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Podcasts Explained

Podcasts Explained

News_PodcastsExplained(1)

WHY YOU SHOULD ADD PODCAST LISTENING TO YOUR ROUTINE

If you have ever used a music streaming service, chances are you have seen or heard the word “podcast.” What is a podcast, exactly? A podcast is an audio recording on a specific topic or range of topics. It is a similar format to talk radio, but podcasts are pre-recorded and available on-demand, so you can listen to them anytime.

Podcasting as we know it today began in 2004, when the Apple iPod and other portable audio listening devices became popular in households. They have undoubtedly grown in popularity in the past few years. According to Statista.com, 57% of the United States population over the age of 12 listened to at least one podcast in 2021. This is a significant increase from the 11% of Americans who were familiar with podcasts in 2006.

If you are interested in giving podcast listening a try, there are many ways to listen, most of which are available free-of-charge. You can listen through podcast websites on your computer, laptop, or mobile device. However, the more common method is listening to podcasts through an app. For example, if you own an iPhone, it automatically comes with an app called “Podcasts.” Other popular podcast listening apps for iPhone and Android users include Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio.

As you get accustomed to listening to podcasts, there are even more robust apps available, such as Pocket Casts. This powerful app has features you can tailor for an even more customized podcast listening experience. Pocket Casts takes podcast listening a step further by syncing podcast playback with all your devices so you can listen where you left off, which is especially helpful if you use different devices throughout the day. It can also help you save storage space on your device by automatically deleting old podcasts. No matter which app you use, you can subscribe to your favorite podcasts and even download episodes directly to your device to save on cell phone data.

EMPLOYEE PODCAST PICKS

People create podcasts on many topics, ranging from current events to various hobbies like movies, TV shows, and sports. See what our employees have to say about their favorite podcasts:

asknoah_podcast
bibleinayear_podcast
securitynow_podcast
midwestfinal
atp podcast

Ask Noah – “Old school approach…People call his 1-800 number and ask tech/IT related questions. Also cool that it’s Grand Forks based.” -Justin, Central Office Technician

The Bible in a Year – “Midwest based…Really interesting and keeps my reading on track.” -Tom, Product Manager

Security Now – “Up-to-date cybersecurity news…Great job explaining security vulnerabilities.” -Nathan, IT Security Engineer

Midwest Murder – “Locally recorded…Good production value…Really interesting stories.”
-Chris, Account Executive

Accidental Tech Podcast – “Mainly Apple programming focused…Great ‘nerd talk’…Interesting tangents that make it fun to listen.” -Dan, Combination Technician

LOCAL PODCASTER EXPANDS NETWORK TO LIVE SHOWS

An intriguing element about podcasting is they can easily be recorded anywhere. Some of our employees suggested podcasts recorded in the Midwest, even right in Minot! One Minot-based podcast in particular, The Good Talk, began in 2016 in the basement of its founder, Jonah Lantto. This podcast has since grown and branched off into related projects, including short films, over 15 sold-out, late-night comedy shows known as Good Night Live, and another new and successful podcast called Midwest Murder. “This just started as a hobby at first, then actually turned into my full-time job,” said Lantto.

When Lantto started podcasting in 2016, Spotify didn’t offer podcasts; now it is one of the most popular podcast listening apps. He credits the increasing popularity of podcasts with their accessibility. You can stream or download them anytime once they are published, since they do not air live, like talk radio or TV shows.

With their growing popularity, it looks like podcasts are here to stay. Maybe you have a road trip coming up, or just want something new to listen to during your daily work commute. Download a podcast app, search for your favorite topics, hit play, and you’ll be a podcast expert in no time!

May Tech Tip: Setting a Strong Password

May Tech Tip: Setting a Strong Password

Techtip_TipsforGoodPasswords

Protecting your personal information and data is very important, and one of the most basic ways to do that is through strong passwords. Here are a few tips about password setting, management, and things to consider.

1.  As tempting as it may be, try to not use the same password for multiple things. Varying passwords will limit the risk of someone accessing multiple accounts if they gain access to one.

2. Passwords and passphrases are different, and passphrases are better. Passwords are typically a combination of a single word with additional characters such as numbers and symbols. Passphrases are a series of multiple words with numbers and symbols. These words should be seemingly random to each other but have meaning and are easy to remember for you. For example, c0ffee54321 is an example of a simple password, but lovecoffeeeveryday19285 takes the word and makes a more complex phrase with a random number sequence which is much harder to crack.

3. Change your passwords often. While this may seem tedious, it will reduce the risk of your information being compromised.

4. Use a password manager. There are many apps and services that provide password management. Do some searching online before deciding which one is best.

5. Avoid names and important dates. Bad actors will often use social media to gain access to information such as important family member names or birthdays which are commonly used in passwords.

6. Longer is better. Typically, industry experts suggest 12 characters at minimum, but more is always better. This is where passphrases can help with reaching the character count.

SITES OF THE MONTH

SITES OF THE MONTH

Grow Your Garden Skills  
Grow Your Garden Skills
 April is Lawn and Garden Month. Dig into this site’s how-to guides on garden prep, seeding, plant selection, and more.
Learn more… 		Plan Your Next Vacation  
Plan Your Next Vacation
 Travel through this handy resource to discover destination ideas and other advice to help you please your whole family.
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Make Sense of Finances
 Get the latest financial news about inflation plus practical advice on budgeting, saving, and credit card selection.
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STAY ALERT

STAY ALERT

Watch Out For Charity Scams In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 148,000 reports of fraud involving prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries, up 27 percent from the year before. These scams swindled the unwary out of $255 million.

The initial contact may be a phone call, email, social media notification, or mailer saying you’ve won some big contest. But there’s a catch: The scammers claim you must pay a fee or taxes to get your prize, and they ask for your bank account information, tell you to send money via a wire transfer, or suggest you purchase gift cards and give them the card numbers.

According to the FTC, here are some of the things scammers will do to try to trick you into thinking you really won a prize:
  • Say they’re from the government. Scammers try to look official and want you to think you’ve won a government-supervised lottery or sweepstakes. They make up fake names like the “National Sweepstakes Bureau,” or pretend they’re from a real agency like the Federal Trade Commission.

  • Use names of organizations you’ll recognize. Scammers might pretend to be from well-known companies that run real sweepstakes. But no real sweepstakes company will contact you to ask for money so you can claim a prize.

  • Send you a message to get your personal information. You might be told you won a gift card or a discount code to a local store or a new car from your local dealership. Scammers hope you’ll respond with your personal information or click on links that can take your personal information or download malware onto your device.

  • Make it seem like you’re the only person who won a prize. If your message came by mail, check the postmark on the envelope or postcard. If your “notice” was mailed by bulk rate, it means many other people got the same notice, too.

  • Pressure you to act now to get a prize. Scammers want you to hurry up and pay or give them information. They tell you it’s a limited time offer or you have to “act now” to claim your prize. They don’t want you to have time to evaluate what’s really happening.
If you’re not sure about a contest or the company sending you a prize notification, search online to see if you find anything about them. Type the name with terms like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.”