Are you sitting at a computer all day.= do you want something interesting to "fill the void"?

Why not try listening to podcasts?

The term "podcast" was coined from the ability to download short audio files (educational, stories, music) from the internet to your iPod using a program such as iTunes. (iPod + Broadcast = Podcast) Today, with RSS enclosures., these audio files can also be downloaded to your desktop, laptop, and most other audio devices (mp3 players etc).

Educational Podcasts can be especially useful, if performing a task that does not require a lot of careful attention (ie: you can do it with your eyes closed). An educational podcast can be on a variety of topics from cooking, health, news, computer science.

Step 1: Get Some Software

The first thing you will need is a podcatcher. This is a simple piece of software that sits on your computer and watches for your favorite audio episodes to be released to the web. When this occurs, the podcatcher downloads the episodes to your media device.

iTunes automatically includes a podcatcher. So if you have an iPod and iTunse you can easily download shows and have them sent to your iPod.

But what about us non-iPod users. Yes we do exist !

To get podcasts working on your PC / laptop. I recommend the program Juice. Juice is a free podcatcher that can be run on a variety of platforms including Windows, Linux, and MacOS.

Step 2: Setup Your Feeds

Traditionally, the next step is to find a list of audio feeds you would like to subscribe to. For example you could go to one of many podcast directories. However, my favorite method is to use a service called Mevio (formerly podshow). When you signup for a Mevio account, you get your create your own custom RSS feed that you can add to all of your podcatchers (for example, mine is http://www.podshow.com/collection/79277.xml)

I have a subscription at home, at work, on my phone, etc)

Mevio then allows you to pick your favorite shows from their directory (or any directory) and it mashes them together all in one feed. You can then add/remove new shows from the easy to use web interface, and all of your podcatchers are updated and will get your latest shows

Step 3: Listen & Enjoy

Your audio files will be downloaded and to your favorite devices, and you can then listen to them with whatever audio player you like (I'd recommend VLC Player). Don't forget a good pair of headphones! Many of these podcasts might not be safe for work!

Happy Listening!

How is someone to find the perfect podcast? First, I guess I'll send you to some great sites that help you find those podcasts that have been patiently waiting to be found by you.

This is by far the best site to find podcasts (in this author's humble opinion). Podcasters submit their programs to be listed on the site. Once the show is successfully listed, the popularity of the podcast on the site is entirely dependent upon the listeners who must vote for the show. Vote tallies are reset every month to keep up with the changing popularity of shows.

Many podcasters list their shows on numerous sites, but I've noticed that there is a vast difference between the top one hundred shows on this site versus podcast alley, so I thought I should list it. I haven't found as many gems from this site, but it definitely lists some shows worth your time.

This, I suppose, is the most obvious to list. Simply go into the itunes store and select podcasts from the main menu. The main page will load with a wide variety of podcasts separated by categories. More importantly, itunes makes an effort to keep the front page from being dominated by any one media.

These resources should be useful in helping you find that perfect podcast for you. Now let me throw out some suggestions. The shows I'm about to list here are ones that I have been listening to for over a year. The audio quality is always good, which is important if you want to listen to the entire show.

As the name indicates, this is a political podcast. If you are left wing or liberal, this show will appeal to you. The host, Jack Clark, does an excellent job of presenting his opinions and viewpoints as well as backing up anything he says by citing the source. It is also important to note that the sources he uses are reliable and often used by the right wing which helps validate his arguments.

This is another political podcast that I use to help balance out my listening. Although not an all around right wing view point, the host Dan Carlin shares interesting and thought provoking non partisan opinions and ideas.

Yes, I know that this is a political podcast as well, but you have to admit that host Bill Maher is one funny guy. This podcast is the audio from Bill's weekly show on HBO. You don't have to subscribe to HBO to be able to download the show.

For those of you who want to gain knowledge from your podcast, I recommend this show. Host Mike Duncan does an excellent job of talking you through Roman history without falling into the trap of being boring. The information here is broken up by show into sort of chapters which helps keep all those repeating names from running together.

Another show meant to expand the horizons of its listeners, this show is a rebroadcast of the NPR intelligence squared radio debate show. The topic of discussion is always up to date and controversial. The debaters are well educated and notable in their respective fields. Listening is a little dry, but hearing the arguments is worth the suffering.

Host BJ Harrison weekly reads classic short stories from the public domain. The recording quality is excellent and BJ has an interesting voice that helps to present the stories nicely.

Stand up comic Keith and girl friend Chemda host this daily hour long show from their home in New York. They push the boundaries that radio cannot, due to their freedom from the FCC. The show contains explicit content but is very entertaining.

Host Tim Henson puts on this daily show of politically incorrect entertainment. The show is unique in that listeners can subscribe to a free side or to a paid subscription. The paid subscription provides more content to listeners. This show is also explicit and the humor is controversial.

This list would fall short of complete if it did not hold some video podcasts. The downloads from this show consist of up to five minute videos taken from National Geographic documentaries. They are as interesting and educational as you would expect from National Geographic.

This show, which is not anywhere near as edgy as the title suggests, is incredibly unique and entertaining. It features the video diary of a young girl with a made up disease that causes her to look like a middle aged man.

Hopefully this list will contain at least one show that you want to add to your subscription list. Feel free to leave comments of any shows that you think should have been included.

These tips are meant to help you make your own personal audio podcast. As of yet I have not started making video podcasts, but in time I will and will be sure to share it with you. That said, making an audio podcast is much easier than you might think. First I'll list out the tangible things you need.

1. A computer
2. Internet connection
3. A microphone (headsets work best)

That's it, if you have those three things, you're almost ready to record a podcast. The next thing you need, and this could prove to be the difficult part, is a podcast subject. You'll want to aim for something unique. I would suggest staying away from the crazy and silly news, that market has been saturated. Some of the more successful podcasts that don't involve crazy news are political, religious, and historical. (Not all together of course, but you can try it.)

Now that you have found a subject (you have haven't you?) It's time to record your show. The electronics sections of stores are starting to fill up with all kinds of podcast software. Not necessary, in fact, many podcasters prefer the free software that is available online. The two that I have had the best experiences with are Audacity and CastBlaster. Audacity has unlimited recording capacity. CastBlaster will limit your use to fifteen minutes unless you purchase the software. I personally prefer Audacity because I find the editing easier to utilize.

So, now you've recorded a podcast. (You have haven't you?) It's time to share it with the world. There are a number of ways you can do this. However, I've only used one, so that's the one I'm going to share. Many sites offer free podcast hosting with a limited bandwidth. They then offer upgrades which you can decide to purchase as you go. I use Podbean, it is easy to navigate and has several upgrade levels. Also, when you use a podcast server site like Podbean, your RSS (real simple syndicate) feed will be generated for you. The RSS feed is important as it is how listeners will have your show delivered to their computers.

And there you have it, one of many methods available to record and publish podcasts.