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Introducing a podcast of Science Friday from NPR -- audio files you can download and listen to on your own time, on your computer or portable player. Using free software, you can automatically download the latest audio files and import them into many audio players, including iTunes and Windows Media Player.
No, you don't need an iPod or iTunes to use 'podcasting.' It's just a term that has been created to describe downloadable audio plus RSS/XML data describing the audio files. Here's how it works:
First, you'll need to download and install the right software to 'subscribe' to our audio. Some software available includes iPodder, Doppler, iPodderX and Primetime Podcast Receiver. There are many others -- search for 'podcast software' or 'media aggregator rss' to find even more options. Many RSS readers that support processing enclosures can be used with this service. Version 4.9 of Apple's iTunes software can subscribe to podcasts without any of the above programs.
Once you've got a program installed, give the program the following feed
address: http://www.sciencefriday.com/audio/scifriaudio.xml
or just right-click on the icon and copy the link location into your podcast
software. 
The above feed delivers the program in segment, one per topic, so that you can pick the ones you want to download and listen to. If you'd like to get the entire show in one big file, use this feed address: http://www.sciencefriday.com/audio/scifriaudio1file.xml
In iTunes (version 4.9 or later), just click this link to subscribe. Or, drag the button above into the program's main window, copy and paste the URL above into the 'subscribe to podcast' box found under the Advanced menu, or find us in the iTunes Music Store podcast directory under 'Science' or 'Public Radio.'.
That's it! Now your podcast software will automatically check to see when we've uploaded new material, and will automatically download the files and insert them into your media player software. Most podcast programs will also let you choose to simply place the downloaded files in a folder -- a good option if you'd prefer to manage the files yourself.
Be sure to get them all! Each week, we post 2-6 files, dividing the program heard on NPR into topic-length segments. In iTunes, click the triangle icon to the left of the words 'Science Friday' in your 'Podcasts' playlist window to see all of the files. You can choose to automatically download all of our files each week by selecting 'When new episodes are available: Download all' on the Podcast preferences tab, found under Preferences on the iTunes 'Edit' menu.
Podcasting is a pretty new technology -- and we're new to the world of podcasting. Though we've been creating science radio since 1991, there's probably still things we can learn as far as this new medium goes. So -- please tell us how we're doing. Do the files sound all right to you? Do they download ok? What would you like to see in this service? Send a note to podcast@sciencefriday.com and tell us what you think.
iPodder.org: An introduction
to podcasting, plus a directory of podcasts
Wikipedia: Podcasting:
Encyclopedia entry on podcasting
Podcast Alley: A directory
of podcast programming
Podcasting News: new developments
in podcasting
WindowsDevCenter.com:
Receive Podcasts Using Your PC: tutorial on using Windows Media Player
and Doppler to subscribe to podcasts
