Subscribe to podcasts w/ Mediascape

[rainbowgoblin]

I want to subscribe to podcasts with my phone (Sony Ericsson Xperia X10). From the Xperia X10 support site, you can "Use web feeds to download podcasts directly to your phone..." (Sony Ericsson - Support - Phones - Detailed - Tousepodcasts - Xperia? X10)

Unfortunately, I can't figure out how. Do I follow a link from the web browser? Because that doesn't seem to work. Here's the one I'm interested in:

NPR: Fresh Air Podcast : NPR Podcasts

I can't paste the link into Mediascape (or can't figure out how, anyway). I can use Google Listen, but I feel like I SHOULD be able to use Mediascape.

 

[kamm]

Khm, as always with podcasts you suppose to download them first, listen to them after you got them on your device (eg phone).

I think SE is pretty clear on this too:
"Use web feeds to download podcasts directly to your phone, or download podcasts to a computer and transfer them to your phone with Media Go."

And BTW, yes, my bottom vertical scrollbar in Music (->More) has a Podcast category at the end.

 

[rainbowgoblin]

I don't think that's clear at all... the key words are "download podcasts directly to your phone" (i.e., NOT to a computer first, but DIRECTLY to a phone... this is a smart phone. This can be done easily, since Google Listen can do it). And sure I could download some podcasts with the phone if the producers make a link to an audio file, but to me, "web feeds" means feeds, not just links to audio files. I've tried following the podcast feed on that NPR website, and I just get all the embedded text. I've tried other podcast feeds too, just in case NPR has some weird code that the browser doesn't understand.

That link to the SE support site also says in their explanation of what a podcast is "podcasts can be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically..." This is certainly true, but not if you have to download the audio files and then open them with a media player: what I'm saying is that they seem to be saying that their software allows you to subscribe to podcasts. Perhaps they just mean the PC side software, but that doesn't seem right to me. I suspect you and I are both missing something.

Oh, and I didn't mean to imply there was no "Podcast" category. I have one too, but podcasts transferred from my computer don't seem to end up there.

 

[rainbowgoblin]

Just an update. Since I still haven't figured this out, I contacted Sony Ericsson's chat-based help desk. I'll copy and paste a transcript of our second chat session below, but I didn't save the first session, so I'll summarise. This conversation began in a previous chat session with the same agent, but he disconnected while I was trying to figure out his instructions (my fault: I took too long). He had suggested that I try to use PlayNow, or to use the browser by clicking and holding on a podcast link, then "Save Link" (he didn't say what I should do to open the link once it was saved). Here we go...

Please wait while we find an agent to assist you...
You have been connected to Agent [CENSORED ].
Agent: Hi, thanks for choosing Sony Ericsson Chat Support. My name is [CENSORED ]. How may I help you?
Me: Oh, I was just chatting with you a few minutes ago, I think... trying to get help with podcasts
Me: So I've tried to download a podcast link, but I can't figure out how to open it, and PlayNow doesn't have anything but Apps and Games,
so I can't figure out how to search for podcasts
Agent: Do you have the Android market application installed?
Me: Yes
Agent: In this case, you may want to donwload a file manager application from the market to see where your files go saved on the phone. From
there, you would be able to locate your podcasts.
Me: ok, I've got Astroid installed, so I can do that.
Me: SOrry, Astro
Me: I can open the podcast I downloaded with the text editor, and it looks like a bunch of XML. I tried opening as audio, and it didn't
work
Agent: There are some audio files are flash based. If you do not have a flash player installed, there is no way to open these podcasts.
Me: This is not a flash podcast
Me: Here is the podcast I want: NPR: Fresh Air Podcast : NPR Podcasts
Agent: The X10? does not support .XML files. Are you sure that you are downloading the podcast correctly?
Me: I believe so. I clicked and held the link, and then "Save Link"
Me: I've tried another podcast with the same results.
Agent: Are you selecting the RSS icon?
Me: There is no RSS icon... I tried the "pod" icon
Me: If i follow this link on my computer, I get what is clearly an RSS feed
Me: With Firefox, there's the bit at the top that says "Subscribe to this podcast using" then a pull-down menu with things like Live
Bookmarks
Agent: The .XML files are opened in Microsoft Excel. You would be able to get and save the podcast on your computer, but since the X10? is not a
Microsoft phone, there is no way to open .XML files.
Me: I don't have microsoft excel on my computer. Firefox is opening these files.
Me: RSS feeds are supposed to be XML format
Agent: This is because Firefox has Add-On applications that has the capability of open these type of files.
Me: XML is not microsoft Excel format.
Me: So the X10 does not support RSS feeds for podcasts, then?
Agent: The phone will support audio and video podcast but not these .XML files.
Me: OK, can you give me an example of a podcast that will work?
Me: I mean a podcast that I can subscribe to. I'm sure I can transfer podcast audio files from a computer, but I want to subscribe with my
phone.
Agent: At this moment I do not have this podcast information available. If you want, I can researching this and contact you back via email with
the correct information within 24 hours.
Me: Thank you. I would appreciate that.
Me: I will let you go now.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.


So he's a bit confused, I think. But we'll see if he actually emails me. I'll post an update if he does!

 

[ronniecross]

omg the member of staff you spoke to should be shot.... or at least fired! XML has nothing to do with Excel (XLS does though?? 2 different formats), XML is used to create RSS/Atom feeds. All podcasts are RSS/Atom feeds and thus anytime anyone subscribes to a podcast, be it audio or video, they are subscribing via. an RSS/Atom/XML feed.

I too am curious to find out how to subscribe to podcast feeds over the air using timescape, as this was something advertised by the company prior to my purchasing the device, alas I fear sony ericsson may have spat a heap of garbage out of their backsides once again to generate sales, and fed us a load of rubbish.

I don't think timescape is capable of downloading podcasts over the air at all, I really do think this is a lie on SE's part, and judging by that conversation I've just realised how incompetent Sony Ericsson are. I mean, I knew they were bad, but that just goes to show HOW bad. I hope someone will go so far as to prove me wrong, but i really have just about lost my tether with SE...

 

[Dalank]

Android Trends 2012 :

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[Dalank]

Android Trends 2012 :

• Thinnest Android Devices
• Fastest Android Devices
• Futuristic Android Devices
• Advance Cheap Android Devices
• Android Devices With Latest Software
• Android Devices With latest Operating System
• Strong Android Devices