Companion-App
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Ceton's Media Center Companion apps for mobiles hit RC status, add new features (video)
Fans of Windows Media Center will have a new remote control option soon, as Ceton has pushed out some release candidates of its mobile device Companion apps. Beta testers should be seeing some new features including an updated program guide with infinite scrolling, plus universal search through the guide, movies, recorded TV, TV series and channels, as well as series recording management and overall speed improvements. Currently only the Windows Phone and iOS clients are considered at RC level with the Android version not quite there and lacking the guide search feature. Those in the test group can hit the source links to make sure they've got the latest versions of the apps and services for their HTPC, while those of us on the outside looking in can get a quick preview from the demo video embedded after the break and pics in the gallery. %Gallery-162800%
TVSync API unveiled, helps devs build second-screen and smart TV apps
Second screen apps seem to be all the rage as of late, and Vobile's freshly announced TVSync API platform can help developers ride that wave of popularity. Compatible with iOS and Android devices, PCs and some smart TVs, the API can be leveraged to supplement what's on the silver screen with relevant content ranging from polls to products. Apps developed with the interface can trigger what's displayed on the companion screen at just the right moment by analyzing audio, video, or both. For instance, a recipe featured on a celebrity chef's program could be pushed to your slate as soon as it's first mentioned. Yearning to code an app of your own with the tech? Visit the source to request beta access to TVSync or look below for the full press release.
Google I/O 2012 app unveiled for Android, keeps attendees and outsiders looped in
Hardly any self-respecting conference can do without a companion app these days and Google has pulled out all the stops with an updated app for I/O 2012. Now available on Google Play, this year's iteration is formatted to work equally well on phones and tablets, and allows users to easily sync events with their calendars and find sessions they're interested in, as well as share them on Google+ or in other apps. The social integration doesn't stop there, as a Google+ stream of the #io2012 hashtag is built right in. The app reaches all the way back to Froyo devices, but there are advanced features like I/O Live session video streams (Honeycomb and above), and automatic synching of schedules / NFC beaming (Android 4.0+). Of course, even if you're just going to observe the event from afar, a few eagle eyed users are already wondering if one of the screenshots (above, left) is giving an early peek at the next version Android, Jelly Bean, due to the oddly styled search box. Whatever the case is, we'll find out for sure June 27th, hit the source link below to grab the app and get ready.
Starhawk 'Uplink' companion app now available for iOS, Android
A leader without information is an ineffectual leader at best, and a liability to the fate of his/her entire team at worst. When everyone you've ever known or loved is dead, their horrified faces burned into your retinas for the rest of your traumatized existence, will you have enough strength left to curse your own name for being so poorly prepared for battle?Hopefully you'll never have to find out, as a free Starhawk companion app has been released to help you stay on top of things. The app, compatible with iOS devices and Android devices running Gingerbread or newer, lets players access leaderboard information, view individual player and clan statistics, as well as access an encyclopedia of weapon and battle structure data.
ConnecTV officially launches, gives you more ways to bug your buddies
We went hands-on with the ConnecTV app while it was in open beta earlier this year. Now the social TV app is officially, uh, official -- launching nationwide with backing from television's old guard. Although ConnecTV doesn't double as a remote a la Dijit or BuddyTV, it does play nice with Facebook and Twitter, allowing users to socially rave about Alton Brown's cherry couscous pudding or razz followers of a rival team while watching a game on TV. ConnecTV says the app also syncs with content from Apple TV, Boxee, Hulu, Netflix and Roku from the past seven days. Do note that "nationwide" currently means integrated content from 85 local stations across the US' top 40 TV markets. ConnecTV also plans to expand that number to 215 stations. The app is available for free for PC browsers and the Apple iPad, with iPhone and Android smartphone and tablet versions set for release within the next 45 days. For more details, feel free to dip your toes into the celebratory PR after the break.
