 |
|
|
|||||
Im going to go out on a limb and assume youve been on the internet before. If so, youve likely stumbled upon a podcast or two. There are almost 5 million of them out there, after all. The problem isn’t finding a podcast, thoughit’s finding the best way to listen in. While Apple and Spotify have made a big push into the space, and their apps are perfectly serviceable, theyre not always the best fit for power users or people who just want a clean, no-nonsense experience. The good news? There are other options, and you dont have to pay a dime to access them. Here are five fantastic, and completely free, podcast apps for iOS and Android. Pocket Casts: Cross-platform king If you ask a podcast aficionado for a recommendation, theres a good chance they’ll say Pocket Casts. And for good reason. Its got a clean, intuitive interface that makes managing your subscriptions a breeze. The free version offers all the essentials you need, including variable speed controls, silence trimming, and a volume-boost feature to level out inconsistent audio. Better yet, it syncs your listening progress across iOS, Android, and the web, which is a big deal if you like to jump between your phone and your computer. There is also a premium version, Pocket Casts Plus, which costs $40 per year. With it, you get some power-user features like folders to organize your shows, a shuffle feature for your “Up Next” queue, bookmarks, access to a variety of themes and app icons, and some cloud storage for your own audio files. Overcast: iOS app makes podcasts sound better If youre looking for something thats equal parts simple and fully featured, Overcast is a must-try. Developed by Marco Arment, this iOS app includes features such as “Smart Speed,” which shortens silences dynamically without distorting the audio, and “Voice Boost,” which normalizes and enhances volume across all your shows. The free version has some light, unobtrusive ads, but if you want to get rid of the ads and support the developer, a premium subscription costs just $15 per year. With that subscription, you also get the ability to upload audio files to your own private feed. Podcast Addict: Android powerhouse For Android users, Podcast Addict is an absolute beast. Its a feature-rich, highly customizable app that gives you an almost overwhelming amount of control over your listening experience. You can manage podcasts, audiobooks, live radio, YouTube channels, and RSS news feeds all in one place. While its interface can be a bit busy, it’s a great choice if you’re a tinkerer who likes to fine-tune every detail. For the sheer number of features you get for free, it’s tough to beat. The premium version, which removes all ads, starts at 99 cents per month and grants you access to some extra customization options like different app themes, a custom opening screen, and a playlist widget. Castbox: Smart recommendations If you’re looking for your next podcast obsession, Castbox is a great place to start. Its AI-powered recommendation engine does a surprisingly good job of serving up new shows based on your listening history. It’s a solid, all-around player with a large library, and it also includes some nifty features like in-audio search, which lets you find specific keywords within an episode. It’s available on both iOS and Android and provides a smooth, modern experience. Castbox Premium starts at 99 cents per month and gets rid of all the visual ads and video ads that play when you launch the app. It also gives you unlimited subscriptions (the free version limits you to 100 channels), a personalized homepage, and advanced playback settings that can be customized for each individual podcast. AntennaPod: Androids minimalist, open-source choice If youre looking for a no-frills, ad-free experience, AntennaPod is a fantastic option for Android users. It’s a lightweight app with a clean interface that focuses on the core task of listening to podcasts. There aren’t a ton of fancy discovery tools, but if you already know what you want to listen to and just need a simple, reliable way to manage and play your episodes, AntennaPod gets the job done. AntennaPod is unique on this list because it’s a completely free and open-source project, which means it doesn’t have a paid version or any in-app purchases.
