One of the more popular cost-cutting options these days is "cutting the cord" on expensive monthly services, whether you're giving up your landline phone or canceling your cable or satellite TV subscription.
The iPad can help to fill that void quite inexpensively, beyond the initial outlay for the hardware purchase. But you do need to have realistic expectations about how it will work for you. If you're a TV addict who wants to see American Idol live, for example, and can't wait until the next day, this might not be the solution for you. If, however, you're a casual TV viewer who can wait a while to catch your favorite show, or even prefer to view an entire season or series at once, the iPad offers several good options that may suit your needs.
GENERAL SOLUTIONSCrackle (Free)This app is one of the most recent additions to the iPad entertainment scene, offering both movies and TV shows from Columbia, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, Tri-Star, and others. There's a good selection of entertainment here especially if you're not picky. You won't necessarily find the latest hits here, and if you do, it's likely to be clips instead of full episodes. When it comes to TV, the current selection includes everything from Diff'rent Strokes to The Unusuals, Ripley's Believe It or Not to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition TV Specials.
CrackleFor movies, you'll find action flicks like Cliffhanger, Dragon Wars, and Universal Soldier, horror movies like Quarantine and The Mothman Prophecies. There're plenty of comedies, dramas, and monster movies, too. Choose the Browse All button and then tap Collections to see some lists and groupings (think "Battle Ready" or "Awesome 80's") that might help you find a hidden gem without wading through the whole selection of videos.
Crackle is a free service; you just need to create a free account in order to take advantage of some of the extra features, like a queue of videos you want to watch later. There are no subtitles here, but the video and audio quality is top notch. There are a few ads here and there, such as when you start a movie, but they're not too intrusive. Definitely recommended.
Hulu Plus (Free, subscription required)Let's address the elephant in the room first. There are a lot of negative/one star reviews of this app on the Apple App Store, but they're about the subscription fee and the ads, not the app itself. This is a great app that doesn't deserve all of the negative press. Folks don't like ads in their videos (generally I agree), but they are a necessary evil. If you've watched full episodes on any of the major network sites, you already know what to expect here--roughly 30 seconds to one minute of commercials every 8 to 12 minutes.
Hulu PlusNow that that's out of the way, Hulu Plus has a lot to offer. It's best to think of it as a clearinghouse that many of the top network shows on the web and makes them playable on your iPad. When you first open the app you'll see listings of the featured, most popular, and newest videos on the main portion of the screen. Drag up and down to browse; tapping on a particular video will launch a pop-up window with more information, plus buttons to watch it now, add it to your queue to watch later, or go to the show page.
Tabs at the top of the screen focus on TV shows, movies, and your personal queue. The queue is neatly organized, with shows on the left and individual episodes on the right, so it doesn't get all cluttered up with one particular show that you only watch now and then. When you subscribe to shows they're automatically added to your queue, and you can receive optional email alerts so you'll know when new shows are added.
The selection of shows and movies is quite impressive, but please note that some shows are available only on the web, not on mobile devices. The app clearly labels those videos with a "web only" tag right on top of the thumbnail image. I really like how this is handled, because you can easily add something to your queue if you stumble across it when browsing on your iPad, but you can see at a glance what is available to watch on the go.
Playback is as smooth as butter, with excellent sound and video quality. Many shows have subtitles, even if that same feature isn't available on the network's regular web site. Even better, you can start watching something on the web and then pick it up later on your iPad. When you launch the app, it will ask if you want to resume watching from right where you left off, and that feature works perfectly.
When it's time for an ad, you can make use of the downtime by switching to a splitscreen view that allows you to browse other episodes of the show you're currently watching and add them to your queue while the ad is playing. If you want to jump to another show's page, playback is automatically paused until you come back to your video. There's even an Ad Tailor feature that can help ensure that you see ads that are relevant to your interests.
While Hulu is free on the web, a $7.99 monthly subscription to Hulu Plus is necessary to use the Hulu app on your iPad. That's a small price to pay, especially if you use the service as a replacement for much more expensive cable or satellite TV services.
Netflix (Free, subscription required)If you're not interested in watching current season TV shows as they air, but like to catch up on full seasons at once, Netflix might be the best option for you. The latest version of the app removed many of the features that I used the most, such as user reviews and the ability to manage your DVD queue, but that isn't too surprising since the the focus is now almost entirely on streaming video content.
When you start the app, you'll see top recommendations based on your ratings and viewing habits, or you can browse by genre or search for a specific show. The last tab on the bottom is for your instant queue, so if you've already picked out a few things to watch you can get to them quickly. Strangely enough there's no way to delete a show from your instant queue if you've already seen it on cable or are just no longer interested.
Everything else is quite nice, however--the interface is clear and easy to use, and playback is very smooth. I also like how the show pages are laid out: when you navigate to a show's home page, you see all of the available episodes without having to click through season after season.
Prices start at $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming of Watch Instantly content, without access to DVDs by mail. If you want DVDs as well, plans start at $9.99 for one DVD at a time and go up from there, with all of those plans including unlimited streaming.
Skyfire ($4.99, also available for iPhone)Skyfire is a web browser that enables users to watch many Adobe Flash videos embedded in regular web sites. I say "many" and not "all" because the results are hit or miss. When Skyfire works, it works brilliantly--just navigate to the page that contains the video, tap the Video icon on the bottom left corner of the screen, wait about half a minute, and the video will start to play.
The whole process works through Skyfire's servers, and not all sites are supported. You can go to bit.ly/site_check to try out specific URLs before you buy the app, which is a nice touch. And when you open a new tab in Skyfire the default home page lists several video sites that work with the browser, such as South Park Studios, The Colbert Report and John Stewart's Daily Show, video clips from Spike TV, and others.
Skyfire is also just a really nice browser, with tabbed browsing and tight integration with Facebook, Twitter, and Google Reader. Even if you're not interested in Flash videos, it's really fast and the extra features make it well worth the price.
NETWORK-SPECIFIC APPSOne of the blessings (and curses) related to the iPad is that there is always "an app for that", meaning that the tablet can suffer from a great deal of bloat, forcing you to scroll through page after page (or folders) of apps. This is definitely true when it comes to network-specific apps (and one of the major selling points for Hulu Plus).
ABC Player (Free)ABC PlayerThis app has long been the gold standard for network television apps. It's dead simple to use, and new shows are available the day after they air on TV. Up to five episodes are available for most of the network's current season shows, with a few exceptions. The only show missing last season was V, which wasn't available on the web or in the iPad app. Just about everything else is there, from Castle to Grey's Anatomy.
If you have to stop watching a video in the middle, the app will remember where you were and you can choose from among your saved videos when you get back to the app, assuming that they are still available. Video and audio quality are quite good, and the price is definitely right.
Bravo Now (Free)This app features clips from some of Bravo's biggest shows, such as the Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Million Dollar Decorators, and the various iterations of Real Housewives. They're fun if you've missed the latest episode of your favorite series, or if you want to get a better idea of whether or not you want to invest the time in watching full episodes on TV (if you have Bravo).
There are no full episodes available, though the app does link to the Bravo online store so that you can buy DVDs and other Bravo merchandise.
Cartoon Network (Free)Cartoon NetworkThis app is good for a quick laugh, but definitely won't replace the normal TV experience. There's a good selection of shows available, but only one full episode for each. Most of the videos are very short clips, and a couple of times the app crashed after watching a clip in full screen mode.
HBO GO (Free)Before you get too excited, be advised that this will only work if you're a current HBO subscriber, and only if you have a "participating television provider." It won't work for Time Warner customers, for example, so I'm not able to test it out for this review.
If you meet those requirements however, this app sounds like one that is worth checking out. It offers movies, HBO original programming, comedies, and sports, plus exclusive extras available only to app users. It will work on a 3G connection, so if you have a wireless iPad and an HBO subscription, you can enjoy their programming anywhere.