A conversation with Microsoft's Marc Whitten on SmartGlass and the quest for a better living room
Microsoft SmartGlass hands-on Xbox SmartGlass: did Microsoft just render the Wii U controller obsolete? Microsoft's Marc Whitten: SmartGlass is the 'enabling technology' of IE on Xbox 360 What good is a surprise if you already saw it coming? When I mention to Microsoft's Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox Live and the man who has shepherded SmartGlass to its debut, that we kind-of-sort-of knew that his baby was set to be announced at E3 before the company got a chance to do so, he lets out a frustrated laugh. "Yeah..." He'd hoped the unveiling at the company's pre-show keynote would be the first time we, and everyone else in the industry, got eyes on the fruit of his and his team's labors. But, when I tell him we were still genuinely surprised at the scope of SmartGlass, and genuinely impressed at the potential, he seems genuinely pleased and reminds us that what we've seen is "all just the beginning." Join us after the break for an exploration of what comes next for Microsoft SmartGlass.
BBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British heritage
Perennial evening schedule-filler Antiques Roadshow will launch a new companion app in the UK, connecting PCs, smartphones, tablets and BBC's red button feature on TVs to the show, as it goes out live. It's shaping up to be very different to the existing PBS app, this time combining your incredulity over whether a painting is really worth that much with a quiz format. You'll be able to guess the value against the clock, with separate amateur and expert levels. (We're all experts when it comes to 18th century pottery, right?). It's the Beeb's first public launch of its companion feature, following closed trials with shows like Frozen Planet. When it eventually launches in September, you'll be able to poll the rest of the British Isles to see what they reckon before you make your decision. Until then, we're stuck vocalizing our disbelief at the TV.
Ceton previews DVR companion apps on Android and iOS, teases Echo beta 'soon'
A quick stop by the Intel pavilion here at NAB 2012 revealed our friends from Ceton hiding within, and even though we just saw the Q DVR and Echo companion extender on our last trip to Vegas a few months ago, there's a few new items to show already. As shown above, the mobile companion app that we had only seen so far on Windows Phone 7 is also up and running on Android and iOS. While the apps are still very early in their development they're already running smoothly with metadata provided by Rovi and the usual set of features for DVR scheduling and management. Each one is designed specifically for the platform it's running on, rather than pulling the same UI from one device to all. This seems like a good approach to us, but Ceton's looking for feedback from potential users about what they might prefer. Speaking of potential users -- all those interested in this hardware should keep an eye out as we're told that the plan is to have a beta for the DTS-compatible Echo extender "soon", likely within a few weeks.
TiVo iOS app updated to v1.9 with a few new features, Android tablet app on the way
The TiVo iOS app has been updated v1.9, and whether you're on iPad or iPhone there's a slew of new fixes and tweaks available. On both platforms, the Facebook login has been streamlined, there's To Do List / Season Pass management for Series3 DVRs, ability to create a WishList search and more. The iPad version features a new full-screen Browse UI (shown above) and collapsible folders while the iPhone receives high res retina display quality images. Zatz Not Funny mentions those higher quality pics will come to the iPad as well in the next few weeks, while TiVo's blog post mentions all of these features will arrive in its Android app(s) this summer. We say apps plural, because that's including a specialized Tablet version due in the springtime. For now however, the changelogs for the iOS versions are available at the links below.Update: Just an FYI, the official TiVo app for Android has also been updated, adding support for more resolutions, an exit button in the menu and unspecified performance and stability fixes.
Sky Sports for iPad 2.0 launches with live TV streaming, F1 Race Control companion
Another day, another app release from the folks at Sky, who have this time around delivered v2.0 of Sky Sports for iPad (formerly Sky Sports News). Coming just in time for the F1 2012 season, this iteration includes not only live streaming of the four Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports F1 HD, but it also has a new F1 Race Control companion feature built-in. During a race, it lets viewers choose from eight different camera feeds with in-car and pit lane views, in-race highlights, live race data like lap times and integrated social media feeds -- while these are just for racing now, according to Sky's blog post, we may see similar ones for other sports soon. Access to the app is included with various Sky TV packages, while those in the UK and Ireland without a TV plan can get access to the app and Sky Sports News channel streaming for £4.99 per month, billed through iTunes. Check it out there for a few more screenshots or to download and get ready for the Australian GP.
