Why can't I download mp3s in Chrome when I can in IE?

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Downloading mp3s in Chrome can be enhanced by using Google Reader, which can also help manage your RSS feeds and podcasts.
Question:

I have a computer running Windows XP. For several years, I’ve downloaded
documentary mp3 files from the CBC, the BBC and other archived podcasts. I was
working with Internet Explorer, but I switched to Google Chrome. It runs a lot
faster than IE but when I use Google Chrome, I only get so far downloading mp3
files before I get the message, “This XML file does not appear to have any
style information associated with it.” The document tree is shown below. That’s
followed by a page of “<rss xlms:itunes=”http….” and other code. Now, I
can switch back to the slower Internet Explorer for the mp3 files then back to
Chrome again, but that makes me nervous. So I’ve doing without – but rather
suddenly I remembered the question I asked you many months ago and how you had
the perfect answer so I’ll send you this bizarre question just in case you can
actually figure it out.

In this excerpt from
Answercast #82, I look at a case where Chrome is having problems downloading
mp3 files from websites.

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Downloading mp3s in Chrome

Well, the short answer is no. I don’t have a specific answer for you. In fact, the most practical answer is probably what you’re doing. Continue to use Internet Explorer since it works for you.

The issue here appears to be the RSS feed provided by the sites that you are downloading these mp3s from. They apparently are using an iTunes link to grab the actual listing of files in the RSS feed – and somehow that’s what you’re downloading.

I don’t know the specific steps you’re taking or where specifically you are downloading these files from or how those links are formatted – but this looks like some kind of a foray into RSS feeds and the way that mp3 files are included in RSS feeds.

So, solution one: keep doing what you’re doing. Use Internet Explorer since it works and works well for this.

Google Reader

The other approach that comes to mind is something that you might want to try in Chrome if you’re feeling a little bit adventuresome. Since you’re grabbing these files from an RSS feed, fire up an RSS reader. In fact, I have a specific one to recommend: Google Reader.

Google Reader works very well in Chrome. I know because I use Google Reader and I use Chrome.

One of the neat features of Google Reader is if the RSS feed that you are looking at is in reality a podcast feed – Google Reader will show you an actual player in its interface. That means that you can scroll through the various issues (or items) that are in that podcast – and in doing so, just hit the Play button right there and listen to the specific episode that you’re looking at.

So that’s something that I would have you poke around with – if you felt so inclined to continue using Google Chrome.

I do use Google Chrome myself, as I said. I’ve got a couple of good articles on Google Reader. I’d refer you to those to understand exactly what it is and how you might go about setting it up for this.

(Transcript lightly edited for readability.)

Next from Answercast 82 – Will securely deleting recoverable files leave my actual files intact?

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