PBS (Free)If you're interested in educational programming like the kind offered on public television, look no further than this app. It includes both clips and full episodes from Antiques Roadshow, Austin City Limits, Frontline, Great Performances, History Detectives, MotorWeek, Nature, NOVA, and several other series. The selection is almost overwhelming when you tap the third icon on the left, between the calendar and the heart.
You can save your favorite programs and episodes, and the app will track your viewing history as well, so that you can go back and finish up any episodes you haven't finished watching yet. If you have any interest at all in the arts, in history, in nature, or in great documentaries, you owe it to yourself to download this app and try it out.
PBS Kids (Free)If you have kids, then you need to run straight to the App Store and download this app. It's chock full of educational videos and shows, and kid-friendly navigation means that even the youngest kids can explore on their own, with minimal help.
There's a special For Grownups tab on the bottom left corner of the screen; tap it for information about when the show currently being watched is on the air, as well as show information with age ranges and educational goals.
SPORTSAll of these apps have been covered in depth in the Best Apple iPad Sports Apps article but I'll recap here.
Unless you pay for a premium subscription, there's no way to see live sports on the iPad. Fear not, cheapskates, because there are still several ways to get your sports fix for a minimal cost. If you're more interested in scores and standings than in play-by-play action, then check out ESPN ScoreCenter XL or Sportacular. They're both free, and they both offer alerts for your favorite teams. ESPN ScoreCenter goes more in depth with news and highlights, but no matter which app you choose you'll always know the score. There is also the free WatchESPN app that actually streams ESPN content, thought that requires a subscription from Bright House Networks, Time Warner Cable, or Verizon FiOS.
MLB At Bat 2011 ($14.99)MLB at BatThis app literally covers all of the bases. All of the day's games are at the top of the page, and choosing a game in progress shows you who's at bat, with information about each pitch as soon as it's thrown. There are statistics galore, but one of the best features is the game radio, which allows you to hear every bit of the action. You can even choose which broadcast announcers you want to hear, which creatively solves the "they're biased against us" issue for real fans.
If you have an MLB.com subscription, you can get video, including archived video for all games for the 2011 season. Everyone else will have to settle for selected video highlights, but that's fine if all you're interested in is the big plays.
NBA Game Time Courtside (Free)If you're a basketball fan, you probably already know about this app. It was designed to offer anything a fan might want, from highlights videos to box scores and statistics. You can instantly see who's on the court, who's shooting well, check out shot charts and performance zones, and even get play-by-play recaps of the game.
The Apple App Store reviewer said it best: "This app should cost freaking money man!" It's hard to believe that something this well-designed and so chock-full of information is free, especially considering the cost of many of the other premium sports apps.
NHL GameCenter 2010 Premium ($19.99)Like the baseball app mentioned above, NHL GameCenter provides live game radio with your choice of broadcasters, with the added bonus of background play so you can listen to live games while you're using other apps on your iPad.
There are plenty of statistics, photos, and video highlights for your choice of big plays or full highlights. The app is updated in real time, so you'll know about every hit, penalty, shot, and goal as soon as it happens. Tabs at the top of the screen direct you to general hockey news, team standings, and individual players, so you can follow all of your favorites.
SHOPPINGHSNBoth of the major TV shopping networks, HSN and QVC, have dedicated iPad apps. Unlike most TV apps, where you have to wait until the next day to see new shows, they stream everything live. There's an obvious reason for that, of course, because watching a product presentation for an item that is no longer available because it sold out makes no sense at all.
In some ways, the shopping channel apps are even better than watching them on TV. They offer a split screen view of both the live on-air presentation and the online product details, which can help answer all of your questions before even making a particular purchase. You can also shop directly from the app and not even have to deal with a telephone operator, if you prefer.
And there you have it - 14 apps to help you convert your iPad into a mini-TV and possibly even "cut the cord" from major cable services. Try them out and see what you think! Good luck!
