How to save a podcast

[David]

I wonder if anyone can help me with a question about downloading a podcast. I would like to save a radio file onto my flash drive to listen to the file in my car. My problem is downloading. When I click on "download" it opens up iTunes and automatically plays the file. However, this is not want I want to do. I want to save the file to load onto my radio in my car. The car has a port for a flash drive and I can load music files onto the radio's "Jukebox" to listen. For example, at this site (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/alberta/ambushed/) it says "download episode" but it doesn't download, it immediately opens the player. I cannot see anywhere I can save the file to transfer it to my flash drive. My jukebox plays all formats including mp3. If anyone has had a similar experience and was able to download (as in save the file) I would appreciate hearing from you. I spend a lot of time in the car and lately the news is very repetitive and Is all about Trump - and I could care less..

Many thanks, David

 

[DaveS]

Try going to iTunes and click on Store. Then put CBC Radio into the search line. When you have the program you want, click on Get and watch in the upper right hand corner beside the search line. There should be a spinning icon indicating it is downloading. It can take a bit of time. When it stops you can go back to the list of podcasts in iTunes and you should be able to find the file. From there you should be able to put it on a flash drive. I haven't tested the last part, but getting the file worked for me just now.
Dave

 

[chas_m]

I wonder if anyone can help me with a question about downloading a podcast. I would like to save a radio file onto my flash drive to listen to the file in my car.

Another simple solution is to subscribe to the podcast. This means that all new episodes will be downloaded automatically to your computer. Remember, there is the iTunes Store (which can stream the podcast by clicking on any OTHER than the "Get" button), and then there is your own Podcast library, which you can find by changing the marker in the upper left portion of the iTunes windows from "Music" to "Podcasts." THERE is where you will find any podcasts you've downloaded or subscribed to. To copy those files onto a USB thumb drive, you'll need to go to Users/[you]/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Podcasts/[name of podcast] and copy the files to the thumb drive.

Bear in mind that podcasts are in .m4a format, so make sure your car stereo can play those files before trying this -- otherwise you'll have to convert them all to MP3 before you can play them in the car. Another option to get around all that folderol is to use iTunes to load the downloaded podcasts onto your smartphone, and use the AUX jack (or Bluetooth if your car stereo has that) to stream the podcasts from your phone to the stereo system.

 

[David]

HI Chas,

Thanks for the reply. I'll give your suggestions a try tomorrow. All of it sounds familiar and I may have been close to success. I did try subscribing to the podcast but for some reason failed. You bring up a very good thought about the format. I assume the car uses mp3 but will re-read the manual before I try downloading anything.

The suggestion about the smart phone sounds like the easiest but I don't own a smart phone. I guess I will have to consider buying one as it seems everyone assumes you have a smart phone. Hopefully, I will win a new phone at our Christmas draw. I bought 6 tickets as its a lot better odds than the lottery. If not I will look into a plan with one of the phone companies and try to reduce the cost of the iPhone as much as possible. However, I'm sure they're not giving them away. ;0)

I'll let you know how I make out.

Cheers, Dave

 

[chas_m]

HI Chas,

Hopefully, I will win a new phone at our Christmas draw. I bought 6 tickets as its a lot better odds than the lottery. If not I will look into a plan with one of the phone companies and try to reduce the cost of the iPhone as much as possible. However, I'm sure they're not giving them away. ;0)

There are several options for a relatively inexpensive smart phone: here’s a few option ranked from best to worst (imo).

Best Value: watch for specials on iPhones (usually last year or the year before’s model) on occasions like Black Friday. The phone itself can be as little as $0 up front, but expect to pay around $50-80 per month on your contract. If it’s doable, it’s generally cheaper (in the long run) to buy the phone outright (current models from Apple range from $629 on up, but there are cheaper older models such as the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE still available from retailers), because then you can pick a less-expensive “bring your own device” plan from any of the carriers that is tailored to just the services/amount of data you want (that’s what my wife and I did).

Second Best Value: Buy a used iPhone. I’d recommend at least a 6s (or an SE) as a minimum, but once you’ve bought one you can get it “unlocked” for free after being a customer in good standing with your carrier for three months, so then you’re free to change service providers if you wish.

