With the rise of technology, people have been given better chances to express themselves. It has become so easy to post blogs and publish videos about certain topics and build a community from there.
While these are common mediums, people have been raving the use of audio for the same use. It’s called a “podcast”, which is said to be the new radio. A podcast is easy to access and bring around which makes it a great way to communicate messages to an audience.
So, What is a Podcast?
A podcast is defined as a series of digital audio files that focus on a certain topic or theme. Podcast is a playable on demand broadcast that you can listen to on iPhones, Android phones, computers, tablets, etc.
The word “podcast” comes from the words:
- “Pod” in podcast stands for Playable on Demand.
- “Cast” in podcast is short for Broadcast and is the means of delivering content through mediums like radio, tv, and now podcasts.
These podcasts are easily accessed online through a smartphone, computer, or tablet. They are also downloadable to allow individuals to listen to these audios any time or on the go and is “On Demand” meaning you play it when you want. It can be played in a car, at work, at home, or even while working out.
The tracks are recordings of conversation, typically between a host and a guest speaker like what is often heard on the radio. It can also a monologue of someone simply expressing their thoughts on the subject.
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Podcasts come in a variety of topics, from science to gaming to business and so on.
They usually come in “seasons” with episodes covering different topics. Releases are made depending on the creator’s liking, whether daily, weekly, or just at random.
As time passes by, podcasts continue to grow in popularity because more people find them through searching for podcast on different apps.
The internet makes it easy to access for a majority, and even more with its portability. To look through blogs and videos, you will need a connection throughout the whole thing. Podcasts, on the other hand, can be listened to online and offline. By downloading the podcast, you have the freedom to listen to it anywhere and anytime.
They are also relatively easy and cheap to produce. A creator isn’t required to work with a radio station to record and broadcast. A podcast can be made in the comfort of a home, even with simple equipment.
A podcast also gives an individual creative freedom. There are no specific rules and topics to comply with, nor a strict posting schedule. The creator is allowed to talk about anything that interests them without worrying about various restrictions.
What Apps to Use Listening to Podcast
The popularity of podcasts come with various ways to make it easier to find them.
A number of applications have been created to make it easier to search and subscribe to a podcast.
Some of these apps are:
Podcast Addict (my personal favorite)
Podcast addict is an app for Android phones and is free with ads.
The ads are minimal but the service is terrific. You get exactly what you need. You can also play podcasts at fast speed in case you are good at listening 2x speed. :-)
RadioPublic
The app doesn’t require a user to create an account to start listening. RadioPublic is completely free and available on both Android and iOS, which makes it convenient for a lot of users.
You can stream and download episodes, add private RSS feeds which allows a podcast to consume the content somewhere else other than the provided platform, import and export with the use of OPML, and lots more.
Pocket Casts
This app is best for people who listen to a variety of podcasts.
It features light and dark themes, useful searching options, different filtering options, and the like. As well as functions such as trim silence, variable speed, volume boost, chapter navigation, and even Apple Watch controls.
They also have a convenient sync option that allows a user to pick up from where they left off on a different device.
While the app is free to use, they also offer a paid subscription plan.
Castbox
The application Castbox has gained lots of positive reviews for its features.
A user can search, save, download and listen to a variety of audio content provided by app, from podcasts to FM radio and audiobooks.
While work on both iOS and Android, they also support Amazon Echo Skill, and Apple Watch and CarPlay for even easier access for when the user is doing different tasks.
Podbean
Podbean is a podcast hosting company that provides their audience with an application.
The application is easy to navigate and use. The user-friendliness has gained tons of positive feedback from a wide audience.
The app lets a user record and upload to Podbean hosting account for those who want to create their own podcasts. They have different packages available ranging from 9$ to 99$ a month.
Initially, the app is free. Although they have these subscriptions for individuals who want to start podcasts and make use of bigger features.
Stitcher
Unlike most apps, Stitcher gives users the ability to search for episodes rather than just an entire podcast.
With this application, a user can create playlists, look up different podcasts, listen to news, and the like.
It’s a free application for most, but they offer a monthly subscription plan priced at 4.99$ a month to remove ads and listen to original shows.
Laughable
From the name itself, Laughable is a podcast app that focuses mainly on comedy while still offering podcasts of different genres.
It lets a user subscribe not only to podcasts themselves, but to thousands of comedians, actors, athletes, musicians, authors, and other big people. Through this, it makes it easier to find favorites and listen to specific podcast appearances as well as guest spots.
The app also has a unique feature that shows data of how the audience overlaps with top comedians and podcasters called the Laughable Artist Graph.
TuneIn is an application free to anyone wherein they can choose from a large library of on-demand original audio.
They have a subscription which allows the audience to listen to NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, commercial-free news, and commercial-free music.
The application works on CarPlay, Apple Watch, and Chromecast.
Spotify
Spotify, which is free for both iOS and Android, also offers a selection of podcasts.
This application is widely-known for listening to music on-the-go and have recently opened up to podcast-listening.
Most users are more than satisfied with the music-related content they provide as well as the benefits of being subscribed to premium, which is why having podcasts available resulted to positive feedback from a lot of people.
