Smart TV: Second Screen Explained
I love articles like this. While second screen might be common place for those of us who have lived with our laptops/tablets in our hands while watching TV for many years, the fact remains that the concept is incredibly new for the majority. It’s great to see more and easier implementations of this, and here’s a great breakdown of the breadth of features it now entails.
Second Screen defines a multimedia experience that happens in parallel with a main program being watched on TV (the First Screen). Here’s how it usually works. You launch an app on your tablet or smartphone that provides extra content related to the program being watched—an episode synopsis and cast/crew info, for example. But that’s not all. Second Screen apps can also let you browse program listings from your TV service provider, as well as discover new content. Some apps have a social component that enables real-time interaction with other viewers, while others provide remote control of your TV’s functions. We’ll detail the ways in which Second Screen apps work to extend and enhance the TV viewing experience after the break.