Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Podcasts and Audio - Week #10

Watch this Video: What is Podcasting (Disclaimer – a video of a podcast is an oxymoron. It just doesn’t make sense. Most searches that I did for podcast on the popular video sites returned examples that weren’t worth sharing. This one should at least make you smile. Close your eyes and it is a podcast, open your eyes and it is a video. Wow!!!)
Listen to this podcast:
Week 10

Audio based content has a large chunk of the technology market share. Apple’s Ipod and Itunes are both credited with kick starting a sagging record industry and boosting the technology industry. If you live and breathe, you have probably noticed all kinds of people walking around with headphones or ear buds plugged into their heads. These folks are listening to a wide variety of audio content, from digital music to podcasts to audio books to satellite radio.

So what is a
podcast? Podcasts, like other technology mediums, have their own search engines, Odeo and Yahoo Podcasts are examples. Click here and enter OCLS into the search window and listen to a podcast. Notice the subscribe button? Remember RSS? RSS can deliver your podcasts to your computer so when you plug in your MP3 player, they automatically synch with each other. You can create a free Yahoo account and subscribe to any of the podcasts in their catalog, or podcasts that you find else where. Here is a tutorial if you are interested and need help.

Our own podcasts are here:
OCLS Podcasts. You can access all of the archives and download them directly to your PC. Here’s another interesting library related one, 5 minutes of library news headlines – LibVibe (click the OK button to run the Active X control.) The Denver Public Library also podcasts, click the direct download link to hear their podcast. NPR podcasts too and they offer quite a bit of content, take a look: NPR See if you can find the news from Lake Wobegon.

What are audio books? Audio books, or electronic books, or ebooks are all cousins of the books on tape generation. The main difference between books on tape and an audio book is that audio books can be down loaded from a vendor or provider via the Internet. Maybe we should call them “Books on the Web”? This week’s eXplorer activity is about audio books.


eXplore – Down load an audio book from our library catalog. Save it to your PC and enjoy. Need some help???? What???? You are all old pros at this technology stuff!!! Ok, here are some clues:

Browse for an audio book here:
X Marks the Spot

The process for downloading a book is very similar to a brick and mortar library visit. Ok, so the pleasant smiling face of the check out person is missing, and you have to answer your own questions, besides that….

    1. Browse and locate the title that interests you, click the title to see more info about the book.
    2. To download, click “Create a new account” if you need to create a Netlibrary account. See below for more information. If you have an account, Click “A downloadable audio book through the World Wide Web
    3. Download the title by clicking the “Download this eAudiobook”.
    4. Check out your title. See below for more info on CD quality Vs. Radio quality
    5. Save your title to your computer or your personal drive space.
    6. Listen and enjoy.

Our audio books are supplied by Netlibrary, in order to check an audio book out; you will need to create an account. This is a freebee, just have your library card and pin handy. Once you create the account, check out is a quick click of the button and the book will start to download automatically.

CD quality Vs radio quality – what is the difference? Here is an important point to remember, if you are going to download your audio book to a MP3 player, it HAS to be the CD quality version. HAS to be, won’t work if it isn’t. Trust me on this.

Share - Create a blog entry in response to this question: How are you going to use your MP3 player?

Adventure – create your own podcast, tag it OCLS and share it on one of the search sites that we have explored. Once it is posted, email the URL to me and I will post it on the blog for others to enjoy. Before you create your first podcast, read this article about copyright information. This is a moderate to hard challenge, depending on your knowledge of recording. If you need help, try these links: About: Radio or How To Podcast




7 comments:

Maxicow said...

Even though he was speaking in English, I have no idea what the crazy Ninja guy said. I might have to listen to that more than once. Once I get my MP3, I will definitely listen to more music. I will try downloading books although I am a book reader more than a book listener.

SaMoGo said...

Week #10




I will share my MP3 with my kids and my husband. We will download music, music, music, music, and music.


Thanks Tom for this class, I learned new things and I will practice more in my blog.

Unforgettable JM said...

Well, I don't know if is the MPe player or what but it worked...I mean using radio quality. Anyways, let me tell you that is better CD quality.

My wife love it...JM

Unforgettable JM said...

I've been improving my English knowledge listening to audio books. A vast vocabulary to learn. I highly recommend them to people who want to learn another language. See you soon...Alligators

cyber_butterfly said...

When I created the Netlink account it didn't ask me about my library card number... anyway I'll be downloading language learning books until I learn portuguese or french!

bobbie's cat said...

I was very glad to be prompted through the registration process for downloading ebooks. I will use my player to do this often. It will be very nice to take it on walks. Thanks for this class.
Bobbie's Cat

Me said...

Thanks for the great class, Tom!