I got a copy of the iPhone application called “Poddio” created by the fellow Canadian, iPhone developer, VeriCorder Technology Inc. in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Poddio is an audio recorder with built in audio editing functions that you can only expects from a desktop application, at least until now.
Even with the upcoming Voice Recorder application built into iPhone firmware 3.0, it will not make this application obsolete. Actually according to the developer, “firmware 3.0 will allow us to bring enhancements to Poddio that was more difficult to implement before 3.0.”
If you are a journalist, a podcaster who conducts interviews, or anyone looking to record audio notes; prior to firmware 3.0, you will find this application indispensable. Admittedly this application may be an overkill for the latter group of users.
The audio editing capabilities are very extensive. It allows you to choose the exact in and out points, down to milliseconds, to extract audio clips. You can drag and drop these clips into new audio sequence. During this audio sequence creation, it also allows you to bring in previously recorded audios, but not audio stored in your iTunes library; most likely due to copyright issues.
With all these amazing audio editing features bundled in a single iPhone app, it is almost too good to believe, even at the relatively high USD9.99 price asked for on iTunes App Store. Unfortunately, all is not perfect, as UI and UX are definitely not VeriCorder’s strength. Whoever says that it is hard to create a badly designed iPhone application had not use Poddio. The many features are embedded inside non-intuitive cryptic controls. Fortunately, VeriCorder has a video tutorial that shows off much of the features in Poddio.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ1ZmJMIO2E
I think VeriCorder should do what many small iPhone developers have done, and collaborate with a developer whose strengths are UI and UX designs. One such company is Hong Kong’s, BeansBox, who recently collaborated with Headnix to create Finger on the iPhone.
Often a developer will want to add any many features to an iPhone app to make it attractive, so they can recoupe the cost of creating the application. In the case of Poddio I believe it may have been better to release less functionalities, pefect them both technically and UX. These sort of approach is ideal for the upcoming 3.0 firmware’s in app purchase capability.
It seems to be a cool application! will definitely think about it!