那些年看电视、听广播的日子还记得吗？人们聚在一起休闲娱乐打发时光，所有节目都在固定时间播出，如果你没有准时收看或收听，你就与它失之交臂了。无线电波也一去不复返，现在人们不必担心错过节目时间了。

This is Podcasting in Plain English. Here's the big idea. Thanks to podcasting, show times don't matter. When a new show is created, podcasting gives you a way to capture it and take it with you to watch or listen to later - usually for free. It makes shows personal and available on demand - That's what makes it different from broadcasting. It works by setting up a connection between a web site and a computer, so that new shows automatically show up when available.

本期将介绍“播客”， 看看这个创意是如何实现的。播客的出现，让人们对节目的播出时间变得无所谓。新节目生成后，播客会帮助你收集，你可以随身携带并随时收看收听——通常免费。如今节目开始走向个性化，随时随地开播，这是无线广播难以企及的。只要把电脑连上网络，一有新节目就会自动弹出来。

Here are three reasons why podcasting is becoming so popular.

播客流行的原因有三。

The first is that anyone can do it.No satellites, radio towers or studios needed.Most people only need a microphone or video camera, a computer and a connection to the Web.With these things in place, they can make their own show that is open to everyone. It also means that there's a wide variety of podcasts.Whether it's investment advice from Wall Street, or your neighbors gardening show from down the street.There is likely a podcast for you.

第一，任何人都能发布。不需要卫星、无线电发射塔、播音室，一只麦克风或一台摄像机，加台连网的电脑就成。上述内容准备妥当后，就可以发布自己的节目了。播客的种类繁多，从华尔街的投资建议，到附近邻居的花卉秀，总有合你心意的播客。

The second is subscriptions.This means that if you visit a site that has a great podcast, you can click a button and subscribe to receive future shows automatically. All you need is a free tool called a Podcatcher, like iTunes, that acts as a way to capture the shows.The shows become yours to listen to or watch as much as you want, where you want.

第二，可以订阅播客。遇到不错的播客,点击“订阅”按钮就能接收以后的节目。只用安装免费的播客应用，如苹果的iTunes,就可以用来订阅节目，这样一来，你就能随时随地收看节目了。

The third reason is gadgetry.You can download a podcast onto a computer, but you can also download it to an MP3 player or other portable device and take it with you. And remember, podcasts work on all sorts of devices, not just iPods.

第三，收听设备多样。你可以把播客下载到电脑，或者MP3这样的移动设备里。播客不仅支持ipod，其他的智能设备也支持哦。

So, let's look at how Jason uses podcasts.

接下来看看Jason是如何使用播客的吧。

He uses the web everyday, rides the bus to work and loves Japanese culture. Recently he found a podcast by a Western couple living in Tokyo. After a quick listen, he subscribed to their podcast from their web site.That night, as he slept, a new show downloaded onto his MP3 player. The next morning he was on the bus, listening to his new friends in Tokyo, imagining what it would be like to eat the freshest sushi in the world.

他每天都会上网乘公交车上班，并钟情于日本文化。最近他发现住在东京的一对西方夫妇的播客，初览后他订阅了这个播客。当天晚上美梦时分，新节目自动下载到了MP3里，第二天一早他就可以一边乘车，一边收听来自东京的节目，幻想着新鲜寿司美妙滋味。

Podcasting made it happen. It made it possible for the couple in Japan to create a show for only a few yen, it made it possible for Jason to subscribe to their show and take it with him. Podcasting means we don't have to depend on traditional media - now, everyone can have a voice that shows their true colors.

播客让这一切变成现实，它让一对夫妇用几块铜板就制作了一档节目，它让Jason可以订阅他们的节目并随时收听，播客的出现意味着我们不再依赖传统媒体，每个人都可以用播客来展示自己。

I'm Lee LeFever and this has been Podcasting in Plain English.

我是李?勒菲弗，这就是原来如此系列之播客。