Instacast 5 - Podcast Client for iOS

Call it a rebirth or possibly a renaissance. Either way, podcasts have come into their own on mobile devices, thanks to easy access through the iTunes Store, instant streaming, and the release of thousands of high-quality productions seemingly every day. The issue, until relatively recently, has always been accessing, organizing, and syncing those podcasts on your phone. Apple tried to make this easier with a Podcast app, but bugs and limited support for older devices crippled it early on. Which is where InstaCast 3 comes in. Developed by Vemedio, InstaCast 3 is a complete, all-in-one podcast client for your iPad or iPhone that is fully compatible with the newest versions of iOS 6.0, syncs across multiple devices and streams quickly and properly.

Installation of InstaCast 3 is fast, and while there is a registration option that will allow you to sync your data across multiple devices or accounts, it is optional. All functionality works out of the box, without an account (though we found the syncing to be quick and effective, so it is highly recommended for those with multiple devices). When searching for Podcasts, you can look at either video or audio options; separate them by author, genre, or popularity; or search directly. You can also enter a URL for a direct podcast to create a subscription, or access podcasts you've downloaded elsewhere in your Music App. When subscribed you can receive notifications of new episodes, and downloads are done automatically, but only after prompting. While this is a pricey app at $4.99, it is far and away the best podcast management and subscription tool available for Apple's devices, including the Apple podcast app.

Streaming is quick, especially with an iPhone 5 or 4G iPad, and downloads are done in the background. During our tests, we were able to find all of the podcasts we searched for quickly, and there were no crashes or slowdowns in playback as we have seen in many other podcast apps. To put it simply, if you listen to podcasts on your phone or tablet and are tired of crashes, bugs, or complicated search interfaces, download InstaCast 3 now. It's well worth the money.