Q. How do I get started listening to podcasts?
A. The podcast world is built with apps that do two jobs: a podcast directory that indexes all the programs into a searchable list and a player that downloads and keeps track of your listening history.
Podcasts can be played on any digital device because podcast apps exist on every major platform.
Apple offers an app called "Podcasts" that works on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Because the data is synced to the cloud it is easy to start listening on one device and finish on another.
The Apple "Podcasts" app is similar to most other podcast players, supporting both a directory and a playlist. If you use Apple devices, there is no better place to begin exploring than Apple's "Podcasts" app.
A good place to start on Android is Podcast Addict, which is a free app with plenty of standard features.
There are many excellent options besides these two. This answer is focused on getting started. Once you learn more about what you like, you can branch out into third-party apps like Overcast (Apple platforms) and PocketCasts (iOS/Android).
Keep in mind that there is a wide variety of content available, and nearly all of it is supported by advertising. You do not need to spend any money to get started. Just a podcast player app, a device, and some time to listen.
Q. I exercise almost daily, often on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Are there some interesting new distractions I could use to make the time pass more quickly?
A. If you have not discovered podcasting, check out the previous question. Podcasts are perfect exercise companions. But if your tastes range toward the more visual, consider YouTube, and search for a walking video of your favorite city or maybe a place you dream of visiting someday.
The YouTube search box is a gateway to millions of hours of content. Each minute of every day another 500 hours of content are added. The sheer volume suggests there is something for every taste.
One of my personal favorites a sub-genre of long walk videos. Imagine someone walking down a public street with a camera atop their head.
The audio might be the street noise, or perhaps music. The sound and image quality is generally fantastic. Some of the videos include captions that name various points-of-interest during the walk. Those are the best.
Be sure to add weather to some of your searches. For example, the search for a "snowy night walk in New York City" has dozens of listings. When searching, I prefer YouTube's search for videos. If you use Google instead, be sure to select "Videos" at the top of the returned listings.
Q. What is the Internet Archive?
A. Internet Archive (archive.org) has become one of the most important websites ever, on par with Wikipedia and Google. Next spring its founder Brewster Kahle will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The digital library originally set out to archive early websites, and has since become a general-purpose media library, preserving music, film, books, and software applications in addition to websites.
The archived websites can be searched via the Wayback Machine tool. The site records "snapshots" of pages at specific times, which allows you to search content that is no longer accessible via traditional search engines.
Other institutions have contributed to the archive's growth. A couple of the major donations include NASA archives and the Prelinger Archives (ephemeral films).
The Internet Archive also offers its Archive-IT tool, which is a way for current websites to preserve older versions of its content automatically. They also host the Open Library project, which is an attempt to create a webpage for every book that has ever been published.
The Internet Archive is one of Library Science's crown jewels, a modern-day library of Alexandria whose goal is to extend our collective memory beyond the printed word and into the digital domain. It is not hyperbole to claim it's one of the single most valuable websites ever created.
Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel.com.
Wander the Web
Here are my picks for worthwhile browsing
this month:
The Art Scavenger
Free illustrations from the public domain that can be used in your personal art projects. Handy raw material for home-made holiday gifts.
Interactive Simulations for Science and Math
Another great example of how the Internet can be leveraged for learning. This site contains over a hundred simulations for everything from magnetism to balloons and static electricity.
The Accessible Flight Simulator
A free, web-based multi-player online flight simulator. Choose one of dozens of different aircraft and do a few barrel-rolls over your
house.
