Welcome to another Tuesday round of tool testing. If you missed last week’s about the amazing social media planner Later than check it out here. 

So my Dad is one of the best guys I know. One of his wisdom sayings is, "the right tool makes all the difference.” So whether we were cutting foam with a hot knife, stapling insulation in gas masks, or piecing together a fort, he would always take the extra time to get, borrow, or buy the right tool for the job. My favorite part of these outings to the hardware stores was learning all about how many tools had similar appearances but served completely different purposes. Seriously have you seen the tool department at big box stores! There

Youth ministry is in many ways similar to tool shopping. We know we need the right tools for the job and yet sometimes we didn’t even know they were available (or affordable).

Welcome to Tuesday Toolbox another weekly review of a free tool to boost youth ministers and youth ministry. This week we are all about Overcast, the supreme app for consuming podcasts. 

Caveats: Not every one of these will be new to you or useful. No worries, sometimes tool-shopping is about remembering what is out there for later. Also, it takes time to adapt to new tools. If you have never used one of these tools before remember that adding or shaping your personal workflow (or your team’s) takes time, practice, and routine. 

Overcast 

Before you can fully appreciate Overcast, you gotta know and love podcasts. Podcasts are radio-on-demand. What Netflix is for movies, podcasts are for radio, lectures, talk shows, commentary, and learning except that podcasts are free and copious. There are no monthly fees here, just a multitude of shows to wade through until you find a catch, or two, or twenty. Seriously it's an addiction!

The only issue most people have with podcasts is finding the right ones  and remembering to enjoy to them. That’s where podcast or “podcatching” apps come into play. There are literally dozens of podcast players (or podcatchers) and all are aimed at keeping your favorite shows at the forefront of your phone for those commutes, workouts, walks, or late night listens. 

The team at YMB loves podcasts. Zac and Chad usually text each daily with "what you should be listening to today."  In fact this last month we celebrated @after9ministry holding the top podcast episode spot for "student ministry." It was an exciting moment and it only happens because people found it, liked it, and kept listening to it. People find and keep listening to podcasts because of good podcast/podcatching apps!

So Why Overcast?

Why should you download yet another thing to your phone or tablet?

Overcast Offers A Quality Listening Experience

http://thesweetsetup.com/apps/our-favorite-podcast-client-for-ios/

We agree! It just sounds sweeter to your ears. I love audio, I create, edit, and produce audio weekly and there is a level of quality I have found in Overcast that I have not found any other podcast player. You may find that you like your current podcasts, even more, when you start listening on Overcast.

The Biggest Reason(s) For Downloading Overcast Today: Features

Smart Speed: I love consuming podcasts at a higher rate than regular speed, but I don’t always want the quirky chipmunk voice effect in my ear. So what is an avid podcast consumer to do? Make speeding up audio files smarter!

You know all of those awkward pauses or the breathy in-between moments, not anymore! Overcasts zips through the gaps to increase your listening rate without making your favorite hosts sound like Alvin and friends. Smart speed is a dynamic speed boost without any distortion. Bottom line, it’s great! And dare I say even a gamer-changer?

Voice Boost: Hey, let's get real,  not every podcast has an engineer to sweeten the audio levels and sometimes you just need that extra mid-range kick to hear your favorite hosts over the noise or music. It is so simple, yet so so so good. It’s like you the listener get to make your favorite home show sound better instantly. Hey, they should hire you to help produce!

If you love listening to podcasts in the car or in the gym, I dare you to use Overcast for a week with voice boost and then go back to any player without it. 

Feature Rich In Other Ways:

• Cellular Download Options-Don't wait for wi-fi get it now!
• Per-Podcast Effect Settings- Because not every podcast is created equal
• Sleep timer-Yes! let Chad coo you to sleep with his silky voice
• Playlists! What a game changer it is to be able to organize your podcasts
• Smart watch Integration- Yes! Finally your Apple watch can help your maintain your good listening habits!
• Social sharing made easy! You can tweet, message, or slack your current listening moments to your peeps and let them in on your listening experiences and Eureka moments! 

So if you love great podcasts and are looking to up your game or get your favorite listens organized than check out Overcast. Or if you are new to podcasts and looking to discover new and helpful audio goods on the go then try Overcast and discover some new audio goodies. 

 Thanks for reading. -zw