Unlike broadcasting and webcasting, which create a steady flow of audio, podcasting allows programs to be downloaded automatically, stored in your computer, and listened to at leisure, either there at your desk or on a portable player.

Using a free piece of software called a podcast receiver (see our FAQ: What do I need to hear a podcast? ), you subscribe to a site (like ours) and the receiver automatically downloads any new podcasts since last check. Wikipedia calls it a cross between "an audio magazine subscription" and "the internet equivalent of timeshift-capable video recorders" (ala TiVo).

For a brief explanation of how podcasting works, read on...