What is a Podcast?

A Podcast is an audio or video file which you can download and listen to or watch at your convenience on your computer or MP3 player. You can also subscribe to receive further Podcasts of interest.

To subscribe, you need a piece of podcast software or an RSS feed reader, usually available free of charge. The software will check for new podcasts and automatically download them for you. You can then listen to these podcasts on your computer, or transfer them to an mp3 player.

What is an mp3?

MP3 is a popular digital music format for sound files. The files are relatively small in size but still fairly high quality.

What is RSS?

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It allows you to see when new internet content has been added. You can receive the latest news headlines, articles and podcasts as soon as they are published without having to check regularly yourself.

You subscribe to an RSS "feed" using a "feed reader". This is software that checks RSS feeds for new content. You add the link of the RSS feed, and it automatically checks for new content for you.

What is the difference between a download, a podcast, and a stream?

Downloads

Downloading simply means getting a file from another computer and saving it onto your computer. This is usually a manual process. When you download an audio file, it is saved on your computer, and you can listen to it whenever you like, without needed to be connected to the internet.

Podcasts

Podcasting is an automated process. A podcast is a series of downloadable audio or video files. You subscribe to receive a podcast using special software which checks regularly to see if a new podcast is available. If so it automatically downloads the file. The podcast will be saved onto your computer.

Streams

In both the above cases you will have an actual file that you can see on your computer. With streaming the file is not saved to your computer. You simply listen to it while connected to the internet, and when you have stopped listening there is no saved file. This audio file is simply transferred continuously bit-by-bit, while you are listening to it. It is sent to you every time you request it.

How do I unsubscribe from a podcast?

Unsubscribing depends on the software or feed reader that you are using, but as a general guideline you select the feed in the software or feed reader and look for a "unsubscribe", "delete" or "remove" command, or try using the delete key. You may need to delete previously received files yourself.

Forbes Podcasts RSS feed

Forbes News RSS feed