Of course, this is more Apple’s fault than Vemedio’s.įortunately, there are other ways to control Instacast. Pressing Play would launch iTunes, sometimes Rdio would start playing. Even with Gatekeeper turned on, media key recognition is spotty at best. However, to use the media keys, you must enable the Gatekeeper security feature introduced in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, which blocks any app that isn’t sold through the Mac App Store or digitally signed with an Apple-issued Developer ID. Just about every command has an associated hotkey, and it’s technically compatible with the Mac keyboard’s built-in media keys. However, it does a offer a few Mac-specific goodies. In terms of features, Instacast is identical to its iOS counterpart, offering a set of simple, yet competent capabilities, like a basic set of smart playlists and 30-second skip. The sync works so well that it justifies the $25 combined price for both the Mac and iOS app (Instacast 3 for iOS runs $4.99) While I originally criticized Vemedio’s decision to drop iCloud in favor of its own sync solution, in retrospect, it was the right move. Later that evening, you curl up on the couch with an iPad and keep playing. Instacast for Mac lets you start a podcast on your Mac, pause it, and then grab your iPhone and head out for a walk, picking up where you left off (or 30 seconds before you left off, if the Replay After Pause feature is enabled). So why did I pay $15 for something that iTunes can do for free, and in the process abandon an arguably better iOS podcatcher in Downcast? In short, podcast syncing. While the beta was free, I was so impressed that I took the option of pre-ordering it for $14.99 (the price rose to $19.99 after ). As luck would have it, the beta for Instacast for Mac was released just before I took the job, featuring full sync with the iOS clients. While I don’t miss the exhausting drive, I was afraid of losing track of the podcasts that educated me, inspired me, and played a big role in my eventual hiring here at TidBITS. My winning app out of the bunch was Downcast, which is still a great podcatcher, but a change in lifestyle and a fortuitous release from Vemedio have caused me to tune back into Instacast.Ī month ago, I became managing editor of this very Internet publication (see “ Please Welcome Josh Centers as Our New Managing Editor,” ), and my tedious commute suddenly morphed into a morning stumble from bedroom to office. A while back, what began as a review of Instacast 3 for iOS grew into an analysis of the major iOS podcatchers (see “ Five Alternatives to Apple’s Podcasts App,” 22 December 2012). Listening to podcasts was one of the things that kept me sane during the long commute, so I naturally grew picky about my podcast listening experience.
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