Podcasting is a way of making recorded material available for people to download to their computers or straight to their iPods / Portable MP3 player. You may think of MP3s as the same idea but podcasting differs because you can actually create and make available full radio shows, which people can be automatically notified about when they are available.

The name comes from the combination of iPod and Broadcast.

Imagine the BBC record a radio show during the day then they make it into a podcast and post it on their site (which they are in fact starting to do). People who have the appropriate podcast receiving software and who have subscribed (i.e. requested for free) to that particular podcast will be automatically notified that a new podcast is available and they can choose to download it. Alternatively they can have it configured so it will download immediately. They then listen to it whenever they please or download it onto a portable digital player if they want to listen to it away from the computer.

Same thing applies to someone who wants to make MP3s available enmass. They make each track into individual podcasts or use all the tracks for one podcast and create the feed(s) (i.e. make it available on their site). S/He gets people to signup to or link to that particular podcast (from their podcast receiving software) and they can download it and listen to it when they choose (all for free by the way!).

The 'feed' part refers to creating an RSS (Really Simple Syndication - language) feed - not too sure on exactly what that side's all about and it's probably a bit too technical for most.

Check out ipodder.org and pluck.com for more info and for free podcast receiving (RSS Feed Receving) software - in fact Pluck fully integrates into Internet Explorer.

So, to listen to the Amplified Podcast, you'll need to get yourself Juice or Pluck or something similar and create the feed/link to the podcast... then you're away. Many many free and wonderful podcasts for you!