Podium allows you to create mappings for your external hardware synths and effects, so you can insert them just as easy as a vsti.
You can even store sysex patches in that mapping, allowing you to browse presets from podiums build in preset browser (and save the used presets in the projects)
This is a strength (especially if you use lots of hardware)
Basically if you take some time creating the mappings hardware gets almost all the benefits of a vsti.
The hierarchical engine allows you to freeze a track anywhere in the signal chain (after effect A, but before effect B).
