podroll (one of many)

Here's a blog that collects podcasts:

podcrawl

There are many such blogs, but you have to start somewhere.

Speaking of which, I would be curious if people would comment here about how many of us actually use portable music players (iPod or other). As the name implies, podcasts in part own their ameliorating popularity to the proliferation of iPods and other digital music players. This is partially because these devices provide a way to listen to podcasts in controlled bytes and while engaged in other activities: while driving, taking the bus, jogging, etc.

iPods, like TiVo DVRs, are fetishes of pseudo-religious potency. Most of those who use these devices have conversion experiences such that it is difficult to revert to a pre-use state (think of email in your own life). I imagine that we miss something of the "magic" of technologies like podcasts if we are not already instantiated in a particular world that presumes a certain level of active use. For example, people wouldn't care about how cool my email filters are--they route mail to different folders depending on if the content is academic CFP, student work, personal mail, etc.--if they do not traffic heavily in email (or if, if this is still possible, do not use email at all).

So how many of us are use portable music players? How many of us have the kind of literacy or expertise or dependence that allows us to see the potential of podcasts?