At last, Apple released an App for iOS for downloading and playing podcasts without the need to synchronize with iTunes. It's not too complicated to use, and has a new, beautiful "best stations" mode to browse for podcasts that complements the iTunes store section.
What's jarring is not more advanced features that's missing, like playlists or a "sticky" setting for playback speed, as all of these a better implemented in other non-free apps (iTunes's podcast playlist support never worked very well). It is the loss of support for "Enhanced Podcasts" with its chapter marks. You ca still create them with GarageBand and view them in iTunes, but this feature that was essentially invented for MP4 audio by Apple just disappeared.
I hope that this app becomes bundled with iOS 6 somehow, because I'd really like podcasting to have more visibility to new users. Also, it would be great if Android phones came with some basic podcasting app.
Published on June 26, 2012 at 20:56 EDT
Older post: The Mythical Man-Month
Newer post: The Reddit Lurker