leading is engaged in the installation and release of new episodes in the light.

In contrast, over the podcasts with high production value work entire teams of journalists, sound engineers, editors. In such podcasts, there are many sound effects, interruptions, there is a sound background corresponding to the moment. There, in addition to the leading ones, other voices usually sound, because when creating such podcasts one can afford to write down an eyewitness’s comment and introduce it into the narrative. The costs, both temporary and monetary, are extremely high for the preparation of such issues. In this style, only large media organizations or professional podcasters work, which either make their podcasts to earn advertising, or make podcasts for others with money.

Most of these podcasts are engaged in story telling, and the difference between them and “ordinary” podcasts is about the same as between your friend’s story of a trip to Australia and the kangaroo attack on his car and a documentary about kangaroos on the Animal Planet channel.

Musical Mixes

If in other podcasts the music serves as a background for conversations, then in the mixes conversations appear to fill the pauses between the music tracks. Most of all, such podcasts are similar to the programs that DJs conduct on the radio. Only in the case of podcasts can they be listened at any time of the day anywhere in the world.