DISH Explorer Second-Screen App Enhances TV Viewing Experience on iPad

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Explorer Second-Screen App Enhances TV Viewing Experience on iPad

Discover New Shows — Explorer app recommends programs based on real-time TV viewing and social media trends
Engage with Fans — Within Explorer app, access Twitter and Facebook feeds and participate in social conversations related to live programs
Find Big Games — Explorer shows real-time trends for popular sporting events
Control the Experience — App can serve as remote-control for Hopper HD DVR features, including channel guide, DVR and on-demand video
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, DISH (NASDAQ: DISH) introduced the DISH Explorer™ app for iPad, an intuitive second-screen app for the Hopper™ Whole-Home HD DVR platform that combines program-discovery tools, social media engagement and remote-control capabilities.

"Customers are already using tablets while watching TV but, until Explorer, it had been two separate experiences," said Vivek Khemka, vice president of Product Management at DISH. "What we've done is develop an integrated, seamless experience between the tablet and the television; only the Hopper creates an entirely new viewing dynamic."

Available tomorrow, DISH Explorer expands the functionality of the Hopper by allowing customers to:

Discover popular and trending shows, including sporting events, across hundreds of live-TV channels, DVR recordings and on-demand programs;
Engage with fans of the same show over Twitter and Facebook using the iPad;
Control the Hopper from an iPad, including channel guide navigation and DVR management;
Search live TV, DVR and on-demand programs using iPad's keyboard instead of the remote control.

The new app recommends shows and reveals popular programs by cross-referencing social media television viewing trends and real-time viewership data from DISH's customer base.

DISH Explorer allows customers to connect with the social media community about their favorite shows. Using the app, customers can log in to Twitter and Facebook and, in real-time, comment and track posts from fans of the shows they are watching.

For the sports enthusiast, Explorer incorporates Thuuz™ ratings to identify the hottest games on TV and provides viewers with real-time sports stats when watching live events on the Hopper. The Explorer's view into trending data can signal sporting events that are quickly becoming ‘must see' events.

"The Thuuz ratings on Explorer means sports fans can quickly see the potential no-hitters, the shut-outs and the upsets forming live before the sports recap on the evening news," said Khemka. "Seeing the big events live is always better and Explorer helps deliver that experience."

DISH Explorer connects to an Internet-connected Hopper via Wi-Fi and eliminates the need for the remote control. The app makes it easy to navigate all Hopper programming options with the iPad.

DISH Explorer app will be available at no charge in Apple's App Store on January 7.

For images, visit the DISH News Room http://about.dish.com/multimedia-gallery.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I clicked on the image link but can not find any photos of the new App.

I think its kind of silly to make a new app, this should be built in the DISH Remote Access app. No reason to have two separate apps.

 

[lucky86]

If I had to take a guess, I would guess that eventually the apps will be combined into one.

 

[DBS Commando]

App in action:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/06/dish-explorer-app/

Once again, Android gets the cold shoulder from Dish....

 

[DustoMan]

Ah ha! A use for that Paired Devices menu that showed up! Can't wait to check this out.


And I don't think so much that Android gets the "cold shoulder" it's just easier to get this stuff up and running on iOS first. An Android version of some form is probably in the pipeline.

Cool stuff!

 

[mike123abc]

As a sophisticated remote it looks like it could be fun to use. I guess I am just not sharing enough to tweet and facebook about what TV show I am currently watching.

 

[satjay]

Looks ok, but I agree with Scott, why have a second app?

 

[thechaz05]

I would hope we get an android version soon, this seems interesting and I would use it.

Scott, I agree that it should be one app.

Sent from my phone using SatelliteGuys sweet app.

 

[mike123abc]

I suspect a separate app for now because I bet the Dish App is nothing more than the sling player app with a few minor alterations. Essentially they act the same (I have both) when dealing with a Dish receiver. So, they would have to maintain 2 code bases if they duplicated the sling player in the Dish Explorer app. Also the press release just says Hopper, not the 722/922, who knows if they will end up supporting them?

 

[GaryPen]

And I don't think so much that Android gets the "cold shoulder" it's just easier to get this stuff up and running on iOS first. An Android version of some form is probably in the pipeline.

I don't think it's easier. It's more likely because the iPad is currently a more popular tablet than Android tabs. Of course, that will probably not continue to be the case through 2013. But, for now, it's certainly true. And, as such, you build the apps for the platforms in order of user base.

This is the same reason there are more viruses for Windows than Mac OS. It has nothing to do with one OS being more vulnerable or easier to write viruses for. It has to do with the number of potential victims.

 

[3HaloODST]

Can't wait to try this one out!

Sent from my iPhone 4S using SatelliteGuys

 

[DWS44]

If nothing else, the search function looks cool. Hope the Android app isn't far behind.

 

[DBS Commando]

Ah ha! A use for that Paired Devices menu that showed up! Can't wait to check this out.


And I don't think so much that Android gets the "cold shoulder" it's just easier to get this stuff up and running on iOS first. An Android version of some form is probably in the pipeline.

Cool stuff!

Difficulty has nothing to do with it. What most likely will happen is that Dish will release the app for iOS and then port it to Android. The problem with that is that iOS devices and Android devices are NOT the same. (just ask Facebook)

The UI requirements between the two OS's are very different. iOS requires two separate apps between iPhone and iPad. Android only needs one app and has the ability to support many different types of screen sizes from one app.

Dish made this same exact mistake with the original Dish online app - it is a direct port from the iOS app and runs quite horribly. (choppy, laggy, sometimes doesn't work at all...AND it does not support larger screens)

 

[DustoMan]

Okay. This isn't the place to get into an argument over which mobile OS is "easier" to write for than the other. Let me put it this way since I'm not posting on my iPad- Writing one Universal iOS app for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad devices is "easier" than writing an Android app that compensates for every single minute difference in Android hardware. Maybe I should have said that it would be faster to write a Universal app for iOS that works on the dozen or so hardware differences across the entire iOS line instead of the hundreds of Android devices. Either way, we are splitting hairs. If DISH had the resources to put out both platforms at once. They would have... bottom line. There isn't any advantage for them to put one platform over another.

 

[lucky86]

Maybe they know they have more iOS users than Android at the current time and decided to go that way.

 

[ralfyguy]

Are they gonna make one for BB10?

 

[lucky86]

Since they stopped supporting BB a long time ago, I highly doubt it. I think it would be Android next followed by Windows if Windows phones ever get support. Which I would guess is going to be based off of whether or not Windows ever become a bigger player in the cell phone market.

 

[GaryPen]

Okay. This isn't the place to get into an argument over which mobile OS is "easier" to write for than the other.

Then you go on to do exactly that.

Writing one Universal iOS app for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad devices is "easier" than writing an Android app that compensates for every single minute difference in Android hardware. Maybe I should have said that it would be faster to write a Universal app for iOS that works on the dozen or so hardware differences across the entire iOS line instead of the hundreds of Android devices.

And, you are incorrect.

Maybe they know they have more iOS users than Android at the current time and decided to go that way.

You are correct sir. (Albeit, only partially correct. More iPad users. Not necessarily more iOS users, once you include smartphones.)

 

[Lt Disher]

Just got app from the iTunes store. It is pretty slick. It is basically a supercharged remote control. I'm not sure how much I will use it, but I'll give it a try.

 

[lucky86]

I love the app and at first I was skeptical as well but my wife and I both find ourselves using it when we are just lounging and trying to find something to watch. I especially like the ability to download VOD content to my Hoppers via this app instead of having to search and look through all the on demand content available with the remote.