While surfing on the Internet, you may encounter audio or video files that you like to download and access them from your harddrive whenever you want. For that kind of task, you can use Ziepod. All you have to do is to drag-and-drop of those links onto Ziepod main window. This feature is especially easy to use when Ziepod is in deskbar visual mode, on top of all windows.

Ziepod in deskbar mode

Here is scenario for this tip:

1 ) When you see a link to an audio or a video file, drag and drop that link onto Ziepod window
2) Upon dropping, Ziepod will ask you what you want to do with that. You can either directly play that dropped media file via Ziepod or download it. In addition to these direct actions, you can also add to your playlist or download list, to be played or downloaded later.
3) If you choose to download or add to download list, then another dialog box pops up, asking where you like to save that file in your subscription tree hierarchy so that when you need it you can reach it from inside Ziepod. Choose a folder or subscription, or create a new folder on fly. Then hit OK.

Like bookmarking, if you like to keep links to the media files you encounter on the Internet, this is the feature you can use. Like managing your podcasts and their episodes, you can manage your archived links via Ziepod. You can download them, move them from one folder to another, or delete them. Unfortunately, you cannot rename them, which will be taking care of in the future release.

Drag-and-drop and managing external files are two interesting topics that we will be working on in the future. What do you think? Do you have any interesting suggestion related these topics? If you do have, then please share with us. Just use ALT+F keyboard shortcut to send your suggestions and questions quickly from inside Ziepod.

Hope you make use of this feature. Have a great week,

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OPML files are like repositories which are used to keep list of feeds for archive purposes so that you can use that file to subscribe to those feeds later at once, or share it with your friends. While they are mostly used to backing up subscriptions, websites also use them to provide a list of favorite feeds and podcasts in one file, such as an OPML file for "Top 10 Podcasts". This way you can easily subscribe to those favorite feeds via OPML file.

At this point, we developed a unique feature for online OPML files. Since they are online and publisher can change its content, we call them Dynamic OPML files. By using Ziepod, you can monitor those dynamic OPML files for new feeds, just like monitoring feeds for new posts. When new item is available thru monitored OPML file, Ziepod lists it like an episode and allows you to subscribe to that feed at one click.

If you know an online OPML file, here is how to monitor that via Ziepod.

Switch to the 'Subscriptions' tab.

Click the arrow of the 'Add' button to get options menu.

From popup menu, select 'Add Dynamic OPML' option.

Wizard dialog window will pop up. Enter the address of that online OPML file.

Press 'Finish' button to subscribe to that OPML file.

Hope you make use of this feature. Keep in mind that, we are developing Ziepod to provide you the best and unique podcast management platform on the Internet. Monitoring dynamic online OPML files is just an example of that. We will be teaching you more about the unique and undocumented features of Ziepod in upcoming weeks. So keep your eyes on this blog.

If you have anything to share with us, please do. If you want to send your feedback, just use ALT+F keyboard shortcut while Ziepod is on.

Have a great week,

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Today's tip is a very tiny, quick and useful. If you like to see downloaded episodes of an individual podcast quickly, what you have to do is to find that podcast inside your subscriptions tree and then double-click on that. When you do that, Ziepod opens up its download folder with Windows Explorer and allows you to manage its downloaded episodes, such as copying them to another device.

That was quick! Do you have any quick suggestion for us? Please share your experience with us, or ask questions. That's the fastest way we can develop Ziepod based on your needs and requirements. To send your messages quickly, use ALT+F keyboard shortcut when Ziepod is on.

Have a great week,

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If you are not streaming but instead downloading podcast episodes, then there is one thing that you should be aware of. That is free space left on your harddrive. Because if there is no space, your download requests fail.

Thanks to Ziepod, you shouldn't worry much about how much space left on your harddrive, because it automatically checks available space and if it goes below defined threshold, it warns you and stops all download activity till there is enough space available. This is especially useful feature if you are using Ziepod along with portable flash drives since they are not as spacious as trandional harddrives.

You can adjust this threshold thru your 'Preferences.' Here is how to customize it:

Open up your preferences (use CTRL+P keyboard shortcut)

Switch to the 'Advanced' tab.

Press 'Set Advanced Settings' button which opens up another dialog window

In that window, you will see box entitled 'Adjust Free Space Threshold'. Check the box to allow Ziepod to freeze downloads automatically when there is not much space left.

Set which harddrive to check and the amount of minimum free space. By default, it checks the 'C' drive.

Press 'OK' button to apply changes immediately.

That's it. Hope you like this neat feature. Do you have one? We'd like to hear your suggestions and experience with Ziepod. Please share yours with us by using Ziepod's Feedback dialog, which can be launched with ALT+F keyboard shortcut.

Have a great week,

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Again, this is one of those tiny but neat features of Ziepod. It is about reading new items fast in the 'Subscriptions' tab and it is yet another keyboard shortcut.

By using one key stroke, you can easily switch to the next unread/unplayed/unseen item in the list and your long 'Space' key is the one that is specialized for that specific task. So how that works? Here we go:

Switch to the 'Subscriptions' tab

Focus on a feed in your subscriptions tree that has unread items and let all its posts are listed at the right hand side

Then click the first item in the list so that list gains the focus

Now press your 'Space' key to switch to the next unread item in the list

Read that unread item.

Then press your 'Space' key again to switch to the next unread one

This is it. If you subscribe to news feeds that publish lots of posts, then this little guy might be your favorite one.

Hope you like this neat feature. In fact, we implemented this feature after one of our dedicated users suggested. Do you have one? We'd like to hear your suggestions and experience with Ziepod. Please share yours with us by using Ziepod's Feedback dialog, which can be launched with ALT+F keyboard shortcut.

Have a great week,

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