Have you ever said this specific phrase out loud, “I have over 200 channels and there is nothing on?”  With more and more people having digital cable or satellite service, it seems an almost improbability that this could happen.  Well, that same overload of channel surfing may come to one of the things that you carry most next to your ATM card, your smartphone.  Just announced a few days ago, Dish Network is planning to launch their services to interact with Android OS smartphones and tablets.  With being one of the most widely used television programming services on the market, Dish Network is trying to allow its customers to have more stations on the go from the comfort of their portable devices, namely a smartphone or tablet.

So, what are Dish Network’s plans entail?  First of all, they are indeed launching an app accessible from the Android Market.  The same type of app will be included for any Android OS tablet in the near feature as well.  Some of the features will include channel lineups, controlling your home DVR to schedule important recording options such as scheduling and season management as well as a fully enabled remote control via your smartphone or tablet.  As for programming, it gets a little trickier.  Seems that many people have already gone to a “Sling box” enabled device to get their home TV serviced to their cell phone.  The same thing will be coming from Dish Network, in which users will need a “Sling Adapter” to get their satellite programming on their portable devices.  Good news is that the apps for both devices are free; users will just have to buy an adapter to fully use the application.  No word on any increase on bills or a sling adapter price from Dish Network has come down the wire at this time as well.  In any age of wanting more TV channels on your phone or tablet, this seems like a great attraction.

As compared to Cable TV, satellite really seems to give its users more interactive options, this being another to that list.  DirecTV already having a few applications on various OS platforms, it is nice to see their primary competition, Dish Network, is doing the same.  If anyone has used this app or is looking forward to using it, please let us know how it is working.  Nice job Dish Network, keep it up.

pic via [talkandroid]

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• Dish Network’s Sling Receiver lives (engadget.com)
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• Dish Network Sling Adapter review (engadget.com)