MUMBAI: Bringing the podcasting craze to a new level web service provider America Online in the US has announced new features designed to deliver the best of the webs podcasts to the more than 100 million unique visitors* to AOL's network of web properties including the AOL.com portal.

Podcasting is an extension of downloading, whereby listeners can have new programmes automatically delivered to their computer as soon as they are posted on the Web.

Currently available at www.aol.com/podcasting, listeners can easily discover, experience and download some of the webs most popular podcasts, including programmes from KCRW, This Week in Tech, AOLs Sports Bloggers Live. Reel Reviews, the BBC, CNN and more through the Podcasting 101 feature. Visitors can also or enjoy a 24/7 stream of standout programming on AOL Radios new Podcasting station. Fans are also able to search for thousands of additional podcasts with the new version of AOLs Winamp 5.1 media player. Enhanced podcast search ability is coming to AOL Search later this year.

AOL senior VP programming Bill Wilson says, Podcasting has exploded in the past six months, and were excited to be at the forefront of this trend. Our goal is to make it easy for our visitors to discover some of the best of whats available so they can enjoy the benefits of listening to great audio content on the go. The programmes we are featuring are great for novices and experts alike. Over the next few months, we will be expanding our podcast experience with more exclusive and original programming -- from AOL and from partners -- and adding more advanced search options.

With step-by-step instructions on getting started, Podcasting 101s guide to podcasting lets visitors pick from the most popular podcasts available  from big names to small  for one time download or subscription. To sample some of the hottest podcasts, visitors can also tune in to AOL Radios new Podcast station, featuring a non-stop stream of these popular programmes.