Alternative to iTunes for podcasts (w/ Mac, Windows, iPhone)

I have an iPhone (4S), which I love!

I have a Macbook Air, which I love!

I have a Windows XP desktop, which runs games that I love!

It also runs iTunes, which is a thing I use.

I’m getting frustrated with the way iTunes handles podcasts.

  1. It will just stop updating podcasts after a while if you don’t listen to them. Screw you, iTunes. I have a 2TB hard drive! Fill that sucker. When I want your opinion on whether you should download something, I’ll tell you.

  2. It sucks at keeping played-ness synced between my Windows computer (where the stuff is stored), and my laptop (where I generally play it).

Theoretically, this is supposed to work. I’m using the iTunes sharing stuff, and there’s even a checkbox that says “Home Sharing computers and devices update play counts”, which was apparently placed in the options by vandals, since it does absolutely nothing.

I can’t easily store things on my laptop, because there’s not enough space. I can’t easily play things on the desktop, since it’s hard to carry around the house when I’m listening.

  1. You can’t change per-podcast syncing on the phone. I’d like to have all episodes of some podcasts, all unplayed of others, only the most recent 3 of some others. Nope. One setting to rule them all.

So, basically, I’m looking for replacement that will match my use case, keep things synced between computers and my phone, and remove these pain points. It also needs to sync music (or at least not interfere with iTunes doing so), and also not interfere with iTunes backups of my phone. I’m willing to pay some money for this software, as long as there’s some kind of free trial so I can make sure that it actually works, and does not merely have some imaginary checkbox features.

Help!

Hmm. Bump?

How about with an Android phone or a Windows phone? I can upgrade in 6 months or so, and I’ll switch phones if that’s what it takes.

I couldn’t agree more. Anyways I don’t have access to look it up but is Sticher a podcast program?

I don’t think Stitcher is going to work.

For one, it’s “on demand”, meaning it requires an internet connection, which I won’t always have with my phone. The times I want to listen to podcasts on my phone the most (long drives, possibly far away from major urban centers) are the times that it’s least likely to work.

For another, it doesn’t look like it has any Mac or Windows clients…

I did some looking around this morning and it looks like we are out of luck, of course someone else might be able to find one. The problem is iTunes looms so large. I guess Instacast is making a Mac app which would give you 2 out of 3. I love iTunes and have argued in its favor on this site, but its treatment of podcasts is abyssmal for all the reasons you mentioned…