iPodder and the Pocket PC Article

[JayM]

This is for anybody who's interested in Podcasting or managing MP3 Media on a Pocket PC.

I've written a quick "how to" so you can easily get podcast on your Pocket PC using a media card sync method. Check it out here (http://www.pocketcasting.com/archives/2005/01/04/ipodder-and-the-pocket-pc/)

Works great for me! :mrgreen:

[Darius Wey]

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing. Mind if I post a front page news post linking to your article?

[JayM]

Sure...no problem. Thank you!!!!!

[Darius Wey]

Thanks. I'll queue it up.

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Great tutorial! For folks that want to do the same thing with Doppler (http://www.dopplerradio.net) and their WM device, I have a tutorial I wrote in October (http://www.pocketpctools.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid2=1399&mode=&order=0&thold=0). It's also on pages 82 & 83 of the upcoming Feb '05 issue of PocketPC Magazine (http://www.pocketpcmag.com), so check your newsstands! The new issue just came out to subscribers....

Nice job JayM!
;)

KCT

[JayM]

Thanks Kevin. I have a link to your tutorial on my site as well. The url was messed up earlier, but I fixed it.

Jay

P.S. Congrats on your article!

[gorkon280]

I think this as well as iPeiter(spelling) write up is good, but I would rather see a full fledged iPodder for pocket PC. With a WiFi equipped PPC, you could greab a media card's worth of podcasts. Just don't do what some desktop podcatchers do...don't:

1. Automatically check
2. Don't download a new file until the old one has been listened to

Once you do that, you'd have a perfect pocket podcatcher. Just get a cheap 1 GB card and grab a bunch of podcasts.

Doing it the way JayM has laid out requires you to have a PC with a full iPodder client on it. Make it so when I make that pitstop at the cafe I can grab my morning commute listening material in one shot.

[JayM]

I would rather see a full fledged iPodder for pocket PC

Me too...:lol:

I used Doppler with a CF and I could "stay updated" on my laptop or desktop because the xml files in the download directory (on the CF) let the program know when the last sync was. This way you're not "double downloading" if you go to a different terminal (as long as you had Doppler installed on a host). I stopped using it because RC2 gave me some problems plus I like ipodder.

Several programs are currently being developed to download enclosures. I've tried FeederReader with much success.

As a side note - I maintain the ipodder.org “Pocket PC Software Node”. You can check out the list here (http://www.ipodder.org/directory/4/ipodderSoftware/pocketPc)and see if something suits you needs.

Jay

[gorkon280]

I would rather see a full fledged iPodder for pocket PC

Me too...:lol:

I used Doppler with a CF and I could "stay updated" on my laptop or desktop because the xml files in the download directory (on the CF) let the program know when the last sync was. This way you're not "double downloading" if you go to a different terminal (as long as you had Doppler installed on a host). I stopped using it because RC2 gave me some problems plus I like ipodder.

Several programs are currently being developed to download enclosures. I've tried FeederReader with much success.

As a side note - I maintain the ipodder.org “Pocket PC Software Node”. You can check out the list here (http://www.ipodder.org/directory/4/ipodderSoftware/pocketPc)and see if something suits you needs.

Jay


Ahh the plot thickens! :D I have just been making do. I rarely, if ever, archive a podcast. Usually after I have listened to it, I have deleted it. I guess if a classic one comes down the pipe it will have earned a permanent sector on my hard disk. I have not tried Bashpodder on my Mac yet (the main reason I am not HEP to the old activestink syncing type of apps is cause I usually rock out on my Mac at home....heh). I guess I could use Bashpodder on my mac and have it use the mount point to copy the stuff over. The main reason I have not stressed too much about getting podcatching working on my PPC is I have a MP3 player and I just download them on to it. It's not a iPod(it's a Nomad Zen USB 2.0), but it does work on the Mac....albeit weakly (no iTunes syncing for me :( ). I am seriously thinking about getting a 1 GB card JUST for podcatching.

Well, I am outta here! Just grabbed the latest Daily Source Code to rock out on the Bus to.

[GSmith]

The main differences between iPodder and FeederReader are that iPodder, as far as I know, is program that runs on a desktop (PC, MAC, linux) in which you specify feeds and it downloads those feeds periodically and stores them on the disk. You can then semi-automatically (maybe automatically?) transfer them to a listening device or storage card (in a card reader). Every morning, you can pick up the card and go. Every evening, I think you have to manually delete the podcasts that you've listened to.

FeederReader is a self-contained program that runs on the Pocket PC in which you specify feeds and it downloads them and their attached enclosures (if so selected).

These are different ways of listening to podcasts. I think the advantages of FeederReader are

1) Does not require a separate desktop machine,
2) integrated reading and listening, you can listen to podcasts while reading other feeds, and then tap an icon to "Show Playing" to see additional notes from the current podcast (if they are supplied by the podcast feed).
3) integrated file management, with one tap you can delete the current podcast and play the next one.
4) Can handle any enclosure that can be played on the Pocket PC, like video and pictures. And you can download additional players for additional enclosure types.

I think the integrated feel of the Pocket PC with the ability to optionally view notes from the podcast makes for a great experience. I download, listen, and delete every day. I have about 110 feeds and 10 podcast feeds on my 256KB SD Card (in an iPAQ 2215) and I use a combination of GPRS for the feed updates and ActiveSync for the podcast downloads. A better solution that some of my users have is a WiFi connection. One thing to watch out for is to get a storage card with a decent write speed. My VERY SLOW kingston card is just barely tolerable, but it did help me optimise the update process to get it as fast as possible on my slow card. On faster cards, I've heard that it updates great.

I would love to see a side-by-side comparison of iPodder, or any other podcatcher or RSS reader, and FeederReader. Please let me know directly if you do such a comparison. I would expect that in some cases, iPodder would be a better choice (if you have very little internet connectivity to your Pocket PC and if you have an always-on desktop connected to the internet). And I've worked hard to make reading and listening as easy as possible on FeederReader.

See screen shots and more detail on the main page or on the "Enclosure Support" page at http://www.feederreader.com/EnclosureSupport.html

If there's something you think needs improving, please post it on my FeederReader message board!

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - The Pocket PC RSS reader and podcatcher
Catches video, too!
www.FeederReader.com

[JayM]

I agree. FeederReader has come along way in a very short amount of time. I'm looking forward to the beta! :)

A better solution that some of my users have is a WiFi connection. One thing to watch out for is to get a storage card with a decent write speed. My VERY SLOW kingston card is just barely tolerable, but it did help me optimise the update process to get it as fast as possible on my slow card. On faster cards, I've heard that it updates great.

This is part of my particular issue. I ether have a Wi-Fi card or a memory card in since I don't have integrated wireless. This is just the most "simple and direct" method that has a "universal application". Plus I don't use Activesync that often (just to install software) because I no longer use Outlook. If I had integrated wireless I would probably just sync with FeederReader, but I have to have somewhere to store it (on my current setup).

For exclusive use on the Pocket PC "ipodder vs. FeederReader" is an unfair challenge. Any Pocket PC user would rather use FeederReader to sync since they can get all their text, podcast or whatever comes down the pipe. One application, many uses? Saves space and Money!

Just so the rest of you know GSmith and I e-mail each other often. And I "do" support his application 100% for podcatching. If I had the right "gear" I would use it over any other podcatching client I've tried. Since I always listen to podcast on my Pocket PC why would I want to fuss with a desktop app? Since the initial posting of my article and today's date FeederReader has had several upgrades and feature enhancements which make it probably one of the best RSS readers available for the Pocket PC today. The development push behind it is like a freight train. Keep up the good work!