CBS (parent company of CNET) has not been too keen on new streaming technology such as Aereo and the Hopper, the commercial-skipping tech from Dish Network. It may prefer people sitting right in front of the TV and watching "CSI," ads and all. But that does not mean it’ll be standing still. This week CBS got into streaming in a big way. No it's still missing from many streaming services, such as Hulu Plus (when will that get rectified?), but it has launched a new CBS mobile app for iPad and iPhone. Is CBS ready for mobile TV?
The new app showcases programming such as NCIS, CSI, How I Met Your Mother, Survivor, The Young and the Restless, Elementary, The Late Show with David Letterman," and many others. These are full episodes streaming in HD. Some shows will appear in the app a week later, but some will be available 24 hours after the first airing. The new app features a personalized show list you can sort and update, live social feeds based around shows, photo galleries, and cast pages. There is also an option to get notified by CBS when your favorite shows are added to the app. CBS plans on rolling out more shows, and the app has the potential to blossom into a one-stop viewing location for CBS fans.
The app can be downloaded for iOS on iPhone and iPad now, CBS is also planning Windows 8 and Android versions in the future. CBS currently offers streaming of its top shows on its website, but this is a good step in making shows portable for mobile-TV fans. Not all shows are available yet, but so far there is already a healthy selection to choose from.
