ENTRY 3. Listening to podcasts and applications.

You keep hearing about podcasts—from friends, online, even on TV. But what are podcasts, and how do you get started listening to them?

Don’t be embarrassed to ask: podcasts are one of the least accessible forms of online media. Anyone can click a link to a YouTube video, and even people without a Twitter account can scroll through threads on Twitter. Links to podcasts, however, tend to be links to website or iTunes pages where you can’t listen.

So what’s going on here, and how can a non-geek start listening to these shows? Here’s everything you need to know.

A podcast is a radio show on the Internet. It’s that simple. Okay, there are a few differences. Podcast aren’t generally broadcast live—they’re recorded, meaning you can listen whenever you want. Most podcasts release new episodes once a week, but some offer episodes daily—it varies wildly.

Many podcasts are episodes of shows you could also hear on the radio, with all the production values you’d expect. Others are just a group of friends sitting around a microphone, or using Skype, talking about a subject they’re passionate about. A lot of popular podcasts are somewhere in the middle: conversational at times, structured at others.

It’s an entire world, really. For me, it’s the perfect companion for cleaning the house or cooking a meal, and many use podcasts to make long commutes more interesting.

Basically, all you need is a piece of software you can use to subscribe to shows. Most people listen to podcast on mobile devices, because part of the point is listening on the go.

You don’t actually need to install anything. Every iPhone comes with a Podcast app by default, and opening that is a great way to get started with podcasts. Android users can listen to podcasts using Google Play Music . Open either app and start browsing.

Some people prefer third party applications for listening to podcasts—I like Player FM on Android, for example. Overcast is a great, free podcast app for iOS. And there are lots of other choices, some free, some paid.

But you don’t be overwhelmed by all the choices. Start with the apps already on your device. If you get into listening to podcasts, you’ll start to notice the features you wish those apps had, and them you’ll have a better idea of what you want in a third-party app.