Amongst people who find themselves severe about podcasts, Overcast is a favourite iOS listening app. You could not have heard of it, however that’s about to vary. Overcast focuses on what the consumer desires to concentrate to, not what the guardian firm desires to advertise. Podcast listeners can simply discover the exhibits they need and customise their listening expertise. That’s good for the viewers, and since your viewers desires to return again for extra, nice for podcasters. And now, it has a brand new interface to rejoice ten years of podcast listening goodness.
What Makes Overcast Totally different From Different Podcast Listening Apps?
Sometimes, once you open any podcast directory, the house display screen exhibits what the listing desires to advertise. When you’re simply distracted (like me), it’s an enormous drag to get previous the exhibits they need to promote and discover the exhibits I need. However Overcast’s consumer interface will get me to the exhibits I need immediately. I can tailor every podcast’s listening expertise to suit my wants. And, the brand new search instruments assist me discover extra of what I need quick.
Good Playlists
Many podcast-listening apps allow you to create playlists. However Overcast has a Good Playlists characteristic that downloads the newest episode of the exhibits you select on to that queue. The interesting colour palette and library of icons assist you to curate an audio library that updates itself.
Overcast’s good playlists make it simpler to listen to podcasts using the Apple Watch. When my canine desires to exit, I must seize the leash, earbuds, and home keys instantly, if not sooner. Overcast offers me an enormous reduction figuring out there’s a queue of favourite podcasts, able to go on my watch. Once I take heed to sleep podcasts, Overcast’s Apple Watch interface makes it simple to regulate playback with out having to fumble for my telephone. And, there’s even a jailbreak-style sport within the watch model of Overcast.
Customized Playback Settings
Most podcast-listening apps permit you to modify the playback pace and period of time that you could skip ahead or again. Not solely does Overcast assist you to with size of skip time and participant pace, but additionally:
Search Instruments
Within the previous Overcast, you possibly can sort within the search field, and the app would fetch the podcasts you already comply with with episodes that embody that info. It will then show some related podcasts you haven’t adopted but. You could possibly additionally search inside a podcast’s episodes to seek out particular info. I’d give the search instruments a 3 out of 5.
Nonetheless, once you click on on the search outcomes, the interface doesn’t all the time present you the episode you discovered, however the whole checklist of episodes for that podcast. It was a disconcerting hiccup. You’d need to do one other search inside the podcast’s episodes to seek out the data you need.
Which brings us to the enhancements.
What Makes The New Overcast Higher?
I’m not a developer, nor do I play one on TV. Nonetheless, I can let you know that the improved coding makes Overcast a quicker app. From the second you open the app, load instances are a flash, and clicks really feel extra responsive. The 4 massive noticeable modifications are:
- Extra direct navigation, with fewer clicks, to get to the podcast you need.
- Attending to the particular content material you need is easier, too: now you’ll be able to undo a big skip.
- Search is extra granular, with guided steps to slender search outcomes.
- Streaming is eradicated: episodes solely obtain, and it’s not unhealthy information.
Let me present you the small print.
Consolidated Display screen Format
Extra choices match on the display screen at one time, so you may make selections with much less scrolling.
When you (like me) take heed to a part of a podcast, get interrupted, and might’t return to podcast listening till lengthy after your temper has modified, you’ll love the “Just lately Performed” buttons on the high of the display screen. Overcast’s playlist row makes use of side-scrolling, so your first few playlists are proper there, and the buttons to create new playlists are equally clear.
Undo a Massive Search
Likelihood Miller, editor-in-chief of 9 to five Mac, mentioned the power to undo a big search was one in every of his favorite new Overcast features. “When you unintentionally skip too far ahead or backward in an episode, you’ll see a small button seem in Overcast that can undo the search. That is notably helpful for those who unintentionally change your playback place through the Now Taking part in controls on the Lock Display screen.” When you’re shoving your telephone right into a pocket whereas listening, this can be a enormous assist.
At first, I assumed Miller mentioned, “undo a big steek,” and my mind practically exploded. If anybody can undo the method of slicing knit stitches, it might be miraculous. Luckily, I used to be unsuitable.
