Did you see Grey’s Anatomy this week? I did, and thanks to ABC Digital’s new iPad app, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy Sync, I now know more about the episode than what was shown on air. No, I’m not talking about spoilers: I’m talking about behind-the-scenes trivia, soundtrack notes and guest star details. Think “Pop-Up Video” for network programming.
I hadn’t seen a concept like Grey’s Anatomy Sync in app form before, but it’s one that probably will be replicated, and with good reason. The app is designed for use while you’re watching Grey’s Anatomy. After starting the episode, you can tap the “Sync” button within the app. Using the iPad’s microphone to pick up the show’s audio track from your television, the app will sync with the show after a few seconds. Then you can sit back and let Grey’s Anatomy Sync pull in information related to the scene currently playing on your TV. When the app isn’t syncing, you can view show photos and information, video clips and character bios.
Download the free Appolicious app for iPad
Synced app content offered up a variety of information and trivia. There were small updates with things such as guest star info — an actor’s name and where you’ve seen him before — and the name and artist of the song currently playing. Other info, like the production and director’s notes, was more comprehensive, and went into detail, such as why a direction was given or how a scene was physically filmed. Medical trivia included specific details on how a procedure works or gave a real-life example of something referenced in app (learning!). The app also promotes user interaction in the form of quizzes and polls (ABC Digital should work on the slider-bar interface as the answer choices aren’t entirely clear) and via Facebook connect, which pops up every so often in the stream.
I tested the app using both the live airing of the episode and a recorded version, and both worked with no problem. During episode commercials, the app displayed ads from sponsor Lexus, but the paid content didn’t seem jarring or out of place. Because the app uses audio, it was able to pick up in the correct place after a lengthy pause or when I closed and restarted the app. At one point, I did question if the app had frozen after I fast-forwarded through a commercial — there was a lengthy lag between new content appearing, but that might have just been a lull in the content. Content seemed to be front-loaded to the early part of the episode, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when you’re trying to pay attention to the antics at Seattle Grace.
Grey’s fans with iPads will definitely want to download ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy Sync before the next episode airs.
