With the fall TV schedule taking shape, thanks to the network upfront presentations that took place this week, it seems like the right time to step back and look at the apps available to remind us when our favorite programs are going to be on. Sure, fall TV might seem far away now, but it’ll be here before you know it, and a handy digital TV guide is always good to have around, no matter what time of year it is.
TV Guide Mobile (Free)
I can honestly say that as a kid, I read TV Guide for the articles.The TV Guide Mobile app doesn’t have “articles” exactly, though it does have a news tab with the latest in entertainment news. But if you’re looking for a TV schedule to let you know what’s on the tube, you can’t go wrong here. You can find your TV listings by zip code and keep track of your favorite shows and channels. You can even set reminders so the app lets you know when your favorite shows are about to come on.
Yap.TV Social TV Show Guide (Free)
For starters, Yap.TV has the guide portion of the app well covered. There’s a full schedule for any cable or satellite provider and you can hide channels at your whim. You can even see a list of the top 20 most popular shows currently on. But what makes Yap so interesting is that you can see the Facebook and Twitter conversations surrounding your favorite shows within the app. If you’re looking at the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy in the app while you watch it, you can chat along with fans of the show as it happens in real time. That meeting of technology makes Yap.TV a very fun app.
XFINITY TV (Free)
Cable customers that use Comcast’s XFINITY TV won’t get much out of the app if they’re looking for their OnDemand offerings on their mobile phone. Unfortunately, that’s not a feature offered within the app. But DVR subscribers can set recordings of the shows they want to watch right from the XFINITY app while they browse the channel guide. A few more additions like the aforementioned mobile OnDemand content would take XFINITY TV to the next level, but being able to schedule a program when you’re out of the house is a big plus.
AT&T U-Verse Live TV (Free)
Unlike the XFINITY app, AT& U-Verse cable customers can watch a selection of cable channels right from the app, but they’ll have to pay an additional $11.99 a month to do so. U-Verse also has a full channel listing so you can see what’s on TV no matter where you are, but they real key is the ability to watch TV directly from the app. Currently there are only a selection of cable channels available within the app, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this extended as customers demand expanded viewing options.
TV Show Tracker ($1.99)
TV Show Tracker isn’t exactly a guide, per se, but it will let you track when new episodes of your favorite shows are about to air. In fact, you can check out the entire history of your favorite shows with this app. There are synopsis of episodes and overviews of upcoming episodes. You can even mark the episodes of shows you’ve already seen so you know what exactly you need to catch up on. TV Show Tracker also includes links to the iTunes store for any show that’s sold there, so you can purchase an episode right after you’ve finished reading about it.
KaylahR
Great read! As an avid TV watcher, it's definitely essential to have apps like these to help keep me up to date while I’m on the go. I haven't tried out these apps before, but I do like to use Dish Remote Access quite frequently. I've been using it since I started working for Dish a couple years ago too, and love how advanced it keeps getting through the years. It lets me schedule and manage my recordings while I'm away and even (with a Sling Adapter) watch all of my favorite shows on my phone, live or recorded, anywhere I go in the world. It's the ultimate app for me as a TV lover and traveler.