Neville and I just finished our seventh installment of “For Immediate Release: The Hobson & Holtz Report,” using a new piece of software that worked so well I need to gush about it.

MixCast Live is the first recording application developed specifically for podcasting. Previously I’ve used a few different apps meant for computer-based recording, but the files need to be converted to MP3, the bit rates set, and a host of other actions taken. Further, I have to use a second application to play any files Neville and I want to incorporate into the podcast.

With MixCast Live, you drag the files you want to play into boxes on the interface. When you’re ready to play them, you just click the box. If you want a loop of background music, you add those files to a different window on the interface and it starts playing as soon as you start recording. You can add as many as you like in order to switch background themes.

The product also comes with the ability to slide faders in order to bring the levels down on your mike, clips, and background music. You also have complete control over ID3 tagging, and the a counter helps you keep track of how much time you’ve been recording Files are saved instantly as MP3 files at a decent bit rate, the sound quality is just fine and the file sizes are smaller than those we’ve been producing up to now.

I’m using a pre-release version of the software that’s available for a whopping $39, a $20 savings off the price you’ll pay once the product is officially released. If you buy the pre-release, you’ll be entitled to upgrade to the release version at no extra cost. Such a deal!

The company’s site offers a two-minute video that shows how to install it and produce your first podcast. For organizations thinking of getting into the podcast game but intimidated by the complexities associated with production, this should ease a lot of qualms.

I’m expecting a wave of products to follow this initial entry in the podcast recording software field, but I’m having trouble imagining what competitors could do better. Perhaps more control over compression options or the instant production of an RSS file, but MixCast Live has most of what you need. Excellent job, whoever you folks are who developed this software.