The best apps for podcasts

The term "podcasts" itself appeared in our lives relatively recently, approximately in the early 2000s, and for many even later. Podcasts are created by the created audio files, which are largely similar to radio or record various TV shows. In general, it's like YouTube, just without pictures. You can listen to releases of your favorite gear, radio and many other useful content.

There are now a large number of podcasts from different authors. For example, the American Non-Profit Foundation TED, which regularly holds the conference and discusses various topics (nature, science, business, psychology, social sphere, etc.), also writes its podcasts and spreads them. This is a convenient way to get new information like a radio, only it is available anywhere.

CastBox

Let's start with the CastBox application, which is absolutely free in the App Store and Google Play stores. Immediately after the first launch, the program will try to guess the tastes of the user and prompts you to select the topics of the topics, as well as log in or create a new one. For convenience, you can go through Facebook or postpone this procedure at all in order to get acquainted with the functionality of the program. In general, the authorization is optional here, but will be needed if you use CastBox on multiple devices (for synchronization ).

On the "Selection" tab, you can choose a podcast specifically for your tastes from categories: creativity, fiction, business, comedy, education, health and fitness and dozen others. In addition, there is an opportunity to listen to audiobooks and local radio stations. And if you like something, then (podcast, author, audiobook or radio station) it's easy to add it to your favorites list. In the Community section, you can share your favorite podcasts and other content with Castbox users, comment on user posts, or share them on social networks.

Application features:

• Can download content and listen offline : without internet connection.
• Automatically download new episodes and episodes.
• Discuss podcasts, audiobooks and any other content with people from all over the world.
• Synchronization between multiple devices.
• A wide variety of topics : sports, health, business, art, psychology, etc. - it's easy to find content to your liking.

If you wish, you can subscribe to a Premium subscription here, which includes: removal of visual ads, an expanded range of playback settings and features, and other benefits compared to free basic version of the program.

Podcast Go

On the second line is another great application - Podcast Go. Compared to the previous podcast listening tool, this one has a much more simplified interface. After the first launch, we immediately get to the main screen, where we can choose the author of podcasts from a list of recommended ones, which is selected based on personal preferences. If necessary, you can manually select a category (of which there are a little less than in Castbox) and an author. And if you don't have any ideas yet, Podcast Go has a "Popular" tab, where the most popular and interesting podcasts for other users are placed.

You can add authors you like to My Podcasts to access new content faster. And if you do not have time to finish listening to any episode, it will be automatically placed in the “Incomplete” category and you can continue listening at any convenient time from the same moment.

Application Features:

• Several color themes with different shades: Light, Violet, dark.
• Podcasts in several dozen countries.
• Automatically downloads new episodes and notifies them when they arrive.
• Save scenes to SD card.
• Individual selection of podcasts for each user.

One greater feature of the application, which does not have many others - the ability to load podcasts in manual mode, knowing the URL. To do this, only you need to copy the URL and insert into the string, after clicking on or disabling the authentication function. In addition, all functions are free here without separation to subscriptions. Unless you have to look at advertising sometimes, but for a small fee it can be turned off in the settings.

Yandex. Music

On the third line, the Yandex program, which, first of all, positions itself as a streaming musical service. Despite this, there is all the necessary functionality to listen to podcasts for every taste. Do any cases and turn on the playlists already selected for this. Need to go at home? Include playlist "Cognitive cleaning" and get useful information to related topics. There are also a selection for other classes: "Create with benefit", "productive training" and "in the game".

And if you do not suit you anything, you can open a list of categories (sports, news, humor, technology, cinema and serials, etc.) and choose what exactly likes. In case you have no ideas, in Yandex. Music, there is a chart where the most popular podcasts fall. You can subscribe to your favorite from them so that in the future do not miss new issues and keep up to date with updates.

Features of the program:

• High quality sound.
• the ability to download episodes in advance and listen to them without access to the Internet.
• Individual selections, playlists and recommendations based on personal preferences.
• Sleep timer: You can set the time after which playback will end.
• Create your own playlists.

One big drawback of the utility is a small library of podcasts, in comparison with the applications that we presented above. Still, the service is more concentrated on music.

Google Podcasts

At the moment, Google's program is in beta version, therefore radical changes are still possible in the near future. Many, it can push in connection with the fact that a large number of podcasts here at English. Although, if necessary, here you can find Russian-speaking content, but not in such quantities in which he was present in the first two applications.

Most recently, there were no podcasts in Russian, but, apparently, over time, he is added here, which cannot but rejoice. Basically, Russian-speaking content here is available here only from the categories "News", "Society and Culture" and "Sport". In addition, this is not the most pleasant "features" of the application there are others. For example, Google's utility differs on the branded for this developer with a design and simple intuitive interface. This will especially appreciate the Google ecosystem lovers.

Features of the application:

• Pleasant design and interface.
• Changing the reproduction speed.
• Automatic trimming of moments where silence is recorded.
• Sleeping mode : Podcast auto shutdown after time (timer).
• You can share a podcast with friends on social networks.

It is possible that the product from Google would have occupied a higher place in our selection, if it were not for the overwhelming number of English-speaking podcasts. Although, a big problem it will be far from all users.

Radio Music Podcast Music - CastBox

Fifth place - application "Podcast Radio Music - Castbox". It combines the benefits of several services at once. After starting, we get immediately to the main screen where we can choose one or another category: comedies, music, religion and spirituality, education, leisure, etc. They are not so much, but if you suddenly did not find what they wanted, there are sections "Best Podcasts" and "Top Video", where the most interesting content falls.

The program has a large number of playback functions, which allows you to adjust everything for yourself. Listening issues will automatically marry the mark "Listening" to do not come across repeats. You can form queues where new episodes from the authors you are signed.

Features of the application:

• Simultaneous loading of several new episodes of signed podcasts.
• Automatic removal of episodes After completing playback.
• There is a dark topic.
• You can manually select the folder for downloading issues.
• Tens of thousands of free radio stations.

Kratko

in the queue still gaining popularity program "Kratko: new knowledge for 15 Min. Unlike other tools for listening to podcasts there are real lecture courses from well-known experts in a particular area and audio version of the articles of popular media sources. There are audiobooks from famous authors that can be downloaded and listen to offline at any time. The only minus is that most books and other interesting content are available only after purchasing a subscription. Although some audiobooks have a trailer that allows us to briefly explore the content and evaluate the feasibility of purchase.

In the "Review" section there is a major library where you can access lectures, articles in audio format, books and podcasts. More than a dozen categories are available, and the number of content will continue to be expanding in the future, given that the service is still quite fresh. Favorites are formed a tape consisting of favorite authors. And on the Search tab, you can manually find suitable content on any subject.

Features of the Service:

• Fast registration and authorization via Google, Facebook and VKontakte.
• Timely PUSH notifications on updates from favorite authors.
• Many available topics: Travel, history, family and children, culture, education and others.
• Short retells of books in audio format - Do not waste hours, read the basic ideas for 15-20 minutes.
• Be trend and recognize about new materials first-hand.

For users with a paid subscription at the moment, more than 2,500 lectures are available, audio stations, Non-Fikshn books in brief format, as well as daily updates. When decorated, the developer provides a free 7-day period, further - 999 rubles / year.

Tunein Radio

The penultimate program in our selection - Tunein Radio. In general, its main purpose is listening to radio stations, but there is also a special section with podcasts where you can choose any of the top ten topics. Get access to popular radio stations in your area and recommendations based on your taste. The application even provides an opportunity to listen to real-time radio stations from other countries in Europe, North, Central or South America, Asia, Australia (Australia, Fiji, etc.) and Africa. Choose any region and the city, and then listen to the radio broadcast.

For lovers listen to radio or podcasts in the car there is a special "Auto" mode. It is a bit simplified by the application interface, and also appears voice search so that you are not distracted by driving. In the settings, you can set the automatic launch of the mode after opening Tunein Radio. And for greater convenience and eliminate various errors, the developer has implemented a few players work: "Default" (one is used by default), "Exoplayer" and "UAP".

Features of the application:

• Comfortable mode for drivers.
• The ability to access the radio from anywhere in the world.
• A huge library.
• Support for tens of languages.
• Accommodation will be suitable: News, sports, music, entertainment and other topics.
• Global list of radio stations in one place.

In Tunein Radio there is a premium subscription, which displays the service to a new level, providing the user to listen to the news of such well-known channels like CNN, Fox News Radio, CNBC, MSNBC and others. In addition, advertising is completely cut from musical sources.

LearNenGlish Podcasts

Complete the selection of the LearNenGlish Podcasts utility, already based on the name of which, you can understand its purpose - learning English. In many ways, this is not just a program for listening to educational podcasts, but also a full-fledged application that contains useful interactive lessons, allowing you to consolidate your skills in English or improve them. Listen to the conversations that were recorded with the participation of native speakers and improve the skills of pronunciation and perception of speech on rumor.

Podcasts here are devoted to many familiar to us: life, parties, travel, weekend plans and so on. Due to this, it is possible to most quickly master the entire necessary base, which will be needed for a deeper study. There are several dozen episodes with a total duration in more than 20 hours. And to be better to get involved in the process and understand what we are talking about, there is a large number of tools in the program.

Features of the application:

• Simple and non-rotated interface.
• Advanced tools for learning English.
• High quality podcasts.
• You can learn anywhere: at home, on the road, while traveling.

All episodes are divided into many topics. After study, you can pass uploaded episodes again and again, dropping progress, or remove them at all from the device. During listening, the subtitles will automatically stand out so that you can be checked with the heard phrases and, if necessary, translate them. And if the narrator tells too fast, you can slow the playback speed twice.