Portable and CD Playback

Podcasting wouldn't be what it is without the iPod and other portable devices that let people replace their radios with self-scheduled programming. One of the reasons Apple's iTunes has succeeded to the degree it has is its early integration of podcast subscriptions and the fact that it is not only the default music library for any iPod user, but also the only step between subscription and portability needed. With other portable players, there's a bit of jury-rigging to connect the podcatcher to the device, though you also get more flexibility, as well, because you can mix and match different features.

The forgotten option for many, however, is burning a CD so that you retain a permanent copy of programs that play in many legacy audio systems, notably the dashboard CD players of so many vehicles. All the major media players handle this conveniently. Windows Media Player and iTunes, for example, make it easy to build a playlist by selecting podcasts. Just burn and go.