September: speech tempo, Listen or Read, even volume

Three small changes that make listening more comfortable.

Speech tempo in settings

Podcast hosts now speak at a pace you can set. If you like a faster delivery, speed it up. If you prefer to follow every word, slow it down. The tempo setting is in your settings on the web and in the apps, and applies to the shows you listen to.

Listen or Read on a digest

Every digest on the web now has two clear buttons, Listen and Read. Some days you want to scan the text in a minute, other days you want to listen while you cook. The same digest is ready either way, one tap apart.

Steadier volume

A podcast is made of topic blocks, and each of them used to come out at a slightly different loudness. You would turn the volume up for one block and be surprised by the next. We now level the loudness between blocks, and we softened the transition between them so the shift feels smooth rather than abrupt.

Why it matters

None of these is a headline feature, but together they decide whether you finish an episode or give up on it. Comfortable speed, the right format for the moment and no jumps in volume are all small things that add up to a calmer listen.

How to try it

On factslane.com, open any digest to see Listen and Read. Tempo is in your settings. The volume leveling applies to new episodes automatically.