[jonwise80]

Podcasts make a great use-case for webOS devices... except for the fact that most of the Directories have stopped working, and lots of podcasts are (unnecessarily) only delivered over HTTPS these days.
A couple weeks ago, I made a service to solve these problems -- and have been using it daily on Dr. Podder and Video Podcatcher Deluxe. I posted here about accessing the directory on the web, but the experience left something to be desired: copying the URL can be a fidgety pain in the browser.

Podcast Directory solves all these problems, and makes webOS a viable platform for Podcasting in 2021 and beyond!
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Use it in conjunction with any Podcast app in Preware or the App Museum -- the only requirement is that it has a way to add feeds by URL (all of them I've tried have this feature!)
You can use the Podcast Directory app to search for Podcasts you want to listen to, and then choose the feed that works for your environment. Podcast Directory offers both the original feed (usually these are HTTPS) and something called a "Tiny Feed." This configurable feed uses my Retro Podcast Service and offers a number of supporting features for webOS (and other retro devices) even if you don't have access to a Proxy server...

• Shortens feed lists to reasonable (configurable) limits, to save memory and keep apps responsive
• Strips encryption by loading the feed's MP3 file on the server, then delivering it over HTTP
• Loads and scales poster art, serving it over HTTP and at reasonable sizes for small devices
• Handles re-directs, a common trick from lots of CDNs that most webOS podcast apps didn't handle well
• Removes XSL from feeds, which causing parsing problems in some apps

The whole thing works without sending any data to Google or Apple, thanks to PodcastIndex.org, serving up both the directory and the raw feeds. The app uses a hosted version the Retro Podcast service, provided by webOSArchive.com, but you can also self-host if you want.

Because of how the app pre-fetches the Podcast files on-demand, streaming from the Tiny feed won't usually work -- you'll want to download an episode before you listen, in most cases.

Grab the app on App Museum II, search for your favorite Podcast, then copy either the Full or Tiny feed to your clipboard, from the handy fields at the bottom, then paste the URL into whatever Podcast app you want to use!

[jonwise80]

PS: If you're new to Podcasting, or are looking for some ideas, here a few of my favorites that you might want to check out...

• 99% Invisible - the hidden design in every day life
• Stuff You Should Know - two fun dudes who research then talk about a variety of topics
• Tanis - spooky lore woven into a multi-season story arc
• ELI5 - short explanations on a variety of topics, inspired by the Reddit community
• Hidden Brain - science and story telling about the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior

All of these and more sound and work great on any webOS device -- from the Pixi to the Touchpad, and everything in between!

Do you have any recommendations for the community?

[nomad84]

Few more suggestions:

(Dan Vincent & Jake Pugh) The Icon Garden - Check out the Macinography episodes if you like old Apple hardware
(NPR) Planet Money
(Gimlet) Reply All

-- Sent from my Palm TouchPad using Forums

[jonwise80]

if you like old Apple hardware

I have a basement full of it

[Shuswap]

I have a basement full of it

I've never owned an apple computer, but I love the philosophy of lowendmac.com. That may say something about me.

As for podcasts, my favourites are:

Late Night Linux
Linux Action News
In Our Time: History
History of Japan Podcast
Serial and Undisclosed (if you haven't listened to these, start out with Serial and then move on to the first year of Undisclosed)
The Vergecast
Stuff you missed in History Class
CBC's As It Happens
.... and of course, I loved the Treo Central Treocast, but that's been gone forever....

[jonwise80]

+1 for Serial. The definitive true crime podcast.

I'll add some of these others to my list to check out! I've also been listening to "Pulp Nostalgia AudioCast" for old timey radio dramas. They're usually pretty short, well produced, and great for falling asleep to...

[Shuswap]

I forgot to mention Revolutions. Dan Carlin's Hardcore History is good too.

If you check out Stuff You Missed in History Class, start with the two episodes on smallpox vaccines (the Royal Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition). Hard to believe.

[jonwise80]

1.1.0 is out now, and uses the Sharing Service so we can put these recommendations right in the app!