On top of being able to access a great deal of information about the actors, plot, and other typical second screen tidbits, you can also put your smartphone to work in controlling other devices. It won’t matter if you’ve lost your remote for the fifteenth time today when you have your smartphone loaded down with apps that control your entire living room.
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The entire concept of the Google Chromecast revolves around using remote devices to control it, so it’s no surprise you can turn your smartphone into a Chromecast remote. The mobile app allows you to control the built-in apps, or cast the mobile screen onto your television. You have full control over the device with this app, which works for smartphones and tablet devices.
The Roku remote has a way of becoming lost in some of the most unusual locations in the world, and at some point, you have to assume it ended up in Narnia. At that point, grab the official Roku app so you can shoot videos to the television through your phone, add channels from the full channel list, work with the local content on your smartphone, and use the phone as a full remote control. Even if you do have possession of your Roku remote, the touch screen interface on your phone is a more intuitive browsing experience than going through the menus by remote control. This is especially nice for the massive amount of channels available for the players, since it’s nearly impossible to sit down and look through all of them when you’re going slowly page by page with the remote.
Direct TV has a thorough Android and iOS app that gives you full control over your DVR. Set up what shows you want to record, so you’ll always be full up on what you want to watch when you get home. If you want some show inspiration, you can even tell the app what you’re in the mood to watch, and it finds it for you. When you compare Direct TV offers to other TV providers, the app gives you another reason to consider the packages.