Category:
E-Commerce
When Dell Technologies CTO John Roese expanded into the role of Chief AI Officer last year, one thing was clear: they were rallying behind a clear challenge to move fast or get left behind. They set a two-year deadline to do just that and they are on track. What came next wasnt hype or hundreds of organic pilots originated from all over the organization. It was purposeful rigor the likes of which has always guided Della multipronged strategy in four clearly defined areas that focused on prioritizing people and processes with technology as the ultimate enabler. Dell delivered $10billion in new revenue in its fiscal year 2025 with revenue growth of 8% while reducing costs by 4%. Thats a decoupling of the revenue and cost curves rarely seen from a Fortune 50 company.I was inspired to highlight Dell’s success not because they’re a client (theyre not), but because they offer a compelling playbook for any enterprise embarking on their AI transformation journey. The Dell way Here are four nonnegotiables from Dells AI startegy that should be on your radar now: 1. Be crystal-clear on why youre doing AI There were no feel-good pilots. No AI for the sake of innovation. Dell defined early that AI must directly drive profitthrough revenue, margins, cost reduction, or risk mitigation. It wasnt about goodwill or buzz. It was about the P&L, unapologetically. 2. Focus only on what mattersInstead of chasing hundreds of AI projects they had on their list, they identified the parts of the business that truly drive value for them: supply chain, sales, engineering, and customer service. Every AI investment had to serve one of these pillars. According to a recent Stanford Artificial Intelligence Index Report, those four areas are critical levers organizations can use to harness AI to both save and make money. As Roese explained, We wanted to apply AI against the most impactful processes in the core differentiators of the business to improve our productivity. 3. Reengineer processes before layering AI Pre-AI, Dell found the sales team spent a lot of their time navigating workflows and tools. They cleaned up their content, redesigned end-to-end processes, and then overlaid AI on top of it. Its AI maturity. 4. Build AI systems that scale across the enterprise Dell avoided the trap of isolated pilots. They chose platforms and frameworks that could serve multiple use cases across departments. AI wasnt siloed. It was architected for broad, secure, and scalable integration. Whether you’re running a 500-person company or a Fortune 50, the lesson holds: if your AI cant grow with your business, its just a science project. AI at Scale, the Dell Way Dells AI implementation serves as a core differentiator for them. Here are some high-level nuggets you can take from them to inspire your companys own AI journey. Sales: AI-powered tools cut time spent prepping, giving reps meaningfully more time to be in front of customers. Customer Service: Dell-enabled AI to deliver answers with unprecedented accuracy through any interface to resolve customer issues rapidly. Supply Chain: AI made Dells world-class supply chain more agile, predictive and dynamic in a complex world. Engineering: Dell used AI to introduce additional scale to their engineering capability, increasing the capacity and efficiency of their existing team. The New AI Blueprint for Enterprises Dells transformation follows a method that any large organization can replicate: Clarify ROInot goodwill, but bottom-line impact. Identify value pillarswhere AI promises to move the needle most. Rebuild, then scaleRedesign broken processes before applying AI. Dont let automation mask dysfunction. Then incorporate AI only onto those workflows that are optimized to amplify impact fast. Mandate integration & governanceno rogue AI islands allowed. Enterprises are complex and AI use can show up in a variety of placesfrom SaaS services to procurement and consulting. This is where comprehensive governance comes into play. Make sure you have an active AI use case review board who oversees governance, structure, approval, and prioritization anywhere AI will manifest in your business. No AI projects should proceed without moving through this holistic lens first. The result? You unleash AI to become an impressive growth engine, enabling the decoupling of revenue from costs curves. Even as a provider of industry-leading AI infrastructure, Dell had to prioritize its people and processes first to drive meaningful transformation, proving that innovation begins with strong process and people foundations. Why This Matters Now Were at an inflection point. Generative AI is not just another productivity tool. Its a catalyst to rewire entire operating systems. While the headlines fixate on job anxiety or AGI, the real story is about industrial-scale reinvention. Dell quietly became a pioneer again: a 40-year-old company evolving into a living, breathing AI-first enterprise. If you want generational growth, dont chase every AI trend. Focus on the workflows that actually move your business forward. Thats how you drive ROI, bankroll transformation, and widen the gap between you and the pack.
