Function (X) Inc. launched the first loyalty program for television last week called Viggle. What seems like technology similar to Shazam, the fourth most downloaded app of all time, Viggle automatically identifies the show the user is watching by listening to what the characters are saying. After users launch the app and check in to their show the app awards them with points that can be redeemed later at places such as Best Buy, Burger King, Fandango and Old Navy.
Extra bonus points can be earned by watching featured shows such as “American Idol” and in-app commercials. Currently, the app awards two points per every minute watched. Most $5 gift cards to places such as Starbucks and Burger King cost 7,500 points, but right now the company is running a limited time only special for a $5 gift card to Amazon for only 4,000 points. Users can also set reminders and read detailed information on their favorite shows from within the app as well as share their check-in on Facebook and Twitter.
This week at 148Apps.com, we took a first look at Garmin’s new StreetPilot onDemand app. Rob LeFebvre writes, “The app itself offers 30 days of premium features for that dollar, including multimodal pedestrian routing, bus/train schedules, spoken turn-by-turn guidance with street names, 3D representations of buildings, traffic rerouting, photoReal Junction View and Google Local Search. Once the free month is up, users can pay $2.99 monthly or $29.99 annually, with a special introductory $19.99 annual price for this first year.”
Meanwhile, at GiggleApps, we got the music playing with our review of Sylvester’s Band. Reviewer Amy Solomon states, “The illustrations are simply gorgeous to look at and I really appreciate how each location Henry visits has a unique landscape all its own, while maintaining the style used throughout this book, such as squared-off trees or cloud formations. I enjoy a great deal how the look of this story changes, becoming dark as the gang makes their way high into the clouds looking for William the Wolf. The details about lassoing the moon in order to bring it to the party create wonderful images that stayed with me after reading this book, my favorite moment of this story. It is also great fun the way each time Henry collects another band member they can all be seen, one by one, running to a new location. These creatures look great as well…”
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-07-27 :: Category: Books
148Apps.biz featured an article about tablet owners and TV viewing habits. Kyle Flanigan writes, “According to the report, some 50% of tablet owners – iPad included – watch films and TV shows on their portable device for leisure. In the words of research director Keith Nissen, “tablets, in particular, have become a primary video device, both inside and outside the home.” There are few adjectives that come to mind to describe such a high percentage: unexpected, unanticipated and unprecedented began to scratch the surface.”
And finally, AndroidRundown writer Carter Dotson announced G5 Entertainment’s first simultaneously-launched iOS and Android app, Stand o’ Food 3. “While G5 Entertainment only recently got on to the Android train, they aren’t wasting their time making sure their library of sim games are well-represented on the platform. In the past few weeks, both Supermarket Mania 2 and Virtual City have been released for Android, after their initial mobile releases on iOS.”
That’s it for this week, but don’t forget to check out our ever-changing lists of apps, and make sure you keep up to date on all the latest news and happenings by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook. See you next week, true believer.
As Comcast updates their interesting Xfinity app, TiVo delivers on their long awaited iPad promise. TiVo for the iPad makes use of the massive real estate, the touch controls and the snappy navigation potential within the device in order to deliver, according to them, “the world’s most amazing remote control.”
The app has been designed specifically with the TiVo Premiere and Premiere XL boxes in mind. The whole pitch with this application is that you can now search, browse and share without ever interrupting your television viewing. From the application, users will be able to browse channel listings (up to 14 days in advance), set and manage recordings, view actor and actress bios and even comment on specific shows, events and movies.
TiVo’s also included the ability for users to post to Facebook and Twitter from the application in relation to what they’re currently watching or doing.
The TiVo system has always been designed to work in conjunction with users’ home television setups. Its purpose is to complement the experience customers already receive. With the Xfinity app from Comcast and this new TiVo iPad app, the marketplace is getting tougher and tougher to manage. Comcast keeps adding functionality to what they offer, at a cost, as they try to push competitors like TiVo away from the market.
