Podcast is a new podcast client designed for Elementary OS, which also works on other Linux. This simple tutorial is going to show you how to install this simple and modern podcast app in Ubuntu 14.04 from PPA.

Podcast uses new GTK+ header-bar (client-side decoration), and it may not look so good in Unity desktop. Here’s the screenshot:

vocal-ubuntu1404

If you really want to install this software in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. Below is the step by step guide:

1. Add elementary OS specific patches PPA for an updated version of GTK+ 3.14. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys and run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:elementary-os/os-patches

2. Add elementary Stable PPA for an updated version of libgranite (0.3). Run below command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:elementary-os/stable

3 Finally add the Podcast stable PPA via command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nathandyer/vocal-stable

4. After adding preivous 3 PPAs, run below commands to refresh system package cache and install the client package:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install vocal

The last command installs vocal as well as its dependencies including libgranite (>=0.3) and GTK+3.0 (>=3.14) automatically.

5. Once you have Vocal podcast client properly installed on your system, you HAVE to remove the dependency PPAs since they contain packages that may broken your system:

sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:elementary-os/os-patches

sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:elementary-os/stable

sudo apt-get update

In addition, for transparent background issue (bug with overlay scrollbar), you have to edit the .desktop file via:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/applications/vocal.desktop

When the file opens, change the line Exec=vocal to:

Exec=env LIBOVERLAY_SCROLLBAR=0 vocal

and save it.