Why the Comcast iPad Xfinity Remote App is a Big Deal

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You can’t use the Comcast iPad Xfinity Remote yet and even if you could you would need to have Comcast to use it. So why is the Xfinity Remote a big deal?

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts showed off the Xfinity Remote prototype at the Cable Show 2010 yesterday and when he did he changed the way we are going to interact with TV not just from a “change the channel” perspective but also from a “How we interact with programming” view.

The good folks at the Comcast Labs have developed a prototype of a web-based remote control that will extend the Comcast interactive programming guide to many IP-enabled devices. This Xfinity Remote, which Brian Roberts demoed on an iPad at the NCTA show, enables you to search for your favorite shows and movies on television and video on demand, change the channel on your cable box right from your iPad, and set your DVR remotely.

This application is simple, easy-to-use and makes it easy to discover content and even chat with friends and share recommendations. It is a “social remote,” that integrats with existing social networks. It also brings PCs and a variety of tablets and smartphones into an immersive video experience together with the TV, finding content in very convenient ways. It will bring a new level of personal interactivity to watching TV. It looks particularly great on the iPad because it takes advantage of the rich, graphical user interface.

Developers are working to finish and launch this application and Comcast is building in other social features like chat and the ability to invite friends to watch what you are viewing. The Comcast strategy is to give consumers lots of simple ways to navigate the tens of thousands of choices that are on television and online. Yesterday at the show Brian announced a rollout of a new library server system that will bring more than 11,000 movies On Demand to the TV, in addition to the 20,000 TV shows and movies online. With this announcement the Xfinity Remote takes remote control functionality to a whole new level.

And that’s not even the big deal.

The big deal is that by connecting the iPad to the TV new types of interactive television programming can be developed. Like what? Like I don’t know yet. But think back to the early days of the PC when we were told about this revolutionary new device that would let us do GREAT THINGS like manage our recipes. No disrespect to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress but I don’t know anyone that uses their laptop or desktop to manage cooking instructions. We had no idea what great things the PC would let us do but we soon figured them out and just like we did with the PC we will come up with new things for interacting with the TV.

Seeing the Comcast iPad Xfinity Remote will get a lot of creative people thinking and soon, maybe not this week, or next month but soon we will have new emotionally engaging content that is fun to experience while laying in bed while watching our big screen TV and navigating it with an iPad.

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  • http://www.richardburnschannel.com Richard Burns

    Tim

    I'm waiting on purchasing an iPad until applications I really want become available. This comcast app is right in the direction of what I'd be seeking. Actually, a more complete app that controls my home theater system, tv, lights, heating, hottub, etc… There are boxes that do this but I'd have more fun do it myself with an iPad app.

    Games, Comcast and iPad certainly have the best opportunity for success in the near future, but iPad doesn't need Comcast in that mix. As a TIVO like device, that could work…

    Personally, I'd like to turn off 400 of the 500 channels to get rid of the clutter and only pay for the 100 channels. Can the Comcast iPad device do that?

  • Tonyjmurphy

    wow comcast…way to deliver !!
    when is this coming out

  • ZSCHULTZ

    So this app was just shown at CES 2011 and it does what you say. You can also stream live content from your homes wifi and access video on demand where ever you have wifi. Well I don't know this but DISH had this app before Comcast. I work at DISH and it is called DISH Remote Access. You can change channels, pull up the guide and manage your DVR just like Comcast. But the huge difference is with the DISH app you are able to stream live Content where ever you have 3g Service or Wifi connection. You can also do this from most smartphones. Seems like Comcast is just trying to catch up with DISH.