5 Best Apps to Use When Watching TV 2012

According to Pew, more than half of us use our mobile devices while watching TV; and why not? Our multitasking mentality aside, there are many good reasons why simply watching TV isn't always enough. Smartphone’s and tablets are the perfect TV companions, providing ways to inform, enrich, and share the experience. Let's narrow down which apps will actually shine as a delicious part of a balanced TV diet.

IMDB:

 Well, of course. There's no better way to settle arguments, or to answer the questions that burn in everyone's minds ("where have I seen him before?" or "how many other people agree that this episode really sucked?" or "was that gladiator really wearing a wristwatch?"). Granted, the "M" does not stand for TV, but you may not know that IMDB also provides TV listings, recaps of just-aired episodes, and a host of TV-specific message boards; all without leaving the cleanly-designed app interface. Oh, and Facebook sharing and Amazon purchasing are integrated too.
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TV Guide:

Did I say of course? You'd expect TV Guide to provide comprehensive TV show listings (one area where IMDB is still weak), but this is far more than a timetable. You get watch lists, alerts, and customizable news feeds. You also get powerful search features, including the ability to track down streaming video of your TV shows from a number of online sources. Don't forget about second-screen video and loads of added content. One thing to keep in mind, however; Android users may feel a bit shortchanged, as the iOS version of the TV Guide app is considerably more comprehensive.

Shazam:

Yes, it was originally meant to track down that elusive song, but that doesn't make it an audio app. The vast majority of Shazams come from TV viewers eager to investigate music that came on during a TV show, movie, or advertisement. Recognizing this, the company started including compelling second-screen content, from the Super Bowl and the Grammys to individual TV shows and even commercials. So even when you're not saying "what's that song?" you can be on the lookout for the "S" logo.

IntoNow:

There's no doubt that Yahoo! wants to capitalize on the success of Shazam, but IntoNow takes the idea in a few slightly different directions.  A tap of the button will instantly identify the show that's playing on TV, opening up multiple options for related news, actor tweets, live scores, exclusive content and contests. But IntoNow also integrates with Facebook and Twitter to maximize your social connections, with Netflix to make the media your own, and with IMDB for even more info and resources.

Dijit Universal Remote Control:

In addition to providing a uniquely customizable and macro-enabled universal remote interface, Dijit accesses provider listings and allows you to customize your own personal program guide. Social sharing across Facebook and Twitter is included, as is YouTube and Netflix integration. Dijit is less consistent on Android than on iOS, working perfectly with some Android devices but struggling with others. If you just need the universal remote functionality for Android, a better choice might be Unified Remote.

You probably won't need ALL of these; there's a definite amount over overlap in the feature sets. However, each of these apps does at least one thing better than the others, so there's nothing better than to install them all and give each one a try. You may find that the very thing you were looking for is less compelling than one or more of the app's other features. Or, you may find another app that is even better than these five -- in which case; feel free to let me know in the comments.

About Guest Blogger

Dwayne Thomas is a tech enthusiast and staff writer for cabletv.com. If you'd like to guest post for US check out our Write for Us page for details about how YOU can share your knowledge with our online community.

Hannah Jones

Author & Editor

From Skopje, Macedonia, Also works as Software Quality Assurance.