Apple's new Podcasts app is a testament to the tremendous evolution the medium has undergone since its humble iPod beginnings. Having long outgrown its iTunes tab, it was inevitable that Apple would develop a standalone app to mark the podcast's maturation into a legitimate form of entertainment.

As we've grown to expect from Apple's iOS apps, Podcasts looks great, with large, album-style artwork to accompany subscriptions. Playing a podcast launches a slick reel-to-reel player that's incredibly realistic; flipping a switch literally slows down or speeds up the reels, and you can actually watch the virtual tape run through the machine.

Podcast discovery is the closest thing to a killer feature, offering a clever radio dial interface for browsing "top stations" and a familiar revolving wall that shuttles you off to a dedicated storefront -- where everything is naturally free. The streaming radio selection is somewhat limited, however, merely spotlighting the most popular of each genre, but it's a good way to explore podcasts outside of your comfort zone.

It's a shame that Apple didn't put quite as much thought into the app's real functionality. While podcasts sync well from the iTunes Store, the lack of iCloud integration is a startling oversight; podcasts downloaded on one device don't show up on the other, all but negating any convenience the app would have added. Playback is smooth, but on my iPhone 4 (and even at times on the new iPad) the app was a bit slow to respond and the store was buggy, with the "Subscribe" button often disappearing.

The bottom line. If Podcasts didn't have Apple's signature design, we'd have a hard time believing this first attempt was made in Cupertino.