Podcasts for Dummies

I consider myself to be pretty tech-savvy, but the world of podcasts is foreign to me. I’ve listened to a few when someone has posted a direct link, but that’s about it. I’m assuming that there are various websites that have links to them. Can you sign up to get notifications/links when new ones are published? I have a 30-40 min commute each way to work and am thinking these would be more enjoyable than listening to NPR beat up the same stories over and over. What are some of the “standard” ones that most people listen to?

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I have about 50 shows that cycle through my Stitcher feed. There are some sites that have lists, so you can check them out. disneypodcastawards.weebly.com has rankings and picks. disneyworldpodcast.net has the most comprehensive list I have found.
Here are some of my favorites.
Mighty Men of Mouse
The Earvengers
WDW Happy Place
WDW_4_Families
Pardon The Pixie Dust
Radio Harambe
If you like Disney history check out Retro Disney World Podcast

Enjoy, there are lots of good ones out there.

If you have an iPhone, you can use the podcast app to find pretty much any podcast you’d like (you can search or just browse by category). It also has a “top charts” section if you want to get an idea as to what is popular. I’ve discovered a few that way in addition to the Disney ones I listen to. I’m assuming Android has something similar.

So far my favorites are:
This American Life
Serial
Radiolab
The Moth
Planet Money
WDW Radio
DIS Unplugged
Invisibilia

And yes, you get notified when a new episode is available with the little red number in the upper right hand corner of the icon similar to new mail or a text. I also have a 30-40 min commute and listen to them all the time, plus when I’m running. I got into them a year ago or so and haven’t looked back. Very easy to use. Enjoy!

I’ve always gotten into a fight with my iPhone’s native podcast app. It never seems to do what I want it to do. So I currently use PodCruncher (although I just downloaded Stitcher, since everyone raves about it.).

Brian, here’s how it works. Find an app that works for you. The app should have a search function. Use that to find the podcasts you want to sample. (I’ll list mine here in a second.) There should be a “subscribe” button for that podcast. If your app works like most, the app will now download each new episode when it is released. You can also look at the podcast and download back episodes if you need to fill time. Some apps will delete after you listen, some won’t.

Here is my current list:
Light em and Hide (I actually haven’t listened to this one yet, it came highly recommended it and I just subscribed.)
WDW News Today
Disney Dream Girls
The Great Movie Snide
The Earvengers
WDW News Today Enhanced (LONG episodes)
The E Ticket Report
The Nerdist (Not Disney but pretty darned good!)
Pardon the Pixie Dust
Might Men of Mouse
The DIS Unplugged
Radio Harambe
Communicore Weekly (definitely recommend!)
Be Our Guest
WDW Today
WEDway Radio (comes with two related podcasts WEDway NOW and WEDway NOW Big Screen)
The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish with Jim Hill
This American Life

It does fill a commute AND it is great for yard work. Headphones on, mower start, three hours later…

I am an android user so I always went to the Google Ply store, downloaded a podcast player and then typed in the podcast names that I wanted to subscribe to. I have also had iTunes on a computer and sync to a MP3 player. Currently I have an iPod that I synch to my computer.

I can listen on my computer, on my phone, with earphones/earbuds or through my car ( both Bluetooth and with it connected).

Thank you! This is the kind of step-by-step that I need. I think I know what I’ll be doing this weekend…

For those on Android - I highly recommend BeyondPod. Besides auto-updating, you can create SmartPlay lists that get created on the fly. These lists will update themselves as new podcasts are downloaded, so no editing usually required - just have to hit Play and it will work its way through all of the related podcasts hands free. Great when listening while driving, as I do each day.

For example, I created a SmartPlay list with all of Disney podcasts I subscribe to, so when I’m feelin’ Disney I don’t have to sort through the various feeds, just hit the SmartPlay. I have other lists for Tech, genealogy, history.

Beyondpod also lets you create a virtual feed from mp3 files, so I can also copy audiobooks to my SD card, then play it in Beyondpod, which saves my place when I stop.

The app’s interface is a little busy after the recent update, but once you get the hang of it, smooth sailing.
I have almost given up on terrestrial radio, so this really makes the commutes fly.

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@bswan26,maid it work?

Been too busy to play with it yet…

I use Stitcher for my podcasts. Some of my favorites are:
Pardon the Pixie Dust
WDW Today
The DIS Unplugged
The E-ticket Report
Be Our Guest
The Disney Nerds
Disney Hipster
WDW Radio

Seconding @JJT’s recommendation of Beyond Pod. It’s the best podcast app I’ve found for Android devices.

New poster here, but avid podcast listener.

I use Downcast for my podcasts–it syncs between devices and is much more friendly than the native iOS app. I listen to at least 20 hours of podcasts a week–they have become a major part of my days (and i don’t even have a commute).

Some of my favorites:
Non-Disney:
99% Invisible
Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates (NPR)
Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR)
Grammar Girl
TED Radio Hour
The Truth
The Allusionist
Radiolab
the memory palace
Serial

Disney:
Be Our Guest Podcast
The E Ticket Report
Mighty Men of Mouse
Mousetalgia
WDW Today
Communicore Weekly
Pardon the Pixie Dust
Radio Harambe
The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish
and though he gets a lot of guff, I like WDW Radio – Lou helped me a lot when I was just learning the Disney ropes.

Happy listening.

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@TheGraceysButler I was listening to podcasts while driving from Oklahoma to the East Coast. The latest Nerd Alert was on through much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and every time I had to pause, for any reason, my wife (who was a straight arrow non-nerd when we met…I have corrupted her) she started repeating “I’ve lost my Nerds” until I was able to get you going again.

Agree, no more Green Goblin. Please!

Funny, I started listening to that episode yesterday on my way home from work. I will be finishing it this morning! As a 50 some odd year Spider-Man freak that may or may not still have collector copies of Spider-Man comics stuffed in my closet, I am loving this episode!

sfl! Thanks all!!! Just recently got into Podcasts & this is VERY helpful :smile:

Try this thread too! Disney Podcasts

THanks for the kind words @PrincipalTinker and @NeedaTurkeyLeg. I’ve passed them on to Joe and Patrick. Next week’s episode should be covering Comic Con news.

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After listening to the rest of the episode I will be obsessively disappointed by any future Spider-Man movies that do not include the Hobgoblin in them!