Smartphones really are amazing devices. They’re not just for making calls and checking your calendar anymore. I love the always on internet access and I love the multimedia capabilities of my phone. I also love that I can download all sorts of apps to take advantage of these capabilities and extend the functionality of my mobile device. I’m always on the lookout for a great new app.

I came across a podcast client called Mediafly the other day, and have been really impressed with it. I am using their application on my Android phone. They also have versions of their software for Blackberry, iPhone, and WebOS (from Palm). I was surprised to see that they do not list Windows Mobile and Symbian as supported platforms. As expected, they also can sync to MP3 players like iPods, Zunes, or Sandisk Sansa players through a desktop application. Not so expected though, is support for some set top boxes like Roku or Popcorn Hour.

A podcast is a show released for download on the Internet. Some are audio only, like radio, others are video. Some are even in HD! Podcasts are released through a feed that allows you to subscribe to them with special client software so that the newest episodes are automatically downloaded and ready for you to enjoy.

In my opinion, the best feature of the Mediafly software is the ability to manage my subscriptions via the Mediafly website on my PC. I can browse an extensive catalog of shows from many different sources. When I subscribe to a particular show, it shows up automatically on my phone so that I can listen to it on the go. I don’t have to sync my phone to my PC, the show is downloaded over the air through my data plan.

I listen to a number of different podcasts, and with Mediafly, I can always make sure I have the most recent episode with me wherever I am, no more forgetting to sync my iPod to my PC to get the new shows. If you’re interested in exploring some of the great content available as podcasts, some of my favorite shows come from the TWiT Network, CNet, and NPR.