About the App
Overcast is a relatively new app in the crowded arena of podcast apps that includes established front runners such as Castro, Pocketcast, and even Apple’s own Podcasts.app. However, it has a good shot considered it was developed by the independent app developer Marcot Arment, known for popular apps such as Instapaper and The Magazine. Just from using the app, it is clear that it was built with the intention of being an aesthetically pleasing app that serves a purpose for the basic user while containing many robust features that don’t get in the way if you choose not to take advantage of them.
Functionality
Overcast, at it’s core, has a simple task to complete: manage and play podcasts. However, it successfully takes this seemingly simple premise and bakes in many layers of functionality that the user wouldn’t even know they wanted until they see it. After launching the app, the user is brought to their list of subscribed podcasts. This choice is in opposition to the alternative of showing a list of recently downloaded individual episodes and give the user a high level view with which to get to the show they want. Playlists are also shown on this primary list-view. The top and bottom margins are also packed with functionality. The button nav shows a simple play and pause button along with info on the currently playing show as well as buttons to pan 30 seconds forward or backwards. The top nav bar has four simple buttons: a settings button made obvious by being represented by the app’s logo, a downloads button that shows episodes being downloaded as well as their progress, a button to quickly create a new playlist, and an add button for adding a new podcast subscription. The screen for adding a new show is a great example of sneaking in features the user wouldn’t have thought they wanted but love once they see them. Users can, of course, search the entire directory for a show’s name or add it using its RSS URL but they can also browse new shows using recommendations from imported twitter followers or by browsers groups of pre-made “starter kits” based on categories such as “Comedy” or “Tech” or made up of networks such as “Relay.fm” or “5by5”.
Another thing worth considering is how this app handled monetization. The app, and all of the functionality you need to use it for you podcasting needs is totally free. The paid features are accessed via a simple, one time charge of $4.99 and include several power-use features. These include the ability to download new shows over cellular data, a feature that many casual users wouldn’t want anyway due to draining their data, as well as a unique audio accelerator that passively speeds up the audio in a way that is hard to notice to the human ear but can allow the user to cover many more shows over a large span of time.
Interface and Design
Overcast includes a lot of nice little design touches. The app is filled with a beautiful custom font and custom designed icons, as well a minimal interface that allows the shows’ artwork to show off across the entire app.The screen that shows when a show is playing is filled with this artwork except for the unobtrusive buttons that leave all the necessary functionality at your finger tips. The user can play, pause, and seek while still seeing the progress bar of the show. One touch I really like is showing the waveforms of the audio subtly over top of the artwork.
User Profiles
Users of this app will generally boil down into one of two categories: the casual listener and the power user. What’s great about this app is that the casual user can see all of their shows when it first boots up and add new ones with one click. Moreover, the audio controls once one is playing mirror that of familiar apps much as itunes. As their list of shows grows, they may choose to take advantage of playlists but their needs will generally be met by the free version. The power user, on the other hand, can organize their library into playlists and search for new shows based on the podcasters they know and love using the “kits” in the new show screen. Also the audio acceleration feature will allow them to chew up as many shows as possible in the limited amount of time they have available to listen.