Search: Overcast Goes With You
As I mentioned earlier than, Overcast’s search operate was all the time a raffle. When you discovered what you needed on the highest stage, you’d need to seek for it once more inside a podcast’s feed. Now, the method guides you thru the steps to seek out the episode you need.
For instance, I searched in Overcast for “John Hodgman.” The Hodgemeister has been on a whole lot of podcasts, most notably one along with his title within the title. Right here’s the primary set of outcomes.
The highest two exhibits are ones I already comply with, and his title is within the title, the outline, or each. The rest, underneath “Extra Podcasts,” are exhibits that I don’t subscribe to, however the phrases “John Hodgman” are within the present description.
What if the search time period isn’t within the title or the present’s description?
I don’t comply with any podcasts with the phrases “morse code” within the title or present description. If I sort “morse code” into the search engine, the search outcomes solely show exhibits underneath the class “Extra Podcasts.” But when I faucet on “My Episodes,” Overcast’s search instruments present me episodes of podcasts that I already comply with which have “morse code” within the episode’s present notes.
Once more, Overcast’s new interface does an important job of serving to you discover what you need to take heed to, not what a listing or tech firm desires to advertise.
Streaming Inefficiencies, Begone!
Overcast now not has a streaming choice. Creator Marco Arment explained that dynamic advert insertion makes streaming a much less fulfilling consumer expertise. “For instance, if the primary half of an episode downloads, then the obtain fails, and it downloads the second half with one other request, the mixed audio could soar ahead or again on the midway mark, dropping or repeating content material.” Arment’s consideration to element and appreciation for the consumer expertise, in addition to podcast integrity, are admirable.
Episodes obtain over Wi-Fi or wait in a queue till you open them, and the pace is pleasantly shocking. I stay in a metropolis with quick web, however I attempted downloading an episode with Wi-Fi turned off, solely utilizing the mobile sign. A 51-minute episode of We’re Alive took 5 seconds to fully empty itself into my telephone.
Sure, I counted.
The previous Overcast made me replace my playlists after I had dependable web entry. Both I needed to plan forward, or wait longer to obtain my exhibits earlier than leaving the home within the morning. The brand new Overcast downloads podcasts so rapidly, even with a mobile sign, you won’t even discover.
Overcast’s Pricing and Adverts
In terms of podcast listening apps, you both pay together with your pockets or your consideration span. In different phrases, you should buy the premium model to make use of the app with out distractions, or you’ll be able to have adverts, and get Overcast’s unmatched service, ad-free.
On this manner, Overcast advantages each podcasters and informal listeners. The app is free for informal listeners, however energy customers can subscribe to the premium model for $10 a 12 months.
The only distinction between the 2 is that the free model runs small banner adverts for various podcasts on the backside of the app’s show window. The adverts aren’t terribly intrusive. They don’t block controls or encroach on the consumer expertise. Extra importantly, they’re related to the podcast in play. It’s extra of a useful suggestion than a distraction.
For podcasters, Overcast’s advertising program is the very best in its class. The adverts are fairly priced, relying on style and demand, and focused to the class you select. When a consumer clicks on the advert, they go proper to the podcast.
You could not have even observed the advert on this screenshot at first. No muss, no fuss, straight to the purpose.
The Finest Tenth Birthday Current Is a Robust Begin for the Future.
The 12 months I turned ten, the Phillies lastly received the World Sequence, Ronald Reagan was elected President, and John Lennon died. I turned acutely conscious that massive modifications may occur in a single day. Overcast entered its tenth 12 months with some flaws, but it was nonetheless higher than most podcast-listening apps. Now, Overcast goes out with self-awareness, duty, and a strong basis for enchancment.
Overcast’s creator (and the whole manufacturing staff), Marco Arment, said, “For Overcast to have a future, it wanted a contemporary basis for its second decade. I’ve spent the previous 18 months rebuilding a lot of the app… Now, improvement is quickly accelerating. I’m extra responsive, iterating extra rapidly and finally making the app a lot higher.
Thanks all a lot for the primary decade of Overcast.”
Thanks, Marco Arment, for making Overcast’s tenth 12 months a chance to make podcasts higher for everybody.
What’s your favourite podcast listening app? Why is it the suitable match for you? Come be part of us in our IndiePod Neighborhood, and inform us what your favorite portal to podcast-listening enjoyment is, and why. We’d love to listen to from you.
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