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Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

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Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#21

Post by maxglute »

nox101 wrote: post #17

Interestingly, I know several people what would like AI to read stuff to them and read it to them in an interesting way (not Hal-9000 ish) One friend wants conference papers turned into audio. Another wants fan-fiction read dramatically.

As someone who consumes a lot of Hal-9000 and produced audio, I would say they diverge into very different experiences. Former, especially if you settle on a robot voice is almost like "reading", in that that you can learn to apply personal imagination over "neutral" audio. It can be more active. Latter is more experiencing, producer influences how you think about work based on voice casting / performance. It can be more passive. Caveate being I think more writers in future will hop on AI voice / audio production once technology matures, and you'll have creators personally direct "definitive" editions of how their audio is suppose to be experienced.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#22

Post by maxglute »

lccerina wrote: post #20
Spivak wrote: post #2

The killer feature for using AI on podcasts is automatic ad blocking. You get that working folks will pay $5/mo for that alone.

I have it! It's called having a thumb to press +15s (it works also with other fingers, nose, limbs, voice...)

It's hassle when you're out/active/preoccupied/sweaty/winter with unreliable touch gloves. Sometimes it's 2 clicks for a short ad, sometimes its 8+ for long one. I consume a lot of podcasts and sometimes use a bluetooth remotes with tactile buttons. If only smartwatch like pebble still exit can have dedicated skip forward/backward button. I don't know if you listen to any popular podcasts that's also on youtube with audience sponsorblocking (like WAN show), especially with "filler" youtube gaming algo skipped. It's a much better experience eliminating 1000s of skips from your life.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#23

Post by spike021 »

nox101 wrote: post #18
Spivak wrote: post #2

The killer feature for using AI on podcasts is automatic ad blocking. You get that working folks will pay $5/mo for that alone.

what are you listening to podcasts on that it's not easy to skip ads? I'm using Downcast. It's a fairly old app. I think it defaults to +30s +2m -30s buttons which IIRC are settable. It's trivial to skip the ads. I don't need AI to solve that.

If driving, not everyone wants to have to search for the buttons to do that, accidentally skip too far ahead, have to go back a step or two, etc.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#26

Post by whereismyacc »

nox101 wrote: post #18
Spivak wrote: post #2

The killer feature for using AI on podcasts is automatic ad blocking. You get that working folks will pay $5/mo for that alone.

what are you listening to podcasts on that it's not easy to skip ads? I'm using Downcast. It's a fairly old app. I think it defaults to +30s +2m -30s buttons which IIRC are settable. It's trivial to skip the ads. I don't need AI to solve that.

Usually I'm listening to podcast when doing dishes, or grocery shopping, at the gym, or on a walk. I don't really want to have to take up my phone to skip an ad, and the controls on the headphones are too janky. This would definitely be a killer feature for me.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#27

Post by raybb »

nox101 wrote: post #17

Interestingly, I know several people what would like AI to read stuff to them and read it to them in an interesting way (not Hal-9000 ish) One friend wants conference papers turned into audio. Another wants fan-fiction read dramatically.

Audm for scientific papers. Need some good time-stamping so it's easy for people to skip to the section they care about.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#28

Post by cube2222 »

nox101 wrote: post #17

Interestingly, I know several people what would like AI to read stuff to them and read it to them in an interesting way (not Hal-9000 ish) One friend wants conference papers turned into audio. Another wants fan-fiction read dramatically.

Yes! And books. Importantly, I want it to be a verbatim reading and mention e.g. in-between sections that "it's now reading an info box", or describe a picture, etc.

I tried this by getting Claude to write the text (based on the pdf) and then putting that into elevenlabs for audio (quite expensive) and for what it's worth that worked quite great.

Re: Show HN: Anycast+ – An AI-powered podcast app

#30

Post by CaptainFever »

jen729w wrote: post #16
kindjeff wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like a useful feature, but I am worried it may have potential legal risks.

I wouldn’t (worry). I’ve downloaded a file to my local device. Sue me for doing something to it before I ingest it. ;-)

Not sure why this is downvoted. Ad blockers aren't illegal, no one has the obligation to listen to ads without skipping it. This isn't really controversial on HN.
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