Category:
E-Commerce
Scot and Jacqueline Tatelman never planned on launching a backpack startupmuch less a cult brand that now generates $100 million a year in revenue. Each of them had spent their childhood summers going to idyllic places for sleep-away camp, and they wanted kids from under-resourced communities to have this life-changing experience. In 2009, when they were in their early twenties, they started a nonprofit that brought students from Brooklyn and the Bronx to the wilderness, where they could eat s’mores around a campfire. But every year, their hearts broke to see how the children toted their stuff. “Many brought all their things in trash bags or plastic Duane Reade bags,” says Scot. “One time, when we were catching a train, a girl’s bag ripped, so all her things were on the platform. These were kids who lived less than two miles from us in New York.” The kids needed better bags, the Tatelmans agreed. At the time, Jacqueline was pregnant, but since her family had been in the fashion industry, she felt she had the skills to start a buy one, give one backpack business. In 2013, they cofounded State, which sells high-end backpacks and uses the proceeds to donate backpacks (and other resources) to kids in need. “We made the deliberate decision to focus on the premium end of the market so we would have enough margin to donate to the philanthropic efforts,” Scot says. [Photo: State] Jacqueline focused on the business, first as chief creative officer. In 2020, she decided to take on the role of CEO as State faced financial challenges, and has since increased revenues by 1,000%, rocketing the company to eight figures in revenue. Scot, meanwhile, has been laser focused on the nonprofit. Every year, Jacqueline apportions hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Scot’s work, from donating backpacks to organizing summer camps. During the pandemic, Scot pivoted to focus on one-on-one tutoring to kids in New York who were falling behind academically. If the company exceeds its financial targets, it pours more money into the philanthropic work the following year. Scot says that it has always been tricky being a mission-driven brand. This is particularly true now, when the Trump Administration is attacking companies that engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. But he’s found that even when social justice was fashionable, it was still hard to communicate about the brand’s work. “There was a time when every brand said it was mission-driven,” says Scot. “Consumers began to see it as a cheap marketing ploy. And now, when you’re committed to social justice you have a target on your back. You just can’t win.” Now, Scot believes that the best approach to corporate philanthropy is to under-communicate, but over-deliver. After all, the evidence suggests that most consumers don’t make purchases based on a brand’s social missionand the small number that do will be on the lookout for these efforts, and hold a brand’s feet to the fire if they don’t follow through. [Photo: State] The pendulum of corporate philanthropy When the Tatelmans launched State, it was the norm for startups to describe themselves as mission-driven. Millennials seemed to care more about brands’ ethics than previous generations did and in the mid-2010s, a wave of direct-to-consumer startups positioned themselves as brands that made money while also doing good. Warby Parker and Bombas gave away products for each one they sold. Everlane vowed to eradicate virgin plastic from the supply chain. Allbirds and Reformation made eco-friendly sneakers and clothes. Over time, larger companies from Nike to Coca-Cola also aligned themselves with good causes. In 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the police, even more companies began supporting DEI. Scot felt ambivalent about this shift toward corporate activism. On the one hand, it validated his thesis that “business for good” was possible. But on the other, it was so ubiquitous that consumers became skeptical when a brand touted its good deeds. This is when State made the decision to communicate less about its mission. “The conversations on social media around mission felt opportunistic,” he says. “I didn’t want to add to the noise.” [Photo: State] Just a few years later, the corporate landscape is unrecognizable. The Trump administration and right-wing shareholders have demanded that companies abandon their DEI initiatives, and many have complied. Companies once seen as beacons of progressive valueslike Target and Googlehave pulled back from their DEI programs. As James Surowiecki argues in a Fast Company rticle, shedding social justice and philanthropy efforts was also a way to cut losses. And on the surface, State also seems primarily focused on selling products. There are clues about the brand’s philanthropic efforts, including the company’s “about” page and an occasional Instagram post. “We’ve found that the best and most authentic way for people to learn about the mission is organically, as opposed to shoving it down their throat,” he says. “If they want to know more, they’ll dig deeper. But many will not, and we’re okay with that.” While consumers report that corporate ethics matter to them, this hasn’t been borne out in their buying behavior. In 2024, scholars from the University of Chicago and New York University tracked the spending habits of 24,000 consumers. While most stated a moderate preference for ethical companies, it ultimately had no impact on what they bought. And this was before the mood in the country shifted. [Photo: State] So what’s the point of corporate philanthropy? All of this surfaces the question of whether it is worth launching a mission-driven business at all. Does it make more sense for nonprofits and companies to stay separate? Scot doesn’t think so. For one thing, he believes a social mission is a good way to keep employees engaged. At State, staff can devote part of their time to working on philanthropic projects, from back-to-school backpack drops to helping to plan camps. Jacqueline says the brand’s mission has also helped her stay focused as CEO. “Running a business is hard,” she says. “We have been through very difficult times as a business, but having larger goalsand people we don’t want to let downreally helps us stay motivated.” Jacqueline also believes that some consumers are more loyal to mission-driven brand. While they make the initial purchase because they like the backpack’s design and quality, they may learn more about State’s philanthropic efforts over time. And if they feel good about their purchase, they are more likely to buy another backpack in the future. Utimately, Scot hasn’t given up on the idea that a business can be force for good in the world. Some companies were clearly serious about their mission, given how quickly they abandoned their philanthropic efforts. But others have stayed the course regardless of the political climate, including Patagonia, Levi’s, Ben & Jerry’s, and Costco. And these companies can continue have a positive impact on many people at a time when many nonprofits are dealing with cuts to their funding. “Many communities that are struggling because companies offered to help them but are now retreating,” he says. “We really need more companies to step up and fill in the gaps.”
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||