Android App for Podcasts?

May 19, 2011 7:23 AM

I've started using my HTC Droid Incredible as my main podcast player, and I'd love to hear how other people set this up, since other music players don't always resume playing mid-podcast.

I guess my favorite solution so far has been android winamp just to play downloaded podcasts out of a specific folder, I'm pretty happy with that except that it loses it's place in the show about half the time (maybe related to how long the phone is closed). Anyone have a favorite app or setup for podasts? (or know how to get winamp or another player to save the place more often?)

posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo to Technology (14 answers total)

Best answer: I use Doggcatcher, which is a paid app, but it fixed all the problems I was having with Google's Listen. Listen has the advantage of syncing with Google Reader, if you happen to use that, so your podcasts can exist in both places and you can pick up listening in your browser when not listening on the phone. This would all be great, if it actually worked. Unfortunately, half the time it would lose episodes.

Doggcatcher also has some weird settings that may take a few tries to dial in correctly. It is very powerful, but it does give you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot. I've accidentally set things to "download at least 5 episodes, keep at most 3 episodes", which didn't turn out too well.
posted by JJtheJetPlane at 7:34 AM on May 19, 2011 [2 favorites]

I used to have problems with Listen, but for the last month or so, I've been subscribed to 20+ podcasts and not lost any individual episodes. I really like the ability to list episodes in a queue I want to listen to and easily download as soon as new episodes are available.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:45 AM on May 19, 2011

Best answer: I use BeyondPod, so far it's worked out well. I usually play it via bluetooth in my car and it stops playing when I stop the car or otherwise turn off the radio and remembers the location.

There's a free version available with slightly less features you can try out first.

I used Listen for a while, but found BeyondPod to work a little better.

I've head good things about Doggcatcher, but haven't bothered to try it out yet.
posted by beowulf573 at 7:58 AM on May 19, 2011

Best answer: Another recommendation for Doggcatcher. Unfortunately there isn't a trial version, but it's well worth the $7 if you listen to a lot of podcasts. BeyondPod is also quite good -- I own both, thanks to BeyondPod being on sale for $2 at one point -- and it does have a trial version you can check out.

If you pick either of these apps, you might also want to check out the Presto sound library, which is a separate add-on that works with several podcast players to do variable speed playback (since the system codecs don't support that). You have to buy it separately but it works with Doggcatcher, the (not yet on the Market) beta of BeyondPod, and I think a couple of others.
posted by robt at 8:00 AM on May 19, 2011

Thirding Doggcatcher. It's not too expensive and it works great.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 8:14 AM on May 19, 2011

I tried Listen and BeyondPod and neither could find a fave podcast: The Q&A With Jeff Goldsmith. Can anyone confirm that it's showing up in DoggCatcher before I shell out for it? All the other podcatcher programs could find were his previous podcasts: Creative Screenwriting interviews hosted by Jeff Goldsmith.
posted by dobbs at 8:50 AM on May 19, 2011

dobbs, I'm looking at it right here, just searched and found it. You can also add any feed from its url.

I used listen, dropped it like a bad habit when I found Doggcatcher.
posted by TomMelee at 9:42 AM on May 19, 2011

Thanks, TomMelee. I found the page and added them to Listen and BeyondPod and they just told me it was a bad link or something like that--they couldn't actually grab the audio. Thanks!
posted by dobbs at 9:45 AM on May 19, 2011

oh, i didnt check that...ckecking now....looks like 2 months worth available.
posted by TomMelee at 9:54 AM on May 19, 2011

Thanks!
posted by dobbs at 9:13 PM on May 19, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks everyone, checking out these options and it looks like i'll drop some money on doggcatcher at some point!
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 7:01 AM on May 20, 2011

While doggcatcher does not have a trial version, the developer has a very generous money-back guarantee.
posted by garlic at 6:17 AM on May 23, 2011

For my own update, though Doggcatcher does see the podcast I wanted (The Q & A With Jeff Goldsmith), it doesn't play any of them.
posted by dobbs at 10:15 PM on May 29, 2011

Response by poster: as a follow up, google's listen just doesnt seem functional and seems abandoned by google (ideally maybe some of its features will turn up in google reader), and i'm trying out pocket cast (lifehacker review) before i spend the money on doggcatcher.
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 7:51 AM on June 27, 2011