Apple and multimedia search engine Blinkx.tv have begun offering services that help searchers find free podcasts, with Blinkx now allowing podcast creators to submit content for inclusion in its search index, AdWeek reports. Apple has added over 3,000 audio files to its iTunes store, ranging from amateur podcasts to programs from established media outlets. Blinkx says it has added over 10,000 podcast feeds to its search engine. Blinkx is competing with Google, Yahoo, and AOL to build multimedia search engines.

Apple's iTunes now gives customers free access to podcasts, a move that Apple is claiming "brings podcasting into the mainstream," according to the BBC. The updated software also allows users to send in their own podcasts.

Google added user-generated free video to its video search engine earlier this week. Yahoo and AOL have licensing deals with major video producers for content.

Unlike other search engines, Blinkx uses voice-recognition software to transcribe audio from files into text, which is then matched to search queries.