How to fill that video IPod - for free

So, you're the lucky possessor of a new video IPod.

Just what are you going to use it for? Think about that one for a minute.

You could shell out $1.99 US to watch an old episode of Desperate Housewives on the small screen. And we are talking really SMALL screen here.

Oh, whoops, you're a Canadian and you can't even do that. On this side of the 49th, you're stuck with Pixar animated shorts and music videos from the ITunes store.

Of course, you could load your own videos. But with a max of about two hours of battery life, forget about plugging in Lord of the Rings for that long flight.

Just as nature abhors a vacuum, content providers hate a medium without a message.

Some must have been poised to start offering video podcasts (a.k.a., vodcasts, vidcasts) almost before Apple's Steve Jobs walked off the stage where he unveiled his latest baby last October.

They range from the naughty and scantily clad models at SuicideGirls.com to the somewhat less provocative wit and wisdom of Stephen Harper and his Conservative party, campaigning for your vote this holiday season.

And the good news is plenty are absolutely free, although sometimes it's easy to see why.

Here's a sample of what can be found on the web by those who want to keep the cost of stuffing their new video IPod to a minimum:

Veoh - This San Diego-based startup roared out of the blocks in December bragging that it had 3,000 different videos ready for IPod users. It requires a relatively painless download and enables users to contribute as well as receive. Once the download is finished it launches like any other video player on your computer and lets you search for a variety of content. Everything from old Popeye cartoons and the Three Stooges to viewer videoblogs, with such provocative titles as View From My Office Window (which refused to open, aw shucks). Find it at www.veoh.com.

Everything Canadian - www.todmaffin.com/Canadapodcasts, by the CBC's tech columnist, offers mostly audio but some video podcasts are popping up. Most are of the home-grown variety, but one never knows what will show up in such lists.

Mefeedia - Videoblogs and more videoblogs. If you really want to know what Dave did on his summer vacation, you can find out here. Voyeurism for the really, really bored but, what the heck. Find it at www.mefeedia.com.

Flixpo and Pixpo - Flixpo offers a variety of content like Veoh. Pixpo requires a download much like Veoh that enables users to send and receive blog-type content. Flixpo is particularly good for lovers of funny or unusual TV commercials but it also has a good sprinkling of comics like George Carlin. And Pixpo? Well, there's Dave again. Find both at www.flixpo.com.

Central Park Media - Mostly anime trailers if you're looking for free content, although there are a few full episodes for free downloading. Otherwise they want you to buy. www.centralparkmedia.com.

SuicideGirls - Sort of a web-based version of Playboy for the pierced, SuicideGirls.com isn't exactly G-rated but it doesn't warrant an X either. Now it offers podcasts of some of its models. It suggests you can show them to your mother, but perhaps not, unless mom rode a Harley and has an eagle tattooed on her biceps. But they do prove that goths just gotta have fun too. www.suicidegirls.com.

Still more aggregators - www.podcastingnews.com has both news about podcasts of all kinds and direct links to a wide variety of video podcasts. Newly added to www.podcastdirectory.com is a video podcast section that has a long list of material. Also try www.podcast.net which has a smattering of video material in addition to its standard MP3 offerings. Type video podcasts into its search engine. And www.loomia.com is an excellent beginner's source of information and content. Find still more at www.vodcasts.tv and www.feedburner.com.