Podcasts - a new learning dimension or entertaining medium?

Call me a late bloomer in terms of technology, it basically spans from my not getting an iPod until this last Christmas 2007, (thank you Jogie and Bernadette!) and naturally, I just glossed over what such a tool can do or offer. I mean, why bother? I didn't have it, so I didn't come upon the advantages - I guess, if I did not learn about what I could do, I'd miss it less.. and avoid any frustrations or bouts of longings that come with knowing you want it but don't have it.

Not exactly a positive - visualizing exercise, but I also had not watched 'The Secret' yet during that time.

To me it was just plain practicality - waste no time with things I did not have or could not do - and this is still a practical manner in my actions. Why worry if your worrying won't change things? Why cry over spilled milk? So it was, so it went.

But now that I have an iPod, I have started to explore what I could do with it - lo and behold... I discovered the wonderful world of podcasts!

The idea is not new - basically we have audio (and video) recordings, programs of interests by people who love talking about certain crafts, sports or hobbies (definitely an idea presented as early as the time of cassette tapes or CVs). I love the fact that there are a lot to choose from and even better... they're all FREE!!! All one needs to do is subscribe to certain 'casts' of interest and they get downloaded into your PC for your perusal - then, once I connect my iPod to the PC, iTunes (Apple's software to help synchronize the iPod's contents) just downloads these podcasts for our listening pleasure.

So, aside from being free... you get to choose when you want to listen to these podcasts. What have I subscribed to? I will try to remember them - but there are a lot. In fact, I might just write entires about them separately. Still, just to let you know... here is a tentative list of what I listen to:

• 60 second Science


• Amazing Comicast


• Budget Health Nut


• Business Week


• Comic Geek Speak


• DC Comics


• Digital Photography Tips


• Discovery Channel Video


• Doctor Who Podshock


• Golf Smarter


• I read Comics


• Joel Osteen


• Leo Laport - The Tech Guy


• LSAT - Logic in Everyday Life


• Make it So - a Star Trek Podcast


• Marvel Podcast


• Ragingbullets


• 10th Wonder Poscast


• TPN: The Digital Photography Show


• WNYC Radio Labs

and this is by no means a compete list - just the ones I currently have in my iPod. Aside from this, I listen to French lessons, a sexy teacher for words and more.

I find time to listen to the podcasts when I'm waiting, rarely when I'm driving - unless I find a proper speaker or interface with the car stereo, when I'm walking from one building to another - in other words, those usual time eaters that I don't notice, but do nowadays since I find time to listen during those in-between moments. I listen when I'm waiting for my next conduct.. when I'm waiting for my participants to finish their activities.

My worry is that this is seriously eating into my reading time - and yet, if I get audio books, thats still getting the contents of a particular book - but rather than read, I'm listening... which is a good thing too, since I sometimes forget my reading glasses.

Just to let you know how I sometimes multi-task (assuming focusing is not that necessary), I am entering these words while I'm listening to a podcast. How about that?

If you've not yet embraced the world of podcasts, well... in case you finally get an iPod (or some other MP4 player), you might want to give this a try. Your problem - like mine, would literally be wading through the options available - and should you not find your area of interest, well why not create your own podcast as well? Join the ranks, fill a niche... get like minded folks to join you. Me? I'm still enjoying the experience too much.