Third-Best Value: There are Android models that are less expensive to buy outright, and Google has taken pains to ensure that most Android phones can work with Macs. You lose a lot of the “bonus” stuff Apple offers (like iCloud syncing), but you gain some of Google’s services, depending on the model you buy. Be aware that Android Phones generally don’t get updates in a timely fashion, and consequently go obsolete much faster than iPhones — but for core services they will get the job done perfectly fine, albeit with less privacy/security. As above, you may find a used Android that fits the bill, but you’ll need to be MUCH more cautious about what models are being sold — there’s a bewildering array of options and features, and determining which models are high-quality requires more research than with Apple.

Finally, for people who really only need the absolute bare minimum of smartphone-level service, 7-11 and PetroCanada and the like offer low-end and mid-range Android phones with pre-paid service that can run around $150/year, but this is best for people who literally want nothing more than the ability to phone and text and maybe play a card game on their device.

 

[David]

Re: How to save a podcast and smart phone

Hi Chas,

I was able to download the podcasts I wanted (Quirks and Quarks, SKS, Writer's and CO, and one BBC program) with your suggestions. I'm trying the subscription service offered by the programs which should make life simpler. I also downloaded several Space Javelin podcasts. I had written down the name of the podcast at the last meeting not realizing it was your podcast. Lots of fun!

Thank you for the suggestions on the smart phones.I would love to buy an iPhone because it can link to my other Apple products (iMac and Apple TV) and I can use FaceTime on it. However, price is a consideration and I'm not interested in a contract with a provider. I only need a pay-as-I-go product. Using my Android tablet I can use the Wi-fi connection to send emails at many places throughout Victoria.

I completely understand your comment "there’s a bewildering array of options and features, and determining which models are high-quality requires more research". There are so many options I feel like I'm in a "bait and switch" nightmare! At the last meeting someone talked about a local company called "Digital Rabbit". I visited their website and several people commented on purchasing an older iPhone for a very reasonable price saving them $300-400 dollars. I'll visit the store and check it out.

One thing I really don't understand (maybe senility is catching up) is the concept of a "locked" and "unlocked" phone? I don't understand why and how they are locked? I will discuss this at Digital Rabbit and perhaps they can offer a simple explanation - I'm sure I'm not the only person who doesn't understand this concept.

All I want to do is buy a good quality phone, purchase time on a "pay-as-I-go" mostly for calling home when I'm out and need to check in with my wife and for emergencies. But I still want the capabilities of the iPhone and Wi-fi. Today's phones offer so many features from linking to the internet via wi-fi, photos, videos to a calculator and in the case of the iPhone FaceTime. If money was not a consideration I'd rush out and buy the latest iPhone and iPad. Of course many of the modest Android phones offer the same options for a lower price.

I'm holding out hope that I will win the December draw for the iPhone which is happening on my birthday. I figure if the Gods have a sense of humour they will ensure I win! However, my success rate with any kind of lottery is dismal but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for taking the time to offer your suggestions. I really appreciate it.

David

 

[David]

Re: How to save a podcast and smart phone

Hi Chas,

Before I begin, can you recommend a password service? I'm constantly getting threatening notes from a guy who has actually been able to find my passwords for some older sites I used to visit and want's to hold me hostage. But he does not have the password to my computer only to those sites. I no longer visit any sites that require me to provide a password. Obviously they don't do a very good job of protecting people's passwords.
I can see the need for these companies as I find creating and retaining a strong password time consuming and frustrating. I use Apple's password suggestions but they don't always appear esp. when I'm changing or updating a password.
I heard Allan Perry say that Siri can offer suggestions but all I get from her is "That's beyond my capabilities" which seems to Siri's response to everything I ask. The only thing she can answer is "what's the weather" and I can look out the window if I want a weather update!

With your suggestions I was able to download the podcasts I wanted (Quirks and Quarks, SKS, Writer's and CO, and one BBC program). I'm trying the subscription service offered by the programs which should make life simpler. I also downloaded several Space Javelin podcasts. I had written down the name of the podcast at the last meeting not realizing it was your podcast. Lots of fun!

Thank you for the suggestions on the smart phones.I would love to buy an iPhone because it can link to my other Apple products (iMac and Apple TV) and I can use FaceTime on it. However, price is a consideration and I'm not interested in a contract with a provider. I only need a pay-as-I-go product. Using my Android tablet I can use the Wi-fi connection to send emails at many places throughout Victoria.

I completely understand your comment "there’s a bewildering array of options and features, and determining which models are high-quality requires more research". There are so many options I feel like I'm in a "bait and switch" nightmare! At the last meeting someone talked about a local company called "Digital Rabbit". I visited their website and several people commented on purchasing an older iPhone for a very reasonable price saving them $300-400 dollars. I'll visit the store and check it out.

