I’ll admit, I have been slow to join the ranks of Podcast listeners. Recently, though, I had heard about some good Podcasts, and decided I would try downloading a few. Turns out that I really enjoy them! To find out more about the Podcasts I’m listening to, read on.

(If you don’t know what Podcasting is, first proceed to ***Wikipedia|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting*** for a definition.)

My Podcasting Equipment
Currently, I’m using a fairly basic, manual setup:

• ***Bloglines|http://www.bloglines.com/*** to subscribe to Podcast feeds and download the enclosures.
• ***iTunes|http://www.apple.com/itunes/*** to play the Podcasts and sync them to my iPod
• ***iPod|http://www.apple.com/ipod/*** (4th Gen, 20GB) to listen to the Podcasts when I’m not at a computer

iTunes 4.9, which is scheduled for release within 60 days, is going to have support for automatic downloading and syncing of Podcasts, which will be very handy. I’ve checked out the current crop of Mac Podcasting software, and found it to be lacking in features and usability… so for now, I’m using the manual method.

Where I Find Podcasts
Unfortunately, there is no single comprehensive source for finding Podcasts. However, I have found these directories to be helpful in finding stuff to listen to:

***Podcast.net|http://www.podcast.net/***
***Podcast Directory|http://www.podcastdirectory.com/***
***iPodderX Directory|http://ipodderx.com/directory*** (iPodderX is one of the aforementioned Mac Podcast clients)
***Public Radio Podcasts|http://www.publicradiofan.com/podcasts.html***
***Podcast Alley|http://www.podcastalley.com/***
***TechPodcasts|http://www.techpodcasts.com/***

Of these, I’ve found Podcast Alley to be the most helpful. They have the nicest looking interface and seem to have the most comprehensive directory, as well as features like voting for your favorite Podcast. If you can’t find what you want on there, try the other ones, or give good old ***Google|http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=podcast&btnG=Google+Search*** a try.

Podcasts I Listen To

***Perlcast|http://perlcast.com/***
Produced by a Perl programmer, Josh McAdams. Josh does a one-man show, reporting on news in the Perl programming community, and conducting interviews with various Perl luminaries.

***TheForce.net|http://theforce.net/***
TFN is the premier Star Wars fan site. They have a semi-regular podcast, where they discuss news and gossip in the Star Wars universe. In recent episodes, they have discussed the media reaction to Star Wars Episode III, and provided their own reviews and insight. Very cool for Star Wars fans.

***Inside Mac Radio|http://www.insidemacradio.com/***
A really spiffy Podcast for Mac users. They are very much like a professionally-produced radio show, with multiple hosts and commentators, commercial sponsors, etc. But, since it’s a Podcast, you can skip past any advertisements, and even past parts of the program you’re not particularly interested in. IMR does short (6 minute) daily Podcasts, along with longer (1.5 hour) weekly Podcasts.

***Engadget|http://www.engadget.com/***
Engadget is a nifty site that reports on the latest in geeky gadgets, electronic toys, games, and the like. Their Podcast is well-produced, and features multiple hosts discussing gadget news and topics, and conducting interviews with industry insiders. Very cool.

***MyMacGuys|http://mymacguys.blogspot.com/***
Just a couple of Mac users chatting it up about whatever topics come to mind. They’re funny, candid, entertaining and informative. Highly recommended.

***MacCast|http://www.maccast.com/***
Mostly a one-man show by a dedicated Mac geek. He presents the Mac news and his own commentary, answers listener questions, and has some guest segments as well.

So there you have it. I’m always on the lookout for some new feeds. If you have any Podcasts you’d like to recommend, feel free to leave a comment. Or if you try out Podcasting for yourself, let me know what you find!