Since February 2005 the estimated total time spent viewing podcasts on Youtube.com equates to approximately 9,300,000 years. I have to pause to wonder how much of that time I have contributed to over the past few years. As is evident by these numbers, creating and viewing podcasts on the internet has become extremely popular, and for good reason. This is yet another way for people to publish their thoughts, words, songs, poetry, music, or (in some cases)their outright stupidity for all the world to see.
But the applications for podcasts doesn't end there. I looked through a number of the podcast directories and found uses for podcasting I had never thought of before like using it as a medium for teaching a foreign language, how to knit a scarf, or how to use new versions of your favorite software. The use of podcast directories greatly expedites the process of finding the type of podcast you are interested in viewing. On Youtube.com you can type in keyword searches, browse what others are currently watching, or view featured podcasts. What I feel Youtube.com lacks is a more organized and systematic way of accessing the type of materials you want. My perception is that sites like Podcast.net, Podcastalley.com, and Yahoo Podcasts do just that, they organize podcasts by themes which make it easier to manipulate your way through in a more focused and less casual way.
Next I attempted to get on the NetLibrary website but kept receiving a message which read "We apologize, but the page you have requested is currently unavailable." at the PLCMC website. However, NetLibrary is not the only place on the web where you can search through and download audiobooks. At www.TheAudioBookStore.com visitors can download any audiobook to their pc, laptop, mp3 player, and so on for approximately seven dollars and fifty cents. Their site has over 50,000 audiobooks to choose from. Similarly, SimplyAudiobooks.com offers over 55,000 audiobooks and offers users options to download, rent, and purchase materials.
Finally, I found a brief synopsis on the components and uses for podcasting that I thought you all might enjoy. There are numerous "In Plain English" podcasts to choose from, each explaining a different piece of technology.
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