One thing I really don't understand (maybe senility is catching up) is the concept of a "locked" and "unlocked" phone? I don't understand why and how they are locked? I will discuss this at Digital Rabbit and perhaps they can offer a simple explanation - I'm sure I'm not the only person who doesn't understand this concept.

All I want to do is buy a good quality phone, purchase time on a "pay-as-I-go" mostly for calling home when I'm out and need to check in with my wife and for emergencies. But I still want the capabilities of the iPhone and Wi-fi. Today's phones offer so many features from linking to the internet via wi-fi, photos, videos to a calculator and in the case of the iPhone FaceTime. If money was not a consideration I'd rush out and buy the latest iPhone and iPad. Of course many of the modest Android phones offer the same options for a lower price.

I'm holding out hope that I will win the December draw for the iPhone which is happening on my birthday. I figure if the Gods have a sense of humour they will ensure I win! However, my success rate with any kind of lottery is dismal but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for taking the time to offer your suggestions. I really appreciate it.

David

 

[DaveWT]

I am sure Chas will do a much better job of answering these questions, but for me 1Password is a great password manager. It is from a Canadian company, Agilebits, but you can go to their website for this product at https://1password.com

It runs on Macs and iOS devices, syncs beautifully between all your devices and you can set and save your own complex password or let the program suggest a VERY secure password that is different for each site you visit. You never have to remember any of these - you just remember the single password you set to get into the application.

There are also other areas within the program for storing secure notes, (eg. a list of all your credit card numbers, or other information you want to keep from prying eyes but would never remember yourself.)

As to a "cheaper" iPhone, I am still really happy with my 2 year old iPhone SE which has all the power I need for my basic needs. You might still find one at local retailers but it will likely be locked.

Locked means that the phone is ties to a particular service provider (eg Telus, Rogers, etc.) and INITIALLY you can't switch to another service provider. This scheme is in place because often people buy their phone from someone like Telus, who offer the phone for a price ranging from free to only a few hundred dollars, but then you are locked into paying then a monthly fee for the cell service at a fairly high cost which helps them recover the true cost of the phone (many hundreds of dollars depending on model.) This situation has changed for the better in recent times because the government has now legislated that the carriers MUST unlock the phone after a few months (although you are still obligated to pay out your contract of course.) But that allows you to use the phone on another carrier when you want to, especially when travelling for example.

An unlocked phone comes with no ties to any carrier. (You can buy a completely unlocked iPhone directly from Apple). That allows you to travel from the very first day and use it on any carrier wherever you go when you purchase a short term plan while in that area. While buying an unlocked phone is going to be much more expensive initially, because you are paying the full REAL price completely, you can generally then find a monthly plan at a far cheaper rate if your needs are simple. This can sometimes be cheaper over a 2 year period, but with some of the great specials that are offered on locked phones from time to time, you really need to do the math to see which way is better for you.

Finally there are cheap pay-as-you go providers like Petri-Canada and 7-11 that allow very cheap rates for a basic service but I am not sure if they will sell you a plan if you already have a phone. They may expect to sell you a phone while offering such a plan. You would need to check the details to be sure. I have used both prior to my iPhone with one of their cheap flip phones (no longer available it seems.) Of the two 7-11 proved to be better because you weren't required to top up the service plan as often as at Petro-Canada.

The really bad news is that you should give up hope of winning the Christmas iPhone. I fully intend to win that one!

Dave T

 

[David]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for all the great info. I will certainly check out the password provider. Sound great. I must say the phone companies make it very confusing. All I want to do is buy a good used iPhone and then purchase minutes on a pay-as-you-go basis. But finding out if your phone will be acceptable seems exceptionally complicated that is unless you buy a phone from the company selling the service. I heard some very good things about a company called Digital Rabbit and dropped in to se them. They may have some refurbished iPhones in the near future but he could not tell me where I can buy the cheaper pay-as-you-go service that would be compatible.

At the moment I'm in the market for a new MacPro laptop and looking at buying a new one this weekend (Black Friday weekend). Once I have that and new iPhone I will very apple compatible! Already have an iMac and Apple TV. The last thing I need is an Apple Watch but I think that might be a long way off.

I wish you luck with the Christmas Draw but I'm still rooting for myself!

Cheers, Dave