It also lets users easily request for their podcasts to be listed by filling out a form, especially when it’s hosted with well-known companies.
Different Ways How to Listen to Podcasts
Along with the creation of podcasts, various companies have made it easier for an audience by providing them a space to find and listen to different podcasts.
These range from websites to applications, often allowing a user to download the content directly from with their services.
Listening to podcasts vary depending on the platform. The following subtopics explain the step by step process of how to listen to podcasts on different kinds of mediums.
How to Listen to Podcasts on Your Computer
- Visit a podcasting site.
- Click on the hyperlink for the podcast you want.
- Click play to listen to the podcast, or download the podcast onto the computer.
- You can (optionally) subscribe to RSS feeds to stay updated on your favorite podcasts.
By accessing a website, a user can simply listen to a podcast directly from the web as long as they have a connection. This is considered the simplest way to listen to a podcast.
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However, some people prefer to listen to a podcast offline. Podcasts are supported by Windows, Mac and Linux. Each of them have media players that make listening to audio files easy for the user regardless of the file type.
How to Listen to Podcasts on Smart Speaker
- Open the smart speaker.
- Ask the smart speaker to play a podcast by name.
- You can command the smart speaker to skip to the next episode or return to the last one, pause, or continue where you left off.
Listening to a podcast through a smart speaker is convenient in a lot of ways. It’s fast and easy since a user will only have to command the smart speaker to play the podcast they want. Although there are a few restrictions with the controls worth mentioning.
The smart speaker will always play the latest episode. So for people who want to play a specific episode immediately, whether by title or number, they will have to manually get there by using “play the next episode” or “play the previous episode” commands.
A user can also use the smart speaker to listen to podcasts like a regular speaker.
- Open the application used to listen to podcasts.
- Tap the Cast icon on the screen.
- Choose the smart speaker that will be used to listen to the podcast.
- The podcast will continue playing on the speaker if it is played. If paused, you can play the podcast through your phone or ask the smart speaker to play it for you.
How to Listen to Podcasts on Your Phone
There are two ways to listen to podcasts through a smart phone, either by playing downloaded audio files or by accessing it in an app.
The first can be done by:
- Opening an application or website to listen to podcasts (either on mobile or on computer).
- Find the podcast you want to listen to.
- Click the link and download it directly to the phone or to the computer.
- If downloaded on the computer, connect the phone to the computer and transfer the audio files.
- Play the files through a media player.
While the second method involves:
- Looking for an application where you can listen to podcasts and installing it.
- Launch the chosen app.
- Search for podcasts that you like.
- Play them through the application.
There are a lot of free apps that can be used to listen to podcasts. Some of them offer subscriptions but these plans typically provide more features while still allowing users to listen for free.
How to Listen to Podcasts in Your Car
Like smart phones, there are two ways to listen to a podcast through your car. This depends on the features your car has. Either way, it’s possible to listen to a podcast as long as the car has a radio.
The first way is by using the Bluetooth connection, which is found in most modern cars. Having Bluetooth available in a car is most convenient for phones that rely on Bluetooth to produce different audio outputs.
However, for cars that don’t have Bluetooth, an even more common feature in cars is the aux in or line in port. This is found even on cars that aren’t modern. All it requires is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to connect the phone to the car.
- Connect your phone to your car’s Bluetooth connection or with the cable.
- Open the downloaded audio file or open an app or website to listen to a podcast.
- Play the podcast you want to listen to. The car radio will simply act like a regular or Bluetooth speaker.
How Do I Subscribe to a Podcast?
When you find a podcast you want to keep up with, you don’t have to keep revisiting it to make sure you don’t miss out on anything.
Like Youtube channels or blogs, a user can subscribe to a podcast to get the latest updates. By subscribing, users can receive notifications for when a new episode is available on their favorites.
To subscribe a user has to:
- Open the application or go to the website where they listen to podcasts.
- Look up the name of the host or podcast they like.
- Hit the subscribe button found under or next to the name.
How to Listen to Podcasts on iTunes
Apple provides their iPhones with a music store, which serves as the audio playing platform called iTunes. While Apple Podcasts is available for podcasts specifically, the iTunes stores also has a Podcasts page. Users can browse, preview and subscribe to podcasts which are mostly free.
- Launch the iTunes store on the iPhone or iPad.
- Click on the Podcasts tab at the top of the iTunes Store page.
- Browse through the podcasts or search for a podcast by name or keyword.
- After finding a podcast that catches your interest, you can preview the podcast.
- Subscribe to the podcast. iTunes will automatically download and display the podcast after you subscribe to it.
- Click the Free or Buy button to download other episodes.
You can find the podcast in your playlists and listen to it as much as you like.
How to Listen to Podcasts on Android
For Android phones, on the other hand, they will have to manually download an application to listen to podcasts. Luckily, there’s a wide variety of apps to choose from.
- Search for a podcast app in the Play Store.
- Install the application you choose.
- Launch the app and look for a podcast you like by browsing or searching.
- Click on the podcast you like to see the episodes tap onto one to play it.
- You can subscribe to the podcast if you want to get updates on it.