IOS – How to review Apple Podcasts app

Is there somewhere that gives more than just a cursory explanation of how to use it?

Probably not - Apple's not big on providing manuals when they don't think they're necessary.

For example, when does it chose to download podcasts?

Probably hourly. There's no option to change this that I can find.

Can you force it to update the podcasts without going one by one and clicking on the download link?

It downloads new episodes for subscribed podcasts automatically.

Will it download over cellular?

Yep, it does. It also streams over cellular, and well enough that I didn't notice that that was what it was doing at first. (I'm on Verizon 3G.)

Can it download the podcasts but play through the normal music app?

Nope. It's totally separate. (There's rumor/suspicion that the Music app won't even have a Podcasts section in iOS 6.)

(Assuming you have the latest iTunes version)

• If you don't already have the desired episode in your computer's iTunes library, download it from the iTunes store.

• Connect the iPhone (either via WiFi or USB cable) and go to the podcast in the iTunes library. Drag the episode toward the right side of the screen. A sidebar should pop up and your iPhone should be listed under Devices. Drop the episode onto your iPhone.

• It'll begin syncing and the episode will be copied over.

Once you finish listening to it, it will be deleted from the iPhone the next time you sync because of your "10 most recent unplayed" settings. Depending on iTunes settings, it may or may not also be deleted from your computer's iTunes library.