glasskeys.com

I recently downloaded the PBS iPhone app and discovered that it was created by the same company (Bottle Rocket) that made the NPR application that I love so much on my iPad. I was expecting the great content that PBS produces to be available for the iPhone much like my NPR application does on my iPad.

Unfortunately, I discovered that for 3G users of this application there doesn’t seem to be much of a point in having it at all.

The screens are fast, responsive and smooth for the most part. The application also deserves praise for gracefully handling a brief disconnection from 3G service — which happens quite often for US mobile users, but I digress. This is a beautiful application, well designed, but it didn’t permit me more than watching brief 30 second previews using 3G service, and viewing local PBS schedules.

Accurate the schedule lists are, but I was able to find my local PBS schedule faster using a normal web search. So there isn’t much of a point in having it for 3G users (or anyone else in my opinion).

So what about wifi users you may ask? The application permits viewing full length via wifi! But in my circumstance (and I suspect many others), the places I would want to watch full length Masterpiece Theatre programmes in the presence of wifi would also be where you would find me watching PBS on a proper sized screen with my pajamas on and a glass of pinot noir within reach.

Verdict: I can’t be bothered with it.