RSS
and Podcasts distribute your choice of content to you for free and
the information is updated automatically. RSS is usually text and
podcasts are audio or video files.
What
is RSS?
RSS
stands for Really Simple Syndication. By using RSS you can see when
new internet content has been added.
You
can get the latest news headlines, articles, photographs and, of
course, podcasts, as soon as they are published without having to
check manually every day. To do this you subscribe to an RSS document,
which is sometimes called a "feed," using a “feed
reader.” This is a piece of software that checks RSS feeds
for new content. To start the subscription you simply enter the
RSS feed into the software and it does the rest for you.
What
is a Podcast?
A podcast is an audio or video RSS file that can have information
about dozens of categories — from arts and entertainment to
politics to comedy. Podcasts are distributed throughout the Internet
and may be listened to or viewed on your computer or MP3/MP4 player.
The
format that makes this distribution possible is called an RSS feed.
To get a podcast you will need podcast software called a feed reader.
I-Tunes is one of the most widely used readers for audio and video
files but there are others. You subscribe to the podcast by entering
the feed's link into the software. This initiates the subscription
process. The software then regularly searches the web to find the
latest episodes of your subscribed feeds.
By
subscribing to a podcast you get regular updates as new podcast
episodes are posted. The benefit is that you are able to keep track
of a large number of your favorite podcasts, without having to remember
to check each site manually or clutter your email inbox.
|
