Author Topic: iPhone podcast apps  (Read 6040 times)

Ocicat

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on: January 14, 2014, 11:42:56 PM
I'd been happily using my iPhone to listen to podcasts until I updated to IOS 7.  Then they moved podcasts out of iTunes and into it's own app, which has not been working as advertised for me.  Every time I sync my phone and my computer all my unheard podcasts become "temporarily unavailable" and have to be deleted and re-downloaded.  Annoying to say the least.  I'm curious to hear if anyone else has encountered this...

In any case, I want to jump ship and use a different iPhone podcast app.  What are people's favorites?



lowky

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Reply #1 on: January 15, 2014, 12:03:19 AM
I have had it turn off a subscription to Pseudopod, but otherwise haven't had too many problems, it doesn't always seem to download everything, but... They also moved the podcasts out with iOS6.  which I am still on so that could be the difference. 

I like that I can listen to them when at my computer if I want with using the default app, without having to download twice.



Ocicat

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Reply #2 on: January 15, 2014, 12:56:20 AM
Actually when I was using IOS6 I was still using Snow Leopard, so the iphone let me play podcasts via the "music" app.  Then I upgraded my mac and my phone and the problems happened...



Procyon

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Reply #3 on: January 24, 2014, 01:38:51 PM
I use an app called Downcast.  I mostly listen to podcasts when I'm walking around doing things or out of the house, not sitting at my computer, so I don't do any kind of syncing. All my subscriptions are in Downcast and it dutifully grabs new ones for me semi-regularly.  There are fairly robust settings for how long to keep episodes that can be adjusted for each podcast.  For example, some podcasts I don't really listen to super often, but every once in a while I'll tune in and I don't mind if I miss a few.  For these cases, I can tell Downcast to only keep around, say, three un-listened episodes and just purge older ones when new ones come in.  I use this a fair amount to keep my queue under control (peace of mind!) and save space on my ipod. 

Though, speaking of the queue, Downcast actually lets you have multiple queues, which it calls "playlists."  It's a way of filtering your subscriptions.  I have a Literature one with the various fiction podcasts I listen to, I have Talk Shows, Music, and I'm probably not really taking full advantage of the capabilities but either way it's still useful. 

I have heard some people complain about the look-and-feel of Downcast being too clunky but truthfully I find it simple to use.

Pocket Casts is another app that I've heard about being good, but I haven't tried it.  They have an Android version, which is nice if your phone is running that.



matweller

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Reply #4 on: January 24, 2014, 02:34:39 PM
Actually when I was using IOS6 I was still using Snow Leopard, so the iphone let me play podcasts via the "music" app.  Then I upgraded my mac and my phone and the problems happened...
I'm not a fan of that either. I just upgraded from a 2nd gen iPod Touch to an iPhone 4S running iOS7, and was VERY annoyed to see that change. I mean, the syncing still happens through iTunes, what's the point of separating it from everything else? For that matter, why is iTunes a separate app at all? It's all integrated into the OS anyway…why not just make it a smaller version of what's on the computer?

That being said/ranted, my understanding with the Podcast app is that if you give it access to the web, it should ping every time you turn it on and self-sync. Is that not the case? I don't know because I have mine turned off because I don't want it syncing my 30+ podcasts on my cellular data plan. I don't have any problem syncing with my Mac (OS 10.8.5). What generation iPhone are you on? My 4s runs IOS7 fine, but I've heard a lot of people complaining about problems running it on anything earlier than a 5+.

I don't use it, but I'll mention it since nobody else has, but Stitcher (http://www.stitcher.com)has been the big mobile podcatcher for years now. That might be worth a shot.

As Procyon said, Downcast is good. It may actually be the second most popular podcatcher next to iTunes itself.

Instacast (http://vemedio.com/products/instacast) also seems to be fairly popular, though I know nothing of it either.



matweller

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Reply #5 on: March 18, 2014, 02:04:45 PM
Has anyone found an alternative they like? I'm getting really fed up with the Podcasts app and it's complete lack of functionality. How can you take part of an app, make it into its own app, and somehow make it less useful? Music did everything I wanted it to in OS4…why does OS7 suck so bad at it.

The most important thing to me is that I want it to download podcasts from my computer to it so that I don't have to stream the downloads through my mobile data plan. I would also like to be able to listen to the shows on my computer, since that's what I do all day. If those two things could sync, that would be great. If they can't, I'll use my kids' $30 MP3 player until my mobile contract runs out and sell my iPhone and go back to the non-smartphone I have in the basement.



bounceswoosh

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Reply #6 on: March 18, 2014, 10:23:15 PM
Podcasts are a major reason I switched to android. Doggcatcher is fantastic.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 10:42:28 PM by eytanz »



eytanz

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Reply #7 on: March 18, 2014, 10:44:32 PM
I use Downcast on ios and find it very good, but that's because I am not interested in syncing with a computer. I don't know of any ios podcast apps that lets you sync with a computer other than the (pretty aweful) native app.



Ocicat

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Reply #8 on: March 19, 2014, 08:20:32 AM
I've recently switched to iCatcher! which seems okay, and theoretically has some kind of syncing with iTunes, but I haven't yet tried it.