As options, Google suggests checking out a variety of podcasting applications in its Google Play online store and managing podcast subscriptions on Google Reader, the company's RSS feed tool.

Google also said on Friday that it plans to trim down the more than 150 different corporate blogs it uses to make announcements about the company and its products. Blogs that have become redundant or aren't updated frequently will be closed down. "This doesn't mean that we'll be sharing any less information -- we'll just be posting our updates on our more popular channels," Ibel wrote.

The effort to streamline Google's menu of applications and online services began as a mandate from co-founder Larry Page after he took over as CEO in April of last year. More than 30 products have been eliminated or combined so far.

The IDG News Service