We all love our iPods. Whether you own a lowly first-generation shuffle or a (current) state-of-the iPod video-capable 80-gig model, you can take audio (and perhaps) video content with you to enjoy anywhere. It also means that you can ratchet up your Weapon of Mac Productivity rating a bit by foregoing movies and music at least part of the time to listen to the really good stuff: content that expands your knowledge and your skill set.
If you haven’t delved into the world of podcasts yet, you’ll soon develop two big questions:

a) How do I choose the best among the thousands of offerings out there

b) How do I keep up with them all?

We’ll start with how to find what you’re looking for.

Selecting Podcasts
There are quite a few podcast directories out there and you should take a look at all of them just to get an idea of how they operate, but the one to beat remains the iTunes Store. Select “Podcasts” from the top left menu block and you’re in.

You can spend some time looking at the “New Releases” and “Featured Podcasts” on the front page or review the “Today’s Top Podcasts” section, but the more efficient way to get to something that is relevant to you is to either choose a Category on the right menu bar or just type a key word or phrase in the “Search iTunes Store” and then review the items under the Podcast entry on the results page. (Don’t miss the “More Results” button at the bottom of the page.

Some items to consider when evaluating any given podcast’s listing:

Current Editions: Be certain there are current editions of the show; no use wasting time on a podcast that goes nowhere after just two or three editions unless there is a good reason (example: an event-specific podcast).

Customer Reviews: These can be good indication of the quality and appeal of a show, but take them with a grain of salt. What you like may not appeal to others and vice versa. Also, like any user feedback mechanism, they can be manipulated in either direction if someone wants to expend the effort.

Popularity: Don’t get sucked in to listening to a podcast because it is listed on the front page or any of the “Best” or “Most Popular” categories. Sure, there are some great shows in those listings, but that doesn’t make them the best.

Establishment vs. Indie: Many of the “Featured Podcasts” and quite a healthy percentage of the “Today’s Top Podcasts” are simply repackaged content from major media sources or an audio recording of newspaper or magazine columns. If your goal is time-shifting or location-shifting a known commodity, go for it. Otherwise, look for the original content shows produced for the podcast medium. You’ll find new sources of great information from new perspectives.

Audio vs. Video: Both types of podcasts have their own advantages and disadvantages. Audio programs can be listened to while multi-tasking; video requires a bit more attention. Video is always going to take up more space as well as take longer to download and to sync to your iPod . Audio sounds good on any device; many video podcasts need to be viewed on your screen or even TV to deliver their full benefit. And, of course, some video podcasts would be just as useful if they were audio only.

Enhanced Podcasts vs. Standard Podcasts: Enhanced podcasts are simply audio podcasts that have some extra capabilities. If you are listening on the iPod you will be able to skip to different sections of show if the producer has done their job. You also may be able to see photos and/or graphics of the topics being discussed. If you are watching on your Mac some of those images may be clickable, allowing you to go straight to a designated web site. The main downside to enhanced podcasts are that they are only playable in iTunes or on your iPod. If you’re planning on listening on other devices, best look for a standard, MP3 file edition of the show.

Follow Your Favorites: Many podcast producers and contributors do more than one show. If you find someone you like, check out their other projects.

We’ll be providing you with suggestions to some of our favorite podcasts and why we think they are worthy of your time in upcoming articles, but for now, you might want to start with two shows produced by the fine people who bring you MacProductivity, MacNotables and MacVoices.

MacNotables brings together a panel of the very best Macintosh authors, columnists, publishers and commentators who provide information and opinion in a relaxed, unstructured atmosphere.
MacVoices is “The Talk of the Macintosh Community,” focusing on the many products, services and stories that come out of the Apple space. Software publishers, noted authors, Macintosh luminaries, user group leaders, accomplished Mac users and more are featured in informal conversations that help the listener get to know the people who are making it happen in the global Apple-oriented community.

Start with these two shows and follow our tips to start building your list of MacProductive audio and video programming.