Slow English

Podcasts about Australia for intermediate learners of English

Downloading and Playing Tips

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Hi to all Slow English listeners.

Downloading Tips

I have had many questions about how to download the podcasts on a computer or smart phone.  Here are some guidelines which you might find useful.

For an Apple or Android smartphone:

  1. First you need to download and install a podcast player. You can find these on iTunes for iPhones and the Google Play Store for Android phones. You could try Stitcher or Player FM Podcast or Overcast: Podcast Player, but there are also many others.
  2. Open the podcast player and search for Slow English. Once you find it, click on the podcast or just press the ‘subscribe’ button and the podcasts will download to your smartphone.  You then listen to them at your leisure.

For an Apple desktop computer or laptop:

  1. Download and install iTunes on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes and go to the Apple Store.  Search for Slow English podcast.  You will find it listed in the store.  Once you select it, you will then  be able to ‘subscribe’ to the podcast.  The podcast episodes will then download to your computer.
  3. Alternatively, there is also a download button on the right hand side of the audio player on each podcast page of my website at www.slowenglish.info.  This will allow you to download each individual podcast episode to your computer.  However, this method is not as efficient as using iTunes, and does not work (nor is it displayed) on touch screens.

For a Windows desktop computer or laptop:

  1. Go to the online Microsoft store and download and install a podcast player.  An example is MyPodcasts. (see https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/p/mypodcasts/9nv15nfrn50l?rtc=1&activetab=pivot:overviewtab).
  2. Open your podcast player and search for Slow English podcast.  The podcast player will find it for you.
  3. Click on the Slow English podcast and the podcasts will download to your computer.
  4. Alternatively, you can also install an extension or an add-on to your internet browser which allows you to easily download audio files. For example, if you are using the Google Chrome browser or the Firefox browser, you can install the Audio Downloader Prime extension, which allows you to easily download any audio file from a website you visit (including this slowenglish website ).
  5. As a further alternative, there is also a download button on the right hand side of the audio player on each podcast page of my website at www.slowenglish.info.  This will allow you to download each individual podcast episode to your computer.  However, this method is not as efficient as using a podcast player, and does not work (nor is it displayed) on touch screens.

Playing Tips – At Normal Speed

I have also been asked if I can provide a normal speed version of my podcast.  The best way for you to do this is to use a podcast player which can change the speed for you.  Many podcast players have a built-in ability to vary the speed without changing the pitch of the podcast.  For example, Player FM Podcast for Android has such a feature. Find it here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fm.player&hl=en.   It is free on the Google Play website.  You can speed up the podcast audio, no problem.  Likewise, if you have an iPhone, a podcast player such as Overcast: Podcast Player also has the ability to speed up a podcast.

This is a quick and easy way for you to achieve the desired change in speed.  Check your current podcast player – it may already have a feature to speed up the podcast.  When choosing a speed for normal, choose x1.2.

Good luck with your English learning.

Rob