Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Podcasting does for Internet audio listeners what TiVo does for television viewers--it puts you in charge of when you enjoy a program. Podcasting is a web-based broadcast medium that sends audio content (most commonly in the MP3 format) directly to an iPod or other digital audio player. You subscribe to audio feeds, receive new files automatically, and listen to them at your convenience.

As you can imagine, podcasting is taking the "blogsphere" by storm. A podcast is a professional-quality Internet radio broadcast, and like blogging and HTML before it, this revolutionary new way of publishing to the Internet has become the new outlet for personal expression.

If you've got Internet access and a copy of Podcasting Hacks, you can find out just how easy it is to listen to and create your own Internet audio programs. With Podcasting Hacks , Jack Herrington, a software engineer with 20 years of experience developing applications using a diverse set of languages and tools, delivers the ultimate how-to of podcasting for anyone looking to get the most out of this hot new medium.

Since August 2004 (the month that iPodder.com editor Adam Curry considers the start of podcasting), audio blogging has exploded. Podcasts cover every conceivable topic, including sex, relationships, technology, religion, home brewing, recreational drugs, rock 'n roll, food, entertainment, politics, and much more. There were podcasts from the Democratic National Convention in Fall 2004, and some programs on Air America and NPR are also podcasts.

Podcasting Hacks offers expert tips and tools for blogging out loud--for transmitting (and receiving) audio content worldwide with ease. This groundbreaking volume covers both entry-level and advanced topics perfect for aspiring and experienced podcasters. Herrington shows you how to get started, create quality sound, use the right software, develop a great show, distribute a podcast, and build an audience. More advanced topics include audio editing, podcasting on the go, and even videocasting.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. xi)
• Credits (p. xiii)
• Preface (p. xix)
• Chapter 1 Tuning into Podcasts (p. 1)
• 1 Listen to Podcasts on the Web (p. 1)
• 2 Rebroadcast Your Favorite Feeds (p. 14)
• 3 Build Your Own Podcatcher (p. 17)
• 4 Import Podcasts into iTunes (p. 22)
• 5 Tune into Videoblogs (p. 26)
• 6 Convert Text-Based Blogs into Podcasts (p. 27)
• 7 Install Perl Modules (p. 31)
• 8 Listen to Podcasts on Your PDA (p. 37)
• 9 Podcatching with Your PlayStation Portable (p. 46)
• Chapter 2 Starting Out (p. 48)
• 10 Make Your First Podcast (p. 48)
• 11 Professional-Quality Podcasting (p. 52)
• Chapter 3 Quality Sound (p. 61)
• 12 Set Up a Basic Home Studio (p. 61)
• 13 Pick the Right Microphone (p. 75)
• 14 Mix Your Podcast in Hardware (p. 87)
• 15 Reduce Noise (p. 94)
• 16 Podcast in Surround Sound (p. 100)
• 17 Control Your Recorder with Your Mobile Phone (p. 102)
• 18 Construct Your MP3s (p. 107)
• 19 Train Your Voice (p. 114)
• Chapter 4 Formats (p. 121)
• 20 Adopt a Format for Your Podcast (p. 121)
• 21 Build a Great News Podcast (p. 127)
• 22 Build a Great Story Show (p. 133)
• 23 Build a Great Personal Show (p. 135)
• 24 Build a Great Political Show (p. 142)
• 25 Make a Mystery Science Theater Podcast (p. 148)
• 26 Build a Great Music Podcast (p. 153)
• 27 Build a Great Review Podcast (p. 162)
• 28 Build a Great Sports Podcast (p. 167)
• 29 Build a Great Technology Podcast (p. 172)
• 30 Build a Beercast (p. 177)
• 31 Build an MP3zine (p. 181)
• 32 Produce Great Audio Theatre (p. 185)
• Chapter 5 Interviewing (p. 193)
• 33 Record Great Interviews (p. 193)
• 34 Record Telephone Interviews (p. 202)
• 35 Record Interviews on Skype (p. 209)
• 36 Edit Your Interviews (p. 214)
• Chapter 6 Blogging (p. 222)
• 37 Podcast Without a Blog (p. 222)
• 38 Blog Your Podcast (p. 227)
• 39 Manage Bandwidth (p. 236)
• 40 Tag Your MP3 Files (p. 243)
• 41 Feed Your MP3s to Movable Type (p. 246)
• 42 Podcast by Email (p. 249)
• 43 Syndicate Your Podcasts to the Radio (p. 252)
• Chapter 7 Publicity (p. 255)
• 44 Get Listed (p. 255)
• 45 Launch a New Category (p. 259)
• 46 Market Your Podcast (p. 262)
• 47 Make Money with Podcasts (p. 264)
• 48 Connect with the Community (p. 267)
• 49 Join or Build a Podcast Network (p. 268)
• Chapter 8 Basic Editing (p. 272)
• 50 Choose the Right Audio Tools (p. 273)
• 51 Juice Your Sound (p. 286)
• 52 Automate Audio Hijack Pro (p. 289)
• 53 Timestamp Your Show Notes (p. 292)
• 54 Build a Simple Sound Cart for Macintosh (p. 294)
• 55 Build a Simple Sound Cart for Windows (p. 299)
• 56 Maintain the Gain (p. 300)
• 57 Build a Sweet Sound (p. 305)
• 58 Add Special Effects (p. 310)
• 59 Fix Common Audio Problems (p. 313)
• 60 Mix Multiple Tracks (p. 316)
• Chapter 9 Advanced Audio (p. 320)
• 61 Set Up a Home Studio (p. 320)
• 62 Integrate Audio and Email Feedback (p. 330)
• 63 Add Top, Bottom, and Bumper Music (p. 332)
• 64 Record and Add Background Ambience (p. 336)
• 65 Speech Synthesize Your Podcast Introduction (p. 338)
• 66 Make a Mash-Up (p. 345)
• 67 Grab Audio Legally (p. 351)
• 68 Use Copyrighted Music Legally (p. 355)
• Chapter 10 On the Go (p. 363)
• 69 Assemble a Small Recording Rig (p. 363)
• 70 Podcast from Your Car (p. 369)
• 71 Podcast at an Event (p. 372)
• 72 Create a Soundseeing Tour (p. 374)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

If 2004 was the year of the blog, 2006 may well be the year of the podcast. Podcasting, a form of recording and syndicating audio programming over the Internet, is rapidly gaining in popularity, and libraries may want to consider purchasing a guide or two on the topic. Absolute Beginner's Guide lives up to its name, giving new and wannabe podcasters the background they need to start and create listenable shows. From an overview of podcasting and how it works to processing, posting, syndicating, and promoting content, it covers all the basics. A nice feature is its attention to content and thinking about what to include before getting in front of the mike, rather than focusing entirely on technical details. Recommended for all libraries. For advanced beginners to intermediate podcasters, Podcasting Hacks covers a lot of the same ground a bit more thoroughly and also goes into more advanced territory by addressing topics like videoblogging and using Perl scripts. Although it follows the typical Hacks format of presenting numbered hacks at various levels, it provides more of a basic overview than other titles in the series, tackling both how to find and listen to podcasts and how to create your own. Nice background on creating good content, ideas on taking your podcast to the next level, and technical savvy make this a great choice for medium and larger libraries. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.