What’s On – Review
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
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Date Released: 2008-08-30
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Price: 0.99
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This is one of those little $.99 utilitites that does no more than you can do on the web for free.
So I wasted yet another buck on a useless app, right? Wrong. I like this app a whole lot and think it was $.99 well worth spending. It is a seriously simple one trick pony but it is well done and totally helpful.
The blurb for the app states,
"You can browse through the guide just like your cable or satellite at home."
It is false advertising. With this app you can browse through the guide BETTER AND FASTER than your cable or satellite at home. The fact is, What’s On makes finding out what is on television far faster and more convenience than my horribly slow Cablevision box, it is faster than the Dish Network we used to have and it is even easier than searching for a show or looking to find out what’s on that with Tivo.
Using the app is simple. The settings screen prompts you for your zip code. Once you submit it the app offers displays all the major tv providers in your area. Select your provider and you are on your way. (Even better, if you are travelling you can quickly change it to get local programming information.)
By default the browsing screen shows what’s currently on. To check other channels there are two choices. You can finger scroll up or down to go one chnnel at a time or you can place a finger on the right hand side of the screen and move much more rapidly in the same manner as you can in the current version of the Contacts app.
Left and right pointing arrows at the top of the screen appear to change time but actually jump you a full day in either direction. To move forward or back within the same day is a light finger flick to the left or right on the main part of the screen. (A flick to the left moves to a later hour wile a flick to the right moves earlier.)
Once you see a show you want to watch you can tap on it to get episode details, add that show as a favorite (to make future searches faster) or email it to yourself or someone else.
The search feature is especially nice. Say you missed last week’s episode of Weeds and want to catch it before tomorrow night’s. A search for "Weeds" quickly shows you every upcoming showing on your tv provider of choice plus the edpisode names so you can find the one you missed.
All in all it is a nice, simple, uncomplicated utility that can make life just a tiny bit easier. And isn’t that worth $.99?
Quick Take
Value: High
Would I Buy Again: Yes
Learning Curve: Low (remember, hours change by flicking the screen not the arrows at the top)
Who is it for: Anyone who watches television.
What I like: Easy to use, useful, doesn’t offer more bells and whistles than you need
What I Don’t: Nothing.
Final Statement: No, this app won’t tell your Tivo box to record the show that is starting in three minutes while you are stuck in traffic but to quickly find out what’s on or when your show is on this app is great.
(What’s On has no connection whatsoever to What’sOniPhone.)
