Update: You can now download the Umami app for iPad here.
Social TV startup Umami raised $1.66 million in August to launch a TV app for linear programming that would be cheaper than a network creating their own app, leveraging a “publishing platform.” The app will be available for iPad tomorrow and is launching with a network partner, the National Geographic Channel for the channel’s “Expedition Week” and “Knights of Mayhem” show this week.
What is Umami and how does it work?
Co-founder and CEO Scott Rosenberg explained Umami’s key offerings. “Umami’s platform uses proprietary audio fingerprinting technology to automatically and continuously sync to live and time-shifted programming from the top 40 broadcast and cable networks. The app then delivers rich info, bios, photos, news, conversation and more in a lean-back, living room-friendly experience.”
Umami’s play at getting Networks hooked:
“As we’ve discussed, Umami is not just a consumer app, but also a publishing platform that brings simplicity and scale to the creation of synchronous companion TV experiences for TV networks and content partners. National Geographic Channel is launching this week, and others will go live in the coming weeks.”
Rosenberg (who’s been at Rovi, TV Guide, ReplayTV) and Bryan Slavin (who’s been at LightningCast, Leap Wireless) clearly proved that their experience matters by launching with a network. While it’s not the sexiest partner, it seems like a smