Watching a television show used to be an experience that you enjoyed with your family in the comfort of your living room as it aired live but new technology is always changing the way we’re watching our favorite shows. While DVRs and streaming untethered us from programming that required us to be home on a certain day and time, social media has transformed the ways we engage with content. From expressing disbelief at what happened in the latest Scandal episode vai Facebook, texting in your opinions on Top Chef results, and using a hashtag to tweet commentary to a community of watchers, television is anything but passive and the new ConnectTV app aims to further engage viewers and their friends in an even more social experience when it comes to favorite shows.
ConnecTV is a social video network for television fans of all ages that comes via an iOS app for iPhones and iPads. The application syncs to your TV and allows you to capture and share your favorite six-second moment from the live show. The company’s SocialTV Timeline™ syncs companion content and information to provide a richer social experience and help drive program promotion and tune-in to the show you are watching.
Even though you can always just Tweet about your favorite show while you watch, the ConnecTV Clipping app goes beyond 140 characters and allows you to actually show your followers and friends the clip that makes you LOL or OMG since it can be connected to your Twitter and Facebook accounts for maximum engagement with your friends.
Using the app is simple. After downloading it, the best thing to do is have it on as you watch television. Since ConnectTV has partnered with over 400 networks to give the user access to almost any show on television, chances are you’ll find your favorite programs via the app by scrolling through a vast menu and tapping to select and clip your favorite show. Unlike other apps that post TV clips, ConnecTV does not require you to rewind your DVR, record using your smartphone’s camera, or take you away from watching live TV.
After I downloaded the app and spent a few minutes understanding how to use it, I found The Goonies was on ABC Family. A classic 80s kids’ movie, The Goonies has also become a movie that my family enjoys.I was able to view clips in a timeline as the movie played and clip my favorite part, add and customize text added to my clip, and share it to Twitter and Facebook. Not only did this let my friends know that the movie was on TV but the posted clip on my Facebook timeline served as a conversation starter for others to chime in to discuss the movie too which allows for a far more social experience than just Vaguebooking about the plot twists or tweeting.
While I do like how ConnectTV is so visual, there are times when I don’t want to see any hint of a spoiler before watching my favorite shows. Users have the option of sharing clips and posting to their social networks or posting directly to the ConnectTV Social TV Timeline and since it’s easy to happen upon a friend’s clip through their Facebook page, I’d recommend staying off Facebook on the nights where you don’t want spoilers to ruin the show that you’re planning to stream or watch through your DVR at a later date.
For more information, please visit http://connectv.com.
I was compensated by ConnectTV for my time in using the app but all opinions are my own and based on my experience. Images courtesy of ConnectTV