It actually looks like the only thing TiVo’s application does that Comcast’s doesn’t is the ability to discover and learn more about programming and actors. And with the potential addition of live streaming to the Xfinity application, is TiVo’s wonder remote enough to keep the device relevant? Our guess: probably. People do love their TiVo.
Those who love watching TV on the go will be pleased to hear that Hulu Plus is now available on iOS devices. The preview phase is over and the service will now be available to all iPhone and iPad users for $7.99 a month. Those who have been paying the higher rate during the preview need not worry, as your subscription will be adjusted in the next billing cycle and you’ll be given a $2 credit for every month you’ve been a member of the preview program.
While Hulu has always been a great resource for watching current seasons of to television shows, Hulu Plus takes things to the next level by offering the full catalog of hundreds of shows to watch whenever you want. Sure, you can keep up with House or Modern Family, but you can also go back into the vault and watch the full run of 21 Jump Street or The A Team. The service already supports over 200 shows from CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox, and the lineup continues to grow at a staggering rate.
Considering the fact that the holidays are fast approaching this app seems like the ideal gift for the constantly moving business traveler or friends who insist on living off the grid and not subscribing to cable. Unfortunately, Hulu Plus doesn’t yet have deals in place with networks like TBS or AMC, so while you can get current episodes or clips of shows like Mad Men or The Walking Dead, most of the content is still off-limits.
Disregarding this rather small hang-up, there’s still plenty to love about Hulu Plus making its iOS debut. If you love having your entertainment on the go then this is an absolutely must-own app.
Verizon, the company that is rumored to get the iPhone onto their network in the not so distant future, has an app planned that will bring live TV to FiOS subscribing iPad users (FiOS, for those who don’t know (which included me until about an hour ago), is Verizon’s bundled home communications service which includes internet, TV, and phone). The live TV in the app will be a completely separate experience, letting the iPad work as an independent TV rather than an extension of another, a la Slingbox.
While the news is not quite as epic as a confirmed by Apple Verizon phone, the ability to stream live TV is something that iPad owners have been yearning for.
There is a major limitation though, as the service can only be used in your home due to Verizon’s need to authenticate users to send them the correct content. While it is unfortunate for the end user, it wouldn’t make sense for every user of the app to get every premium channel just for having it. The eventual goal is to provide a TV anywhere model, but there are apparently some kinks that need to be worked out.
Verizon is also planning a video on-demand store to be ready in Q4 2010 (which may or may not be before the release of the iPad app) that will let you stream rented and or paid for movies on the fly. Instead of making you store the content on-device though, the service saves the media onto a 70 GB HD in the clouds that is specifically dedicated to you. This capability allows users to watch the videos on whatever device they choose, from one of the TV’s connected to FiOS to a supported mobile device.
Verizon doesn’t have a set date for the apps arrival as they are waiting for all of the content partners to get on board, something that could be very difficult in today’s world where everyone is trying to make money in the App Store, but the “cloud TV” experience could be right around the corner. If you are one of the lucky 2.5 million FiOS TV customers, your TV on the iPad dreams could soon come true.
Function (X) Inc. launched the first loyalty program for television last week called Viggle. What seems like technology similar to Shazam, the fourth most downloaded app of all time, Viggle automatically identifies the show the user is watching by listening to what the characters are saying. After users launch the app and check in to their show the app awards them with points that can be redeemed later at places such as Best Buy, Burger King, Fandango and Old Navy.
:: AFFORDABLE
Verizon, the company that is rumored to get the iPhone onto their network in the not so distant future, has an app planned that will bring live TV to FiOS subscribing iPad users (FiOS, for those who don’t know (which included me until about an hour ago), is Verizon’s bundled home communications service which includes internet, TV, and phone). The live TV in the app will be a completely separate experience, letting the iPad work as an independent TV rather than an extension of another, a la Slingbox. 
