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BBC launches clever play-along companion iOS app
The BBC has released its first play-along companion app for iOS. Antiques Roadshow Play-along is a second-screen app that lets iPhone and iPad users interact with Antiques Roadshow, a popular television show that sees antique appraisers roam the British countryside looking for valuable finds. The app itself is fairly straightforward. When an appraiser is on screen, users can use the app to guess an item's value before it's announced. Users are then given a rank at the end of each episode ranging from "novice" to "expert." Tom Williams, development editor for Red Button and dual screen in BBC Vision, said that Antiques Roadshow was chosen for the inaugural play-along app because an app for that show "would genuinely enhance [the] programme for a mainstream audience. We piloted a number of titles but Antiques Roadshow stood out. As soon as we tested the first prototype of the app with audiences we saw what a buzz it created in the living room. The interface is simple enough not to distract from the programme and the interaction builds on existing behaviour -- who doesn't shout out what they think an item's worth?" The app itself is rather clever in how it knows which episode of the show you are watching. It doesn't rely on a timer or synced schedule. What the BBC did was embed "invisible" audio watermarking into the episodes themselves. These are audio cues the viewer never picks up on, but which tell the app which episode is being watched and the timecode of the episode. As Williams explains, "We've embedded inaudible signals in the soundtrack of the programme that are picked up by the microphone of a phone or tablet. These are used to identify the episode, line up the correct questions and then display them at exactly the right point in the programme. In short, it provides a way of joining up your TV and mobile/tablet without having to do anything complicated. In fact it makes the whole experience feel a bit like magic. It has the added bonus of synchronising the app with the programme however you choose to watch it, whether on BBC One, a recording of the programme or on BBC iPlayer." Antiques Roadshow Play-along is a free download in the UK App Store.
BBC introduces Red Button to the internet, thinks they'll be great pals
Since 1999, the BBC's Red Button feature has delivered alternative camera angles, sports scores and the like over broadcast spectrum, but it's now set to become internet enabled. Channel surfers shouldn't expect a full-blown web experience, however, as the Beebs stresses it's not about to include everything and the kitchen sink in terms of functionality. Rather, their Connected Red Button aims for simplicity. Punching the clicker could bring up the iPlayer to catch previous episodes of shows or save recipes from a cooking program for later viewing on a computer or smartphone. Companion screen experiences such as the Antiques Roadshow app, which is slated for a September release, are also part of their web-connected roadmap. Mum's the word on when these new features might roll out, but we're promised the BBC's Olympics coverage will give us a taste of what's to come.
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.
PBS releases app for iPhone with full-length episodes and schedule info
PBS released an iPad app last October with access to videos and information about the donation-supported network's programming. Now, the network has done the same for the iPhone and iPod touch, with a free app simply called PBS. Just like the iPad app, you can watch clips and full-length episodes of some of the network's most popular programs, as well as see schedules for both national and local PBS programming. The iPhone app also lets you set reminders for certain programs, and you can also share videos with friends on Facebook and Twitter, or through email. I'm personally a big fan of shows like Antiques Roadshow and Nova, and having them available to watch anytime on the iPhone is great. The app is completely free and available for download right now, but if you like it, do look into hooking up your local PBS station with a nice donation.
Comcast adds select PBS HD series to its On Demand library
Comcast customers who miss a PBS program despite the best efforts of their DVR and the PBS website just might be able to catch that episode (in HD, no less) with On Demand service. Comcast has added "Antiques Roadshow," "Nova," "Masterpiece," "History Detectives" and "Frontline" to its VOD library, and new episodes will be made available for one week starting the day after they are broadcast. While this is probably not enough to allow even the most heavy PBS viewer to ditch the DVR altogether, it's a nice extra all the same. Now, if PBS could do something about its rampant use of "widescreen optimized for 4x3" formatting that doesn't look good on either 4x3 or 16x9 displays, that'd be even better.
PBS shows available on iTunes Store
'This program made possible by iTunes users like you.'PBS is classing up the iTunes Store with a selection [iTS link] of children's and primetime programming. Available for purchase are episodes of Arthur, Cyberchase, FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman, Antiques Roadshow, Nova, Now, and Scientific American Frontiers (which is my favorite of the lot, however, Alan Alda is no Woodie Flowers).The standard iTunes Store pricing of $1.99 per episodes applies to all the PBS programming.[via iLounge]Update: As Russ points out, Nova episodes cost $7.99. I didn't notice that earlier. That seems a little high to me, but Nova is a fine show.
