3 Steps to Better Podcasting Support on the Zune

posted on 12/11/07 at 01:48:10 pm by Joel Ross

I've been using the new Zune software with my Zune 30 since the update was released, and for the most part, I'm happy with it. I don't manage my podcasts through it because I want to keep all of my RSS subscriptions in one service, but I do use the Zune for listening to podcasts, which is where most of my frustrations comes from. After using it for a while, I've come up with a few suggestions that would make the Zune ideal for me.

1. Fix Monitored Folders
I have the software set to monitor one folder for music, and another folder for podcasts, but it doesn't matter - if a podcast doesn't have a Genre set to Podcast, it will be put into the Music section - which is kind of a problem when you play music on shuffle. One minute, you're jamming and the next you hear Carl Franklin's voice.

2. Allow Podcasts to be Added to the Quicklist
I have no idea why you can't do this. If you're listening to music, you can build a quicklist of songs that you want to play - but don't you dare add a podcast to that list! That's not supported, so after every podcast ends, I have to go and find the next one I want to listen to - I have no ability to queue them up, unless they're all from the same feed - and then you can't control the order they'll play.

3. Bring Back Auto Playlists
It's pretty obvious that the new software was rewritten from the ground up - and that's a good thing. But the way I used to get podcasts onto the Zune was through auto playlists, and it worked great.

With those three things added, I would be thrilled with my Zune. For now, I'm just happy.

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Categories: Podcasting, Software