Best non-iTunes Podcast Experience?
March 3, 2016 10:32 AM Subscribe
What's the best non-iTunes way to easily discover, subscribe, and manage podcasts?
I have an Android phone and use a google account and chrome browser for most of my internet based life. I see that Play will be releasing a podcast section "soon", but I cannot wait!
Please give me your best Android & Browser based options. If the service can sync with both, that'd be amazing!
Bonus question: Any great non-"top 40" podcast suggestions?
I have an Android phone and use a google account and chrome browser for most of my internet based life. I see that Play will be releasing a podcast section "soon", but I cannot wait!
Please give me your best Android & Browser based options. If the service can sync with both, that'd be amazing!
Bonus question: Any great non-"top 40" podcast suggestions?
Best answer: I use BeyondPod for this.
posted by neushoorn at 10:58 AM on March 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by neushoorn at 10:58 AM on March 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
2nding Pocket Casts. Well worth the price.
posted by kbuxton at 11:00 AM on March 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by kbuxton at 11:00 AM on March 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Another vote for Pocket Casts. I tried a few free podcast management apps on Android but was happy to find this one and pay for it because it was so superior. I've never used the web player (costs an additional $9, apparently) but that's mainly because I only listen to podcasts on my commute. It looks like the web player will sync progress across devices.
posted by camcgee at 11:44 AM on March 3, 2016
posted by camcgee at 11:44 AM on March 3, 2016
I'm a big fan of GPodder, which is a Windows/Linux/Mac desktop client that does not sync with my phone. You give GPodder an RSS feed, download your podcasts, and then put them on your phone or MP3 player. Easy peasy and dependable.
As for podcast recs, what are you interested in? There's a lot out there, it'd be good to have a starting point.
posted by possibilityleft at 12:31 PM on March 3, 2016
As for podcast recs, what are you interested in? There's a lot out there, it'd be good to have a starting point.
posted by possibilityleft at 12:31 PM on March 3, 2016
Best answer: Pocket Casts again. One of those apps where you never really think about how it works, cause it just does everything right in the first place.
posted by ominous_paws at 12:34 PM on March 3, 2016
posted by ominous_paws at 12:34 PM on March 3, 2016
Pocket Casts is great, but it doesn't support password protected podcasts. I have a Season Pass to access password protected premium content from The NoSleep Podcast, so I use Podcast Addict.
posted by lola at 12:50 PM on March 3, 2016
posted by lola at 12:50 PM on March 3, 2016
I do use the Pocket Casts webplayer and it's great. I can add stuff right from the browser and it just magically shows up on my phone.
posted by Mo Nickels at 1:48 PM on March 3, 2016
posted by Mo Nickels at 1:48 PM on March 3, 2016
I like OneCast, which is free but has ads if your data is on. I prefer to manually download/delete episodes and only download via wifi, and OneCast lets you turn off updates/streaming. It only loads new episode descriptions via WiFi. The interface is really unobtrusive but if you are the type of person who wants to listen through from the beginning of a long series it is kinda annoying to download each episode manually.
As for recommendations, I mostly listen to comedy podcasts. Improv 4 Humans is definitely the best in terms of consistency, plus lately they've had some amazing musical guests to inspire improv. If you're not used to it its bewildering at first (I wasn't) but I can agree with Matty B that its the best podcast in the universe. For a similar type (improv) but very different tone, try Dead Authors, a live podcast in which HG Wells interview famous Dead Authors.
posted by kittensofthenight at 2:37 PM on March 3, 2016
As for recommendations, I mostly listen to comedy podcasts. Improv 4 Humans is definitely the best in terms of consistency, plus lately they've had some amazing musical guests to inspire improv. If you're not used to it its bewildering at first (I wasn't) but I can agree with Matty B that its the best podcast in the universe. For a similar type (improv) but very different tone, try Dead Authors, a live podcast in which HG Wells interview famous Dead Authors.
posted by kittensofthenight at 2:37 PM on March 3, 2016
I use BeyondPod, and my only beef its its slightly unpredictable SmartPlay playlist generation system. Be sure to force it to save podcasts to your SD card if your phone has one.
I've heard great about PocketCasts, but i've been with BeyondPod so long (and the few bucks I paid for it can buy my loyalty a little longer).
A few years ago when I was shopping for an Android app that ended up being BeyondPod, the other one that was its hottest competitor was Doggcatcher.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:58 PM on March 3, 2016
I've heard great about PocketCasts, but i've been with BeyondPod so long (and the few bucks I paid for it can buy my loyalty a little longer).
A few years ago when I was shopping for an Android app that ended up being BeyondPod, the other one that was its hottest competitor was Doggcatcher.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:58 PM on March 3, 2016
Podcast Addict for me.
posted by DancingYear at 2:43 AM on March 4, 2016
posted by DancingYear at 2:43 AM on March 4, 2016
Nthing Pocketcasts.
I tried several other android podcast apps and found pocketcasts was WAY better for me than anything else. I was happy to pay the cost.
posted by sinical at 7:26 PM on March 4, 2016
I tried several other android podcast apps and found pocketcasts was WAY better for me than anything else. I was happy to pay the cost.
posted by sinical at 7:26 PM on March 4, 2016
Response by poster: Started using pocket casts and it's great! Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll mark addict and beyond down for a rainy day.
posted by mayonnaises at 9:36 PM on March 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mayonnaises at 9:36 PM on March 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
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