How to create a podcast easily
updated 05:55 pm EST, Mon February 13, 2006
Podcasting easily
Podcasting may be easy, but users will spend a lot to create them. A new column describes how to create a podcast, but concludes that if it is to be a relatively "easy" task, it will also be an expensive one. Using a 20-inch iMac, GarageBand, a Snowball microphone, and a .Mac account, Eric Convey of the Boston Herald created an audio podcast in orer to determine the feasibility of the process for the average computer user. Convey noted that while the process is relatively simple, the cost is not small: the iMac costs $1,300-1,700, the microphone $150, and a .Mac account is $100 per year. iTunes was also noted as an alternative to a .Mac account, which would provide a simpler method for users to download the podcasts, and would be free to the podcaster.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2006
Wow, bad article
In the summary the author writes ... "iTunes was also noted as an alternative to a .Mac account, which would provide a simpler method for users to download the podcasts, and would be free to the podcaster." ... This statement is completely wrong and is not stated in the original article.
To clear things up.
iTunes is not an alternative to a .mac account and will never be, as they are completely different things.
iTunes does provide an easy solution for subscribers to get your shows from your podcast, but it does not provide storage space for broadcasting your rss feed and media files associated with your podcast.
This is where the .mac account comes into play providing the online storage and bandwidth for these files.
Also to just make a note towards the original article aswell. If you indeed bought an iMac ( with iSight ) or a new MacBook you would not even need a microphone as there is one built into the iSight. It works well enough for the average podcaster.
Also if you already own a computer (mac or pc) you could make a podcast for the cost of a cheap mic (~$20). There is a ton of free software out there to record your audio and splice it together into a show, and there are plenty of free sites that are offering hosting.