First of all, it's important to note that you do not need an iPod or any other portable media player to enjoy podcasts. The name podcasting can be confusing in that regard. The only requirement is a computer with an Internet connection and a set of speakers or headphones.

The majority of podcast subscribers use Apple iTunes to manage their podcast. iTunes is an excellent media player that works really well on the two most popular operating systems, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. In fact, iTunes has a unique podcast directory built right in. If you use iTunes, just select your choice of the "One-click" links from our feeds page. Select "Subscribe" and you are all set. iTunes will manage the podcast files for you. Of course, feel free to dig through the help files on iTunes for ways to enhance organization and enjoyment.

If you don't use iTunes, there are many options for retrieving and storing podcasts. You might start by taking a look at Juice, an open-source podcast receiver. It's been around for some time and it has a strong feature set. Also, you might enjoy the Wikipedia entry on podcasting.