User:Grecbarn/sandbox

Castbox is an app that streams podcasts and audiobooks through its website, Android, iOS, and Amazon devices, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. CastBox has over 16 million users across 175 countries. It was named a top “hidden gem” app by Google Play editors in 2017 and one of the best podcast apps for Android by Android Authority in 2018.

The company was founded in 2016 by former Google employee Renee Wang and is privately held and venture backed.

Castbox transcribes podcasts using natural language processing to enable users to search topics or phrases using key words to find relevant content. The app also makes personalized recommendations based on a user’s prior listening behavior, which helps improve podcast discovery.

After closing its Series B funding with $13.5 million, Castbox announced it would release its own original shows called Castbox Originals.

In 2018, Castbox launched Contentbox, a blockchain-based infrastructure for decentralized digital content.

Usage and Features
Castbox is a podcast app that allows users to search and subscribe to podcasts, download episodes for offline listening and sync their subscriptions across multiple devices. The app’s In-Audio Search feature transcribes podcasts using natural language processing to enable users to search topics or phrases using key words to find relevant content. The app also makes personalized recommendations based on a user’s prior listening behavior, which helps improve podcast discovery.

In June 2018, Castbox announced the release of a premium subscription model that allows podcast studios and individual creators to distribute premium content through its app. Wondery was named Castbox’s first content partner and began offering its Wondery+ service as in-app purchase on iOS and Android.

Castbox Originals
In April 2018 Castbox announced the launch of its own original shows called Castbox Originals. The first series, Off Track with Hinch and Rossi, starred Indy car drivers James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi and was created in partnership with IndyCar. Heard Well Now, a music podcast series from Heard Well aiming to bring visibility to new artists with the help of online creators, launched shortly after. Since the launch of Castbox Originals, Castbox has added other shows to the lineup, including This Sounds Serious, a parody of true crime podcasts like Serial and S-Town, from This is That writers Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring.

Contentbox
In May 2018 Castbox announced the release of Contentbox, a blockchain-based infrastructure for decentralized digital content. Renee Wang told Bitcoin Magazine that Contentbox’s creation was inspired by ongoing problems with copyright infringement and piracy in the digital content community.

Wang outlined the company’s plan to offer podcasters a micropayment plan built around blockchain technology while rewarding consumers for engaging with content in an interview with TechCrunch. She also announced that Wondery would be the first podcast network to use the technology.

Platform Support
Castbox is currently available as an Android app, iOS app, and as an in-browser app, as well Android Auto and Apple Carplay apps. It is also available on Amazon devices.

External link
Official website