App Review: WTF All Access

Photos from Android Market

Podcasting continues to evolve on a very serious pace. Some are now streaming live before they hit the download feed. Some are recorded through alternative means such as Skype, laptops or small recorders. The expensive radio studios are no longer needed, and the technology is constantly advancing the medium.

Find Marc Maron on Amazon.com

A wonderful avenue for podcasting is the app. There are programs like Stitcher that deliver the latest episodes of many different podcasts, but that doesn't always give you the archive. When a show has its own app, you can generally interact far more. WTF with Marc Maron is one of the podcasts using the available tools to grow its brand with apps for Android and iPhone. The show is already one of the best available. Maron does it live on occasion, and the quality does not drop off.



Recently, he decided to charge for his archive as he already does for certain live versions of WTF. I can't say that I blame him considering the cost of bandwidth for as many downloads as he gets. For die hard fans who like to go back into the past, the WTF All Access app is perfect. The app's user interface is simple and clean. It allows you to stream any episode at any time, which also saved space on your phone. It's especially great with a WiFi connection. The app opens on the latest episode, and it allows you to favorite any episode you want for easy access. A section for exclusive content is also available, and so far there have been two app only podcasts including a live show and an episode dedicated to outtakes from show regular Jim Earl.

I like the look and feel of the app, and I love the possibility of having exclusive shows. Streaming with any app can be tough depending on your signal if you're on your data connection, but that's a phone service issue. Cell companies need to catch up to what their phones can do. The cost is only a few dollars for the annual subscription, and it renews automatically. If you like podcasts and comedy, this is your app.