THE PODCATS

A podcast is a series of digital media files ( either audio or video) that are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication.

The mode of delivery is what differentiates podcasts from other ways of accessing media files over the internet, such as simple download or streamed webcasts: special client sofware applications known as podcatchers (like itunes, Zune, Juice, and Winamp) are used to automatically identify and download new files in the series when they are released by accessing a centrally-maintained web feed that lists all files associated with the series. New files can thus be downloaded automatically by the podcatcher and stored locally on the user's computer or other device for offine use, giving simpler access to episodic content.