The activities for this week on podcasts required students of the LIBR 246 class under Prof. Debbie Faires to wear two hats, a consumer and a creator of podcasts. As a consumer of podcasts, we were asked to syndicate content using two methods. The first method is to use our RSS aggregator, in my case, Google Reader, to subscribe to podcasts and listen to them. The second method is to use iTunes, a podcatcher or a podcast aggregator. If we are already podcast consumers through iTunes, we can also try using Juice.
As a whole, I did not have a hard time looking for podcasts and subscribing to it using Google Reader, iTunes, and Juice. The resources offered by Farkas on her book and Schwartz and Free on their respective podcasts were more than enough to start with. In using Google Reader and Juice, I relied on podcast directories or copying the URL directly from the site that produced the podcast. With iTunes, I relied on its own extensive collection of podcasts offered through the iTunes Store for free.
Google Reader
Adding a podcast subscription to Google Reader is similar to adding a regular RSS feed. After adding the subscription, the feed displays the title of the item, accompanying text and images and media player controls all within the reader itself. And to listen to the podcast, you only have to click on the play button. I realized that while listening to the podcast you cannot multi-task and click on other feeds within Google Reader as that would stop the podcast. However, you can just open a tab and load Google Reader again if you want to read through your other feeds while listening to the podcast. Also, using Google Reader, the user would also be able to rate the podcast (star it), share or email it, and tag it. The advantage of using a RSS aggregator in subscribing and listening to podcasts is the convenience it affords the user of viewing and listening to all kinds of feeds on just one web application. It also allows the user to configure Google Reader to display as many, or as little information (i.e. text and images) to assist in making an informed choice if that particular episode or podcast is worth listening to. It does have its limitations. First, is that it limits the portability of the content somewhat as you have to view it in a computer. I tried using Google Reader on an iPhone, which is a mobile internet device, and the experience was somewhat crippled. I was able to view text and image feeds with no problem, but the podcasts where nowhere to be found. Even the media player buttons did not display. I would make an assumption that this will also be true if one were using other mobile phones like a Windows Smartphone, as the problem is with the limited processing power that phones have and the limited capability of the built-in browsers in these phones. The second limitation of using a RSS aggregator to subscribe and listen to podcasts is it does not have a built-in directory or collection of podcasts that the user can access within the reader itself. Compare this to iTunes, which offer its own collection of podcasts so that the user does not need to go hunting for content.
iTunes
Adding a podcast subscription to iTunes is done thorough the iTunes store. Podcasts are offered as free subscriptions and downloads and you also have the ability to sync it with your iPod or iPhone and listen to it on the go. It sounds all dandy and nice that everything is integrated but it does have some limitations. The iTunes software, iPods and iPhones are proprietary. It means that iTunes only work with iPods or iPhones and vice versa. So a user who wants to use iTunes as their podcatcher would have to either listen to the podcast on their computer or purchase an iPod, he cannot use just any MP3 player. The same way when you have an iPod, you are tied to iTunes as the software to manage your audio and video content on your player. It also means that you do not have access to content that is not offered through iTunes. Whether that would be an issue depends upon whether you want to gather all your podcasts on one application and also whether you would want to listen to them on the go.
The advantage of using iTunes as a podcatcher is it simplifies the process of looking for, subscribing, and listening to a podcast. It does offer an all-in-one solution from software to hardware. And is the most viable in terms of availability, ease of use, and sustainability as a product. The iTunes software is free to download and can be installed in a Mac or a PC. It is a bit resource-hungry to run, but its user interface is easy to understand and is constantly improved with new features. Although the iPod is not as feature-rich as other MP3 players out there, it does excel in what is made for, that is a digital audio player. It is the most successful as most statistics put its market ownership in the 70 to 80 percent range. In fact it is not, a stretch to assume that the average user would have an iPod as it as ubiquitous as the Sony Walkman was in the eighties.
Juice
Out of the three, I think Juice is the least useful in terms of a total solution. The reason for this is that it does not stand on its own feet as it relies on iTunes or a media player to be able to play content. Unlike Google Reader which can play podcasts within the reader itself and does not need any other web application or media player to do so, Juice needs iTunes to play the subscription you add on it. It acts more like a container for podcasts subscription which you can then play through iTunes. And it does not add the feeds or contents to iTunes even after playing it, it stays with Juice. If you already have iTunes, why would you need to go through Juice, when it also limits portability? You won’t be able to add it to your iPod as the feeds and the content does not get imported to the iTunes library, a necessary step to be able to sync it to your iPod. The only possible use I see of using Juice if you already use iTunes for your podcasts is if the podcast content you want is not offered through the iTunes Store.
The next post continues my discussion of my experience as a podcast consumer focusing on the podcast feeds I added and my overall impression of the podcasts I listened to this week.
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.