Free Podcast Downloads for Phones

As podcasting grows in popularity, listening to them on a cell phone seems to be a natural evolution. At least that's what Seattle company Melodeo is hoping as The Seattle Times reports. The company recently announced plans to offer free software to download podcasts on mobile phones.

Commenting on Melodeo's efforts, David Linsalata at IDC said, "I think this is not something that is being done as a way to make revenue. It is being seen as an entryway to get Melodeo's main products out."

The article cites a 2004 report by The Diffusion Group, which estimated "800,000 people in the U.S. downloaded a podcast. By 2010, it predicts 56.8 million people will download podcasts."

At first, the Melodeo software will be available via its Website and only for Symbian phones. A Java version will soon follow. Linsalata noted most consumers are unaware of their cell phone OS and getting the app on the phone could pose a problem too. "They have a lot of challenges. That said, it could certainly take off," Linsalata said.