Downcast
Description of App
Download and listen to your favorite podcasts directly from your iOS device without the need to sync with iTunes.
"Downcast Is the Best Podcast Downloader and Player for iPhone" - Lifehacker
"Downcast: Probably The Best Podcast Downloader for iPad and iPhone" - Wired Gadget Lab
Features
- Search, subscribe to and download audio and video podcasts of any size
- Video and audio AirPlay support
- Manually subscribe to podcasts via URL
- Sync podcast subscriptions, playlists, settings and episode information via iCloud
- Download podcasts automatically (including resuming downloads)
- Continue podcast downloads in background (per iOS restrictions)
- Browse and download older podcast episodes
- Auto-update podcasts
- Settings for auto-download and episode retention (globally and per-podcast)
- Import podcast feeds via OMPL
- Export podcasts and OPML files to your computer and other 3rd party apps
- Support for password-protected feeds
- Play audio in the background (for supported devices)
- .5x, 1x, 1.25, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2x, 2.5x, 2.75x and 3x speed playback
- Chapters support for enhanced podcasts
- Stream episodes without downloading
- Control audio with Bluetooth or other headphone remote controls
- Create and edit "smart" playlists
- View podcast details and episode show notes
- View embedded images in podcast episodes
- Rename podcasts with long or unwieldy names
- Gesture support
- Integrated help
- Sleep timer
Version
Free or Paid
Compatibility
Device(s) App Was Tested On
Accessibility Comments
This app is fully accessible with VoiceOver. All buttons are clearly labelled, there are appropriate hints, and the interface is intuitive and easy to use.
Having used nearly every other podcast app that is available, this is now my favorite. Unlike some of those other apps, VoiceOver support does not appear like it was an afterthought. Nor does it get in the way of the basic usability of the app (I like iCatcher!, but I do find myself a little frustrated at how the elements and controls added to make it accessible actually impact a little on the user experience).
All of the features of Downcast are accessible. I particularly like the fact that podcasts with unplayed episodes are grouped at the top of your list of subscribed podcasts. This makes it much quicker and easier to keep track of new episodes (although you can also use the app's playlist feature to do this).
Downcast appears to offer the best of both worlds - a very good set of features, along with full support of VoiceOver. Highly recommended.
Comments
#1 Even better now!
i contacted the developer with a request of adding additional playback speeds as often us VI's like to be productive and get through audio at faster speeds. They were very friendly and have since added 3X playback speed in addition to their other speed varients. Really great app from helpful and friendly developers - i really recommend this app!
#2 Force Feed Refresh
Is there a way to force Downcast to refresh its feeds manually?
On my Touch 4G, even with refresh set to hourly, sometimes it will say it has been several hours since the last refresh. I'd like to be able to tell it to do it, "now."
#3 Pull-down to refresh
You can use the pull-down to refresh gesture to force a manual refresh of podcasts.
If you are not familiar with this gesture, it's a one fingered, double-tap and hold. Then, without lifting your finger from the screen, slide it downwards for a couple of centimetres and then lift it.
In the case of Downcast, you need to do this on the page that lists your podcast subscriptions (although it also works when viewing a list of episodes for a specific podcast). It works best if VoiceOver focus is on the first item in the list. It can take a little practice to make this work consistently.
A three-fingered swipe will usually action the pull-down to refresh in apps, but I have found this to be fairly unreliable with Downcast.
From my experience, if you have Downcast set to only show podcasts with unplayed episodes and there are no podcasts listed, the three-fingered swipe down is the only one of these two gestures that will work.
#4 Thanks for the Help
Is there any sort of audio feed back to let one know the gesture has been successfully performed and interpreted? I'm double tapping hold and flicking down, but don't hear anything after the hold. I've tried it on the Edit button, the podcast heading, the last updated line, and the first podcast feed.
I must have gotten it right as now my updated time is, well, updated, but I'm not sure which gesture made it happen.
I
#5 Sound effects
VoiceOver focus does need to be on an item in the list for the pull-down to work.
If you have the 'refresh feed' sound effect enabled in settings then you should hear this to confirm that the feed refresh has started.
As I said, it can take a little practice to get this gesture to work reliably and consistently.
#6 Oh Yeah...
I turned off all the notification sounds a long time ago. Ooops. Thanks again.