iNewsCaster for Mac

Product snapshot

iNewsCaster blends an RSS reader with an audio player, converting news feeds into spoken audio and letting you export those audio files for portable devices. The combination is inventive, aimed at users who prefer listening to reading.

Adding and organizing feeds

The app supplies a curated list of feeds rather than presenting a quick, obvious way to add custom subscriptions. Despite that, you can build your own playlist by dragging and dropping individual feeds into it, which makes organizing what you hear straightforward once you get used to the interface.

Playback and exporting workflow

You can send generated audio to iTunes and from there sync it to an iPod or other compatible device. Playback controls are simple and user-friendly, so listening on the desktop is painless. The synthesized voice occasionally sounds metallic, and the editing tools for trimming or polishing the audio are fairly basic.

What it does well

• Simple, intuitive playback controls for listening to feeds
• Direct export path to iTunes, enabling transfer to an iPod
• Drag-and-drop playlist creation for quick organization
• A creative mash-up of an RSS reader and an MP3-style player

Limitations to consider

• Audio editing features are limited and not suited to detailed cleanup
• Adding new subscriptions is less convenient due to the preselected-feed focus
• The synthesized narration can sound mechanical and become monotonous
• Occasional metallic artifacts in the audio on some items

Final thoughts

iNewsCaster is an original idea that works for people who want news read aloud and exported for portable listening. If you prefer reading or want finer control over feed selection and audio editing, a dedicated RSS reader plus manual listening may still be the better choice for you.