Podcast aggregators, like RSS for articles, allow users to choose what audio signals they want to receive and stream them to their device. They save time by downloading new episodes when available and are now commonplace, with examples including Apple’s iTunes, Podcast Alley, and Podcast.net.
In today’s fast-moving information society, we are often overwhelmed with information. We try to keep up with day-to-day events, but often find it hard to keep up with what’s happening around the corner, let alone in the wide world. A lot of information is out there now and there are many ways to get that information. Luckily for those of us who are overwhelmed, there are ways to distill information into easily digestible forms that do the filtering for us so we don’t have to spend our precious time sifting the wheat from the chaff.
Digests are commonplace and have been for many years. They are now being seen on the internet and in podcasts, a relatively recent form of sharing information via internet audio. In the same way that Real Simple Syndication (RSS) exploded onto the Internet news scene, the podcast aggregator quickly grew to become almost indispensable for those of us who want to get our podcasts but don’t want to go virtual heavyweight. lifting it sometimes requires.
RSS allows us to choose what kinds of topics we want to learn about via Internet articles. The same goes for a podcast aggregator. You might think of a podcast aggregator like RSPS, Real Simple Podcast Syndication. The podcast aggregator streams the audio signals you specify to your MP3 player, whether it’s an iPod, another type of player, or even your desktop computer. Some people even stream their podcasts directly through their home stereo speakers.
The first podcast aggregator, iPodder, was developed by former MTV VJ Adam Curry. Other designers, and eventually companies, built on Curry’s design and created their own forms of the podcast aggregator. Perhaps the best known example of a podcast aggregator today is Apple’s iTunes. This type of podcast aggregator is tied to Apple’s online music store, although the podcasts are free. Other online examples of the podcast aggregator include Podcast Alley and Podcast.net.
The podcast aggregator is based on the theory that downloads don’t always have to be real-time. In other words, we can set up a podcast aggregator to subscribe to podcasts and download new episodes whenever they become available. If this happens in the middle of the night, then we are in for a pleasant surprise when we check the podcast aggregator log in the morning. Unlike radio, podcasts can be downloaded and listened to at our leisure. They’re there when we’re ready to listen to them, thanks to the podcast aggregator.
The podcast aggregator helps us get some of our precious time back by downloading our favorite podcasts for us and keeping them safe and sound until we can reach them. We can run around and listen to live audio if we want; but thanks to the podcast aggregator, you don’t have to.
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