I Am Alive receives free iOS companion app
Ubisoft has released a free I Am Alive companion app for iOS devices ahead of the game's impending XBLA release. The app features area maps, hints from the developers regarding points of interest, an achievement checklist and a compendium of in-game resources and their effects. It also contains concept art, developer diaries and the game's soundtrack, six tracks of which are exclusive to the app.The companion program even has a photo mode, which lets you take pictures of your friends eating and then make it look like they're eating in a dystopian ruin. Cell phones probably don't work in I Am Alive's post-apocalyptic future, but they do work in our pre-apocalyptic present, so why not take advantage of that while you can? If anything, you'll be able to impress all of your trendy hipster friends with a photo manipulation app they've never heard of.
DUST 514 Vita version is companion app, not full game
If you were hoping to play a mobile version of CCP's upcoming DUST 514 shooter, you might want to adjust your expectations just a bit. The EVE Online-inspired MMOFPS will be making an appearance on Sony's PlayStation Vita device... but as a companion app rather than a full-blown game. CCP's Brandon Laurino explained the details to Eurogamer in an interview over the weekend. "At the most basic level, you can do transactions on the market, equip and customize your character, your vehicles, set up strategies with your friends and corporation members -- all of these sort of companion functions on the go," he says. Laurino also says that the DUST Vita launch date has yet to be determined but that gamers should keep an eye out for further iterations of the app after its initial release. "As we continue to explore what the possibilities are between Vita and PS3, of which there are many, we'll keep updating the app with stuff like that over time," he explained.
AT&T U-Verse iPad app combines DVR control and companion features
It's been over a year since we saw AT&T first demo a U-verse connected tablet app with second screen companion features it called "ComplemenTV" and last week it officially launched for the iPad. AT&T U-verse for iPad can act as a remote control for any the company's DVRs in the home, as well as pull in extra info about the content that's playing. If you're away from home, it can still pull up guide data, program the DVR, or play a selection of VOD shows just like the U-verse's other mobile apps. what it doesn't have however, unlike many other pay-TV tablet apps out there, is live TV streaming of any kind. Of course, it is a free add-on, so check after the break for a quick video demo or hit iTunes to download it yourself.
ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on)
The old guard's attempt at a social TV companion just got real with the launch of ConnecTV in open beta for iPad, PC and Mac -- smartphones and Android tablet versions are coming soon. The idea is you'll load up this app while watching TV and find a whole new way to discover details of your favorite content while at the same time share with your friends. The app uses a mic to detect what you're watching just like IntoNow and links up with both Facebook or Twitter (it'll also work on its own). Overall we were underwhelmed and quickly realizing that the other startups are way ahead in both release date and functionality. For starters, there are plenty of channels missing and not a single channel number. You can't even search for your favorite shows or channels. But even when it did manage to figure out what we were watching, we felt like we were being forced fed useless data like trivia and ads rather than having useful information like actors or players names at our finger tips. There's no doubt in our mind that the app was designed more to make us discover certain content rather than discover shows based on our actual tastes. Then again, this is the first version out of the gate, and there's no reason to believe this isn't just the first step of many on the way to ConnecTV's vision of how we should enjoy our favorite shows.
Sky to introduce 'augmented' TV viewing with zeebox companion app
A good week so far for British TV fans, especially those who want a little more interactivity than simply mashing a red button. The UK's satellite behemoth has announced a partnership with zeebox to create a companion app for its scheduling. Once released, you'll be able to connect with fans of the same shows, digest more program information and even purchase on-screen products. You might be doing all of these things with a laptop or tablet already, of course, but at least now you can spare your non-interested friends all those continued America's next top model tweets. If this sounds a bit like Facebook, Twitter and Amazon functionality bundled into an app, you might be right. Sky, however, clearly hopes this dedicated approach will give its programming that extra edge once the iPad / iPhone app pops up some time before the end of Q2. Viewers without iDevices will be able to access the goodies via more vanilla online methods. Hit the PR over the jump for more info.
Are You Watching This?! sports tracker for Android adds remote control for DirecTV, TiVo, Google TV
The Are You Watching This?! app has a long history of making sure sports fans don't miss the big games with its bookmarklets and apps that popped up notifications or emailed reminders. Now a new upgrade on Android, along with a few connected TV platforms, has taken things to the next level. In its newest iteration, the free app ties into DirecTV, TiVo or Google TV setups with IP control for one click switching to the appropriate channel -- key when a game is coming down to the last play and you're not sure where the remote is or which channel NBA / NFL / MLB etc. action is on. There's varying levels of filtering options so users can see alerts just when their team is playing, any decent matchup or just the must-see finishes. We gave it a shot and found it worked as advertised, only requiring the app to be installed and enabled on the Google TV and our Android phone (DirecTV and TiVo boxes should be ready to go), however even though we already had our local channels set up on the TV, we had to enter our ZIP and cable provider on the remote app as well. We're starting to see similar companion technology built into apps from DirecTV, TiVo and Comcast, as well as Dijit's software, however the RUWT? game tracker algorithm and focus on live scores gives it a leg up for sports freaks. Check out the video trailer embedded above for a quick look or hop over to the Android Market to install it on phone, tablet and/or TV.
Sky mobile apps on the way include Movies channel companion for iOS, Go for Android
Back in June,the UK's Sky TV said we would see an Android version of its mobile viewing Sky Go app, and while it may not have arrived in time to fall back (in Europe, don't ask us to explain DST around the world, it makes our heads hurt) the company says it's still on track. Telling Tech-Radar the app is still due "in the coming months", Sky has already indicated in a recent earnings report that it has more than 1.6 million viewers of its aggregated mobile VOD on iOS. Speaking of, iOS users will be getting a new app designed to work alongside the Sky Movies channel. It can show what movies are on the channel at the moment, schedule recordings, display info on movies in theaters, and even launch streaming flicks in the Sky Go app when it hits iTunes next week. The screenshot above gives a hint of what it will look like and expect more like it -- the company plans more individualized companion apps that work together, as opposed to the all-in-one approach of a DirecTV or TiVo.
MyTVBuddy brings iPad companion apps to European viewers ahead of Eurovision 2011
So far most of the TV companion apps we've seen for the iPad have been for US watchers only, but MyTVBuddy from E-ZONE claims to be the first one aimed at the Pan-European market. The first event it's tied into is the Eurovision Song contest that starts today and app brings live rating, plus information about the artists and integration with Twitter and Facebook. The free iPad app is available on iTunes now, we'll wait for a few of our European friends to give it a shot and let us know if it's made reality TV any more interesting.
Yahoo buys TV companion app developer IntoNow and its database of sounds
Earlier this year IntoNow launched its iPhone app that could identify what TV show you were watching by the audio Shazam-style and then share it with others over Facebook or Twitter, pull in additional information, or add the DVD to your Netflix queue. Now, Yahoo has purchased the company and according to the press release (after the break) wants to integrate its SoundPrint tech with its existing services including the Connected TV platform. As NewTeeVee suggests, this could tie-in nicely with its existing plans to use audio watermarks to identify advertisements and display additional info on screen or work with a companion app, both of which it demonstrated at CES. That database of sounds reportedly stretches back over five years and is continually being updated, which could give a major lift to Yahoo over other smart TV platforms that goes far beyond just check-ins and badges.
NBC Live iPad app adds interactivity to shows, won't keep Michael on The Office
While other networks (Fox and ABC) have dipped a toe in with specialized iPad companion apps, NBC is going a different route with the recently launched NBC Live. From the screens, it's able to pull up information on multiple shows in a similar style to the website and provides social feeds and interactive features between viewers while they watch the show on TV. What it doesn't do is stream video to the iPad like the ABC Player has since launch which, judging from some of the reviews, is confusing to would-be users. It's a free download though, so try it out and let us know if you're interested in "tuning in, interacting and engaging" with Parks & Rec or 30 Rock in a whole new way. [Thanks, TV Tipster]
