If you regularly listen to podcasts on your iPhone and need a better way to manage them than what iTunes offers, there's one app you can't afford to do without: Podcaster.
First, the bad news. This app is strictly for iOS 4 and later (for iOS 3, you can use its older sibling, the RSS Player Podcast Client), so if you're using an older OS, you can now close the browser window. Other than that, however, this software is all good news, bringing a much improved experience over the iPhone's default offering for podcasts.
Podcaster can download podcasts both over 3G (no size limit on downloads) and WiFi, so you can get your fix regardless of what kind of connection you have available. Finding podcasts is a breeze, with lots of categories and a search feature. If you've ever been stymied by how difficult it is to find podcast content from the iTunes app beyond the Top 10 lists, this is your salvation, allowing you to unearth some really obscure gems.
You don't need to download each episode of podcasts you follow manually either. The app does it on its own, with push notification to boot. Other notable features include forwards and backwards skipping (10 seconds), auto-resume and support for password-protected feeds.
The UI is functional, albeit nothing extraordinary. Given my lack of interest in unnecessary interface fanciness, though, it's a solid fit. Suffice to say, if you regularly consume your share of podcasts, Podcaster is a must-have and a is no-brainer purchase for $1.99.
[Podcaster]
