Want to quickly access podcasts on a portable device without using a computer? Remember the name CastGrabber.

by David Radin

Many of us know that podcasts are recorded programs available on the Internet. In 2008, after all, 2.6 individual-episode podcasts were downloaded by viewers and listeners.

Most of those required a computer to do the download. While many of them were undoubtedly watched on those same computers, a growing number of podcasts are being synchronized to and consumed on portable devices like iPods, MP3 players and multimedia cell phones. (Why do you think the word pod is part of the word podcast?)

If you need a computer to download and sync it, though, it’s not quite as portable as it could be. So, Pittsburgh native John Hammer and his team of engineers set out to do something about it. The result was CastGrabber, a device about the size of a pint milk carton that grabs the podcasts you want to hear or view, and syncs them directly with your portable media device.

Although Hammer is starting to get some movement into more mass-oriented retailers, you’ll more easily find the product at specialty retailer Datavision and on CastGrabber’s Web site (www.castgrabber.net).

Hammer describes three types of consumers who prefer to use a device like CastGrabber instead of a computer to pull down podcasts from the Internet: (1) sophisticated Internet users who do a lot of listening to or watching podcasts but don’t want to deal with computers at home — a separation of home and work; (2) computer users who have lots of PCs but not enough open USB ports; and (3) young teens who want to get their favorite podcasts but don’t want to interrupt their parents’ use of their family computers when they want to download their favorite podcasts.

The desirability of CastGrabber lies in the convenience of not always needing a computer to synchronize your favorite podcasts. Since many podcasts come in episodes, this convenience factor could be quite attractive.

Setting up CastGrabber involves connecting it to your broadband network, downloading a small audio file to your portable media player (iPod, MP3 player, cell phone) or USB flash drive and then typing the name of the file into a screen at the CastGrabber Web site to register your device.

In an optimal world, this takes only a few minutes. And, if your device were an iPod, that would indeed happen. It might take longer, however, for other types of devices. When I tried downloading the file to several cell phones, I couldn’t get it to work. Yet, I was able to download directly to a USB drive with no problem. So now I have a flash drive full of interesting programs, ranging from BusinessWeek’s “Behind This Week’s Cover Story” to Adam Graham’s “The Bargain Minute” to “Harvard Business IdeaCast” to Harvey Mackay’s personal blog. OK, they’re not all interesting. Still, you can subscribe to any available podcast that appeals to you. If you decide to use CastGrabber with a flash drive, you can listen or watch on almost any computer.

Once you set up your account, it’s as easy as plug and sync. Your CastGrabber, with a retail price of $130, connects directly to a port on your Internet router, where you can keep it forever. Then, whenever you want to update your podcasts, simply plug your media device or flash drive into the CastGrabber. It will connect to the server and automatically pull down the latest episodes of any podcast to which you have subscribed. You can change your subscription preferences by logging into the CastGrabber Web site.

CastGrabber registers each of your devices separately. So, if you have access to multiple CastGrabbers, you can use any of them to sync your device — and each device will get the correct podcasts … conveniently.

Editor’s note: David Radin is a national radio show host and business consultant. You can reach him at www.megabyteminute.com.