Whatcha Listening To?

This is a revision of a bit I wrote earlier. Most of the newer stuff is at the end.

pod·cast
noun : podcast; plural noun: podcasts
a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.
Origin
early 21st century: from iPod + broadcast.

It used to be that if you missed an episode of your favorite radio show, you were out of luck unless it came on again later as a rerun. But things have changed and now not only are radio shows available for download to enjoy at your leisure, but almost anyone with something to say, a decent microphone, and an internet connection to create their own radio shows.

Podcasts can be like radio shows, delving deeply into a single topic like the podcast Serial or the episodes of Radiolab, or they can be stories, like the old-time weekly radio dramas, with a new episode each week. Or they can be like a back-and-forth between two friends talking about stuff they geek out on. If you like SFF (science fiction / fantasy) a friend of mine (Kate Baker) is an award-winning narrator for Clarkesworld, so there’s that too!

If that's what a podcast is, how do you listen to one?

You install a podcast app on your phone, subscribe to or download the podcasts you want, and then when you're driving or exercising or doing the dishes you just listen.

There are lots of podcast apps available--you might have heard them mentioned on the radio or seen them advertised on the web: PocketCasts, DoggCatcher, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, Sound Cloud, Android Podcast Player, Apple Podcasts. I listen with PocketCasts, but really, as long as a podcatcher has the episodes you want to listen to, and a format you can easily navigate, it doesn’t matter what you use.

To get a podcatcher, go to your app store (Google Play if you use an android device, or App Store if you use an apple device) and search for the vague term "podcast" or for a specific podcast app. Once you've downloaded your app, search for and subscribe to the podcasts that interest you. Be careful to limit the number of podcasts you download to your device at any one time, or your phone memory will quickly fill up.

Also you may want to limit podcasts downloads to Only Over WiFi if you have a limited data connection.

There are a couple ways to find good podcasts. First is to ask family and friends what (if any) podcasts they like. Another option is to search for podcasts on a subject that interests you, ie "history podcast" or "science podcast".

Some popular podcasts:

Freakonomics, HowStuffWorks, Pod Save America, Serial, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Stuff You Should Know, 10% Happier with Dan Harris, 99% Invisible

The nice thing about podcasts is that there are so many, you are all but certain to find one that interests you. The bad thing about podcasts is that there are so many, you are likely to find more that interest you than you have time to listen to.

If you'd like to get an idea of just what a podcast can be, I highly recommend listening to the Radiolab episode on Color, which uses music show the difference between the color vision of different creatures.

What do I listen to? A somewhat odd assortment; I like to learn about things about which I know nothing (hence the economics podcasts) or that will make me laugh. I avoid politics podcasts because I don’t need extra vitriol in my life. I also love the back-and-forth that you get with some podcasts, where you feel like you’re sitting at a bar listening to a really interesting conversation. And I’ve chosen at least one of these podcasts because I love the voice of one of the hosts.

Economics
Make Me Smart
Planet Money
Freakonomics
Books & Reading
Smart Podcasts, Trash Books *
When in Romance
Read or Dead
Culture
Code Switch
Alt Latino
Science
This Podcast Will Kill You *

I am also totally going to listen to Radiolab Presents: Dolly Parton's America because I think Dolly Parton is an amazing human being.

In my opinion, good podcasts are perfect for dealing with long tasks, like sitting in traffic, doing chores, or canning tomatoes. They’ll keep your brain occupied and interested—and unlike a classroom, you can rewind as many times as you want to make sure you understand something.

~Michelle

* These podcasts do not censor their language; assume you’ll hear cursing