Apple Podcast App not ready for prime time...

I'm happy that Apple is finally considering podcasts first class
content by separating them into their own app. What I'm not happy
about is the shockingly poor shape in which it was released... I
have a number of podcasts that I listen to weekly, between 15-20. I
would not think that this is an unusually high number but whenever I
start the new podcast app it hangs and is unresponsive for what seems
like minutes. It's not unusual for it to crash after hanging, which
seems to be happening more frequently recently.

Additionally, the new app is missing some simple brain dead features
which should be in any podcast app's first release. First of which is
the ability to sort the list of all unplayed podcasts... I like to
listen to the podcasts in the order they were released. The unplayed
list is sorted newest first with no way to change this. Apple does
let you change the sort per podcast if you select a specific podcast,
but I almost never have more than one episode outstanding for a
podcast. I like to just fire up the unplayed list and listen FIFO.

Another simple feature is a single synchronized set of podcast
subscriptions across my devices. For the company that launched
iCloud it is inconceivable to me that I have to create a subscription
lists on each device.

There are also bugs throughout... Duplicate podcasts mysteriously
show up on my list. There is a blank empty podcast on my subscription
list and there seems to be no way to delete it. Who tested this
thing? Are we the beta testers

I would much rather have had the above features in the app, fully
tested, than the faux reel to reel tape animation... How many hours
did the developer spend on getting the tape to feed through with real
physics... Watch the capstan when you start and stop the podcast.
Watch the realistic bounce. As the podcast processes the tape
gathers progressively on the take up reel. When the podcast artwork
is up, the background is translucent like smoked glass. It allows you
to see the tape animation behind it. The developer really wants us
to see his handy work. This is a big fail. The animation is chrome
that should only be added when the app is feature complete. Give me
the features that make the app useful before you give me the eye
candy.

This app feels like it was released early by mistake. It was released
with no announcement like it snuck out the back door of school during
recess. My only hope is that when iOS 6 is released in the fall, the
real apple podcast app will be released with it, feature complete and
fully tested.

[Frustratingly sent from my iPhone 4S]