iTunes is pissing me off.
November 8, 2013 7:52 AM Subscribe
iTunes now streams podcasts from the cloud, and as far as I can tell no longer provides the capacity to download the mp3 podcast files onto my iMac.
I download podcasts from iTunes to my iPod and listen when I’m commuting.
Until recently. Perhaps coinciding with a recent update to iTunes, the podcasts are no longer downloaded to my computer. Instead, a little ‘cloud' icon appears, indicating that I can stream the podcast.
This is not helpful! I want the actual audio file, so that I can transfer it to different devices, and listen when I’m not in range of a wifi signal.
I wrote to the iTunes support folks asking how to download the files; either the person responding did not understand the question, or they were letting me know in a passive aggressive way that they no longer provide that capability.
So here are my questions:
1. Is there a way to download actual podcast files into iTunes? I am running the latest version, 11.1.3
2. If not, can you recommend another Mac-based program that will enable me to download podcast audo files onto an iMac, and then transfer the files I’m interested in to an iPhone or iPod?
I did read some posts about Downcast, but Downcast is an app for the iPhone, I need to download the podcasts to a desktop.
Finally, why is Apple such an asshole? Why, if it generates no additional profit for them, would they take functionality away from the user? Haha, just kidding! They do it all the time. (Do I sound annoyed?)
I download podcasts from iTunes to my iPod and listen when I’m commuting.
Until recently. Perhaps coinciding with a recent update to iTunes, the podcasts are no longer downloaded to my computer. Instead, a little ‘cloud' icon appears, indicating that I can stream the podcast.
This is not helpful! I want the actual audio file, so that I can transfer it to different devices, and listen when I’m not in range of a wifi signal.
I wrote to the iTunes support folks asking how to download the files; either the person responding did not understand the question, or they were letting me know in a passive aggressive way that they no longer provide that capability.
So here are my questions:
1. Is there a way to download actual podcast files into iTunes? I am running the latest version, 11.1.3
2. If not, can you recommend another Mac-based program that will enable me to download podcast audo files onto an iMac, and then transfer the files I’m interested in to an iPhone or iPod?
I did read some posts about Downcast, but Downcast is an app for the iPhone, I need to download the podcasts to a desktop.
Finally, why is Apple such an asshole? Why, if it generates no additional profit for them, would they take functionality away from the user? Haha, just kidding! They do it all the time. (Do I sound annoyed?)
They still do download to your computer (at least they do to my mac) and I can then load them on my ipod.
If you delete a podcast or have old episodes they do have the little cloud icon and you cant remove them (which is annoying) but those aren't physically on your computer.
Might be a setting on your end with how files/itunes downloads are managed...maybe try right click and chose download if there is an option?
posted by Captain_Science at 8:02 AM on November 8, 2013
If you delete a podcast or have old episodes they do have the little cloud icon and you cant remove them (which is annoying) but those aren't physically on your computer.
Might be a setting on your end with how files/itunes downloads are managed...maybe try right click and chose download if there is an option?
posted by Captain_Science at 8:02 AM on November 8, 2013
As the others have noted, that cloud icon means "download", not "stream". It took me awhile to realize this, too. It's a terrible icon design, frankly, as people now tend to think any "cloud" imagery means "not physically on my computer".
fwiw, the new version of iTunes is a bit of a trainwreck in regards to podcasts. Apple took a simple-to-manage list system, and added multiple layers of complexity and odd behavior.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:29 AM on November 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
fwiw, the new version of iTunes is a bit of a trainwreck in regards to podcasts. Apple took a simple-to-manage list system, and added multiple layers of complexity and odd behavior.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:29 AM on November 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's a terrible icon design, frankly, as people now tend to think any "cloud" imagery means "not physically on my computer".
That is what it means, though - if the cloud icon is there, you haven't yet downloaded it to your machine. The podcast is still in the cloud.
The newest version of iTunes works the same way as it always did with regard to podcasts. You can set them up to be automatically downloaded when a new one is available.
posted by something something at 8:35 AM on November 8, 2013
That is what it means, though - if the cloud icon is there, you haven't yet downloaded it to your machine. The podcast is still in the cloud.
The newest version of iTunes works the same way as it always did with regard to podcasts. You can set them up to be automatically downloaded when a new one is available.
posted by something something at 8:35 AM on November 8, 2013
Best answer: The default download setting for podcasts is "Off". Click on "Podcasts" > "My Podcasts" > "Settings" and you'll see a "Download" option and you can change that to "All". There's also a "Defaults" button where I believe you can set all podcasts to download.
posted by FreezBoy at 8:38 AM on November 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by FreezBoy at 8:38 AM on November 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
Oh, and to download individual podcasts from the iTunes store, click the "Free" button rather than the Play button.
posted by FreezBoy at 8:38 AM on November 8, 2013
posted by FreezBoy at 8:38 AM on November 8, 2013
Response by poster: FreezBoy that's it! Thank you. And apologies to Apple for saying bad things about it :-)
posted by elf27 at 8:42 AM on November 8, 2013
posted by elf27 at 8:42 AM on November 8, 2013
Glad you got your answer, but also Downcaster has version for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
posted by terrapin at 10:21 AM on November 8, 2013
posted by terrapin at 10:21 AM on November 8, 2013
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As far as I can tell, downloading podcasts is still an advertised feature of the newest version of iTunes. Check to see whether it's downloading them to a directory that you're not familiar with. (Right-clicking the podcast and checking its properties would be a good place to start.)
posted by fifthrider at 8:01 AM on November 8, 2013 [1 favorite]