Can I Download Podcasts to My Sansa Clip MP3 Player?

Podcasts are similar to traditional radio or television shows, except for their delivery mechanism. Instead of a regular broadcast, podcasts are attached to Really Simple Syndication feeds, alerting you when new episodes are uploaded to the server. Most listeners use an RSS reader like Google Reader to manage their podcasts. Once the new episode appears in the reader feed, you can download it directly to your computer's hard drive and then transfer it to the Sansa Clip player.

Apple's iTunes software is one method for downloading podcasts. ITunes includes a directory of podcasts for automatic syncing to iPods and iPhones. ITunes doesn't automatically sync with other players like the Sansa Clip, but it's still a useful media manager. You can subscribe to podcasts in iTunes, download them to your library, and click and drag them onto your desktop to easily copy the file. From there you can move the podcast to your Sansa Clip.

To transfer podcasts from your computer's hard drive to your Sansa Clip, you'll need a charged player and the USB cable that came in the retail packaging. Insert the cable into the player and the computer. Open the folder where you keep the downloaded podcast files, and then click the "Start" button and "Computer" or "My Computer." Click the podcast files and drag them onto the player's icon in the "My Computer" window, and then wait for the transfer to complete. Repeat this process with all the files you want to transfer, and then unplug the player.

The Sansa Clip is a small player designed for exercising and easy carrying. While it handles short playlists, it may not hold very many podcasts and songs at the same time. To load up more podcasts, consider deleting some of the music already on your player. The Clip can't play video, so download the audio version -- MP3, OGG, or FLAC -- of the podcast you want to listen to.