Podcasting Pocket Guide

Books Details :

Author : Jack Herrington, Kirk McElhearn, Richard Giles
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596102305
Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.3 inches

Book Description :

With more than three thousand feeds in the iPodder directory and at least ten more being added every day, podcasting is undeniably hot. Podcasting Pocket Guide is a non-technical guide for the non-geek who wants in on this revolutionary new online medium--for those interested in enjoying the best podcasts or producing them.

While podcasts seem like Internet "radio programs," they are definitely not radio. And that's a very good thing for people like you with something to say. Radio waves, after all, are heavily regulated, which means you can't say whatever you want on them (in fact, most of you can't say anything on them, assuming you don't happen to be DJs). But anyone who can make an MP3 recording, host it on a web site, and publish a "feed" for it can be a podcaster. And anyone who wants access to opinions and ideas that you won't get on the radio can find them on a podcast.

Small enough to fit in your pocket, the portable and affordable Podcasting Pocket Guide shows you how to tune into the best podcasts and download them to your favorite portable device so you can listen to them wherever and whenever you want. This handy reference even includes a listener's guide with reviews of some of the most interesting and unusual podcasts available today. From unique views on current events to music you'd never hear otherwise to soundseeing tours that take you all over the world, there's something for everyone on virtually every conceivable topic.

For aspiring podcasters, Podcasting Pocket Guide introduces you to the tools and techniques you'll need to make and publish podcasts with the most basic of equipment: a computer, a microphone, and some free software. It includes practical tips and how-tos for creating, recording, editing, and uploading your own, professional-quality podcast. Once you've made that first recording, you can publish it online, get it listed, and start obsessing over the size of your audience!

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States)
If you're new to the podcasting arena (either as a listener or producer) and you want a quick overview on the subject, you can find a pretty good one with Podcasting Pocket Guide by Kirk McElhearn, Richard Giles, and Jack D. Herrington.

Contents: Finding, Subscribing to, and Listening to Podcasts; Starting Out in Podcasting; Formats for Your Podcast; Editing Your Podcast; 30 Great Podcasts; Index

Because it's a pocket guide and meant to be small, you're not going to get a lot of technical detail in this volume. The authors cover getting and managing podcasts primarily through iTunes and an iPod, which is a relatively common combination. The chapters on creating your podcast are also fairly high level, but there's enough there to at least get your feet wet. The Audacity software is the primary choice they have for sound editing, but they also list a sizable number of options in addition to that. I'm not sure I would have included the 30 Great Podcasts section, however. Everyone's tastes and interests are different, and that seemed to be 30 pages that might have been better spent with more technical detail on creating podcasts. Still, if you happen to find one or more in that list you like and didn't know about, then you'd probably disagree. :)

If you're an experienced podcaster, or if you've been listening to podcasts for awhile and have no desire to create your own, there might not be much appeal in this book. But given the right target (podcast newbie), it's a non-threatening intro to the subject.

Reviewer: Warren Kelly (Southern Ohio)

Back in October, I had the opportunity to review Jack Herrington's book Podcasting Hacks. This book is a sort of condensation of much of the information in that book, though it's presented differently and is targeted at beginning podcasters. This book shouldn't be thought of as a replacement for the other book. This is a great beginners manual, and has actually been useful for me in explaining what podcasting is to people who are less technologically astute than I am.

I wish that this book were required reading for anyone who wants to podcast. I've listened to several shows that would benefit from this book (and no, I'm not mentioning names). One of the most valuable sections is on How To Be a Critical Listener. I mentioned before that to podcast, you have to listen to podcasts. But you don't listen to them the way a music fan, for example, would. You are looking for tips and ideas -- suggestions for your own podcast. What's the format? What software are they using? What mic do they use, and how does it sound? How are they promoting their podcast? Listening to podcasts can only help you in creating your own.

To that end, a list of 30 Great Podcasts is included in this book. I was pleased to see many of the podcasts I listen to included on the list, including several fellow-members of the Association of Music Podcasting. What surprised me was that many well-known podcasts were not included. What is there is a wide variety of styles, formats, and genres of podcasts produced by amateur podcasters who are doing it because they love it. And that is the best example of what podcasting is all about that there is.

The book will fit in your pocket, right next to your iPod. If you aren't sure about this podcasting thing, and want to find out more information about it before you start doing it, this is a great reference for you. And in no time, you'll graduate to Podcasting Hacks.