Dish Network dishes out social app for its subscribers
The new social app will let Dish subscribers interact with Facebook and Twitter feeds related to the show or channel they're currently watching.
Dish subscribers can now combine a bit of social networking with their TV viewing.
Available starting Wednesday, Social is the name of a new app for Dish's Hopper Whole-Home DVR that lets people watch a show and follow relevant posts or comment about it at the same time.
The app taps into both Twitter and Facebook.
Dish subscribers can follow a Twitter feed related to the show or channel currently being watched. They can access their own Twitter feed to tweet, reply to a tweet, favorite a tweet, or retweet someone else's post. They can also log into their Facebook account to post a comment about what's on the air.
The app displays information at the bottom of the TV related to the current show. Users can discover how many people are tweeting about the program, see where they're located in the country, and find out the show's Twitter sentiment rating.
"Last year, Twitter saw 32 million Americans tweet about TV programming, an incredible display of consumer interest in wanting a more social experience from TV," Jimshade Chaudhari, director of product marketing and management at Dish, said in a statement. "Through our Social app, we've made it easier for consumers to follow social conversations and post in real-time without leaving their TV screen."
Dish subscribers can access the Social app through the quick launch bar and link to as many four Twitter accounts and four Facebook accounts.
Note: Dish offers a product that CBS (the parent company of CNET) and the other broadcast networks believe is illegal.