Podcasts are digital audio files that are distributed over the Internet, often using syndication feeds, for playback on portable media players and computers. The term is a blend of "iPod" and "broadcast", because the first podcasting scripts were developed for the Apple iPod. Today, people are producing and listening to podcasts about a wide range of topics. In the main, podcasts are simply .mp3 files, which have been around for years. The real value addition of podcasting is the automation of the content download process - once subscribed, you no longer need to go to a website to retrieve content, it comes to you automatically. The recent popularity is due to higher bandwidth availability, increased storage capacity and the proliferation of portable media players.
Podcasts offer interesting possibilities for the developing world because they offer a way for anyone, anywhere to get their voice heard. Audio offers an excellent medium for communicating complex ideas, and it overcomes literacy issues. While radio plays an important role in developing countries, and particularly rural areas, it is often a one-way medium. When people are taught how to make audio files, they can create their own podcasts, communicating information in the local context. And while radio stations require licenses and costly equipment, podcasts are low cost and logistically simpler.
Practical Action is a non-governmental organisation that has been working on podcasts for a rural area in northern Peru. Their podcasts provide practical information such as advice on grape cultivation or raising cattle. The information was gathered from experts and recorded as digital audio files that are sent to telecentres via the Internet. Since most people don't have digital audio players, the telecentres broadcast the materials over loudspeakers.
While iPods and other portable media players have increased the popularity of podcasts in the developed world, lack of electricity is a barrier to the adoption of audio players in remote areas. As innovative solutions are created, the developing world stands to benefit from the learning potential of podcasts.
Organisations or individuals who are looking to advance podcasts or other community media projects are invited to contact
Mr. Ian Pringle, COL Education Specialist, Media.
International roaming fees cost U.S. businesses $693.50 per trip for every global traveller - 12 times more than the average monthly wireless bill, according to a recent study by Brightroam.
There are several ways to reduce roaming charges if you use your mobile when travelling:
- Purchase a local SIM card. If you have a Global System for Mobile (GSM) phone, you can simply change the chip that slips into your phone so that you pay local rates.
- Use a "world phone". You can purchase a special phone that can switch to GSM. However, connections are still expensive.
- Hire a phone at your destination. This can be an uncertain proposition, both in terms of costs and availability.
The bottom line is that acquiring a SIM card at your destination is the easiest way to control your mobile phone costs while travelling. The surest way to minimise costs? Leave your mobile at home.
There is a tool to help you access PDF documents if you have a low speed connection to the Internet. PDFMENOT is a free online PDF viewer.
Just drag the PDFMENOT "bookmarklet" to your toolbar. After that, anytime you visit a webpage with PDFs on it, just click on the bookmarklet and all PDFs will be read on the PDFMENOT site rather than being downloaded (they can be printed too). Once you leave that particular webpage, the PDFs will go back to being downloadable, so you are not "stuck" with the PDFNOTME reader.
Once the PDFs have been read by PDFMENOT for the first time, they are then cached by the PDFMENOT server and should then be even quicker to load. Most COL publications have already been cached at PDFMENOT.
www.readwriteweb.com/archives/pdfmenot.php
http://pdfmenot.com/tools