Watching television isn’t typically a real-time social experience. Sure, we like to discuss our favorite shows next to the company water cooler or on Twitter and Facebook. But, that typically happens after the fact. However, thanks to a new app from
Yap.tv, Inc. you can discuss a show with online friends in real time on your iPad.
The
yap.TV iPad app describes itself as a “Social TV Program Guide and Tuned-for-TV Twitter Client” but you don’t need a Twitter account to use it. Instead, a Facebook or Yap account will work just as well. We all know about Facebook, but setting up a Yap account is simple (and free) and can be completed from within the app itself. Naturally, the Yap account ties right back to the company's website which offers a nice mix of social networking interaction and advertising for the iPad app itself.
Once you tie your Facebook, Twitter or Yap account to the yap.TV app, the fun begins.
The app shows you a list of current and future television programming using an easy to use grid. All of the channels are there including ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC plus the hundreds of cable channels. The app’s grid defaults to programming at the current time (called “now”) or you can use your finger and move forward to future programming. Keep in mind, while the actual programming is correct, the app doesn’t give you the ability to sort the grid based on your specific programming needs.
For example, if you are using DirecTV, there is no way to tell the app that this is the service you are using. This would be a nice add-on for a future release.
A button on the bottom right hand side of the app will allow you to move forward to morning, afternoon, prime time or late night programming within the grid. Once you select the appropriate time, each show is shown with both a graphical and text description.
Let’s say you enjoy FOX’s “Glee” and are excited to discuss tonight’s episode. Once you find the listing, click on it. From there, you’ll see a real-time listing of fans who are discussing the show on any of the three social networking sites. Depending on which service you belong to, you too can post real-time messages about the show, which will go out instantly to each of the services.
If you belong to each of the social sites, you can decide whether you want the same message to go out to each or just to a select few. You decide.
In addition, current and trending polls about the show are shown, and you can respond to them. For example, if you feel that Jane Lynch is the funniest actor on Glee, you can respond to that question. Questions are generated directly from the yap.TV website.
Your social networking friends who use yap.TV are also listed within the app, as is the complete list of messages that you’ve sent via the app. You can even rearrange where, within the app, each type of feature is shown. Yap.TV calls this your “Living Room,” which you can arrange as you see fit.
The app’s strengths are definitely its simplicity and ability to find your favorite shows in a hurry. I’m not sure if I’m going to begin discussing my favorite shows as they are running, but it’s definitely an easy way to do so. If anything, this is a great app to discuss shows immediately after they've aired.
The
yap.TV iPad app is available today in the App Store. Best of all, it is free.
