RIM launches BlackBerry podcast service
New app and service enable BlackBerry users to search for, download, and subscribe to free audio and video podcasts from different providers and also submit their own podcasts to the catalog.
Taking a bite out of Apple's playbook, Research In Motion has unveiled a new podcast service for its BlackBerry mobile customers.
Launched on Wednesday, the free BlackBerry Podcast service lets BlackBerry users find, download, and subscribe to audio and video podcasts created by a host of providers, said the company.
Mobile customers can search the podcast catalog by keyword, category, and other criteria, and then preview any podcast before deciding whether to subscribe. Podcasts can be downloaded to the BlackBerry's microSD card where they can be played through the phone's media player or removed and played on another device.
Interested BlackBerry customers can download the podcast app via the phone's browser or through BlackBerry App World. The app is already included on phones running RIM's new BlackBerry OS 6.
To kick off the new service, RIM has been teaming up with a variety of content providers, including Bloomberg, NPR, Reuters, Discovery Networks, and The Onion. People interested in submitting their own podcasts can sign up for an account at the submissions page.