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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2021 27 THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! By Steve Benoff Podcasts! Surely by now you've heard about podcasts. The dictionary definition of a podcast is: "A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically." You can think of podcasts as radio for the modern age. Except you're not limited to local radio stations. And podcasters don't need broadcast equipment to create and distribute their podcasts. There are even podcasts about how to make your own podcast. There are podcasts on just about any subject you can think of. For example, I just finished a podcast series entitled History of The Great War. It's a weekly series that started in June of 2014 and ended in December of 2019 covering World War I in great detail. Of course, I could have read a book on the subject, but I found the podcast a more enjoyable way to absorb the material. After watching the show Hamilton on Disney+, I wanted to know more about the War of 1812. Sure enough, there is a podcast series (quite concise, thank you) on the subject. Hardly a day goes by that I don't listen to a podcast on my iPhone. I subscribe to podcasts about sports, the stock market, current news, history, and legal issues. But to listen to a podcast, you need a podcast app, and that's the subject of this month's column. There are many of these apps, and they are mostly the same. They enable you to download individual podcasts, subscribe to a podcast so that it downloads automatically, and, of course, to listen to podcasts. Because podcast apps are mostly the same, I'll highlight the unique features. Consider these features when choosing a podcast app. Selection – All apps have a search feature into which you enter the podcast you're looking for or enter a subject. The good news is that most shows (that is, podcasts) are available on most apps. But some apps may make exclusive arrangements with certain shows. Some apps stick strictly to a search bar. Others show featured apps. Some help searching for apps by dividing them into categories. Syncing – I only use my phone for podcasts so this feature is irrelevant for me. But if you use your phone and your tablet for podcasts, syncing is a handy feature. Shows added to one device will appear on the other. Delete an episode from your phone, with syncing it will be deleted from your tablet. Playlists – All podcast apps allow you to create a playlist where you assemble multiple shows you have subscribed to. As each episode of a show is released, it is automatically listed in the playlist. You can listen to episodes as you stream them or you can have them automatically downloaded to your device. While there are some podcasts with video as well as audio, most are audio only and don't take up much storage on your device. If you want multiple playlists, make sure the app can handle more than one. Since episodes are downloaded in order, you may also to be able drag episodes up and down the playlist to change their playback positions. Cost – Many apps are free. Some charge a fee. Some are free with ads. My preferred podcast app is Overcast for which I'm happy to pay $10 a year. It's kind of unique in that it's the product of one person, not a large corporate podcast producer. Playback Features – You can substantially increase playback speed and somewhat slow it down. This feature may apply to all podcasts and, in some cases, you can set a separate speed for an individual podcast series. There is a feature than shortens periods of silence within a show. There may also be a voice boost feature. OK. You've chosen a podcast app; you've downloaded and installed it. Now what? There will be a search feature which may also display some popular podcasts. Choose or search for some you like. When you select a show, you will see a list of episodes stretching from the most current to the first episode of the show. You can select and play any of them. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe to the show, and that will likely result in receiving automatic downloads of episodes as they come out. You can also scan past episodes and download them. Next, you will want to create one or more playlists. The first time you do this, after creating and naming your playlist, you'll have the option to add podcasts by selecting from those you've subscribed to. Once you've created a playlist, you can delete any podcasts you've included or add more from your subscribed shows. Don't forget to look at old podcast episode titles. Some shows have hundreds of old episodes you may find of interest. Just select the show and download particular episodes. I hope you enjoy podcasts as much as I do. If you use an app you'd like to share with others, let me know at steve.benoff@verizon.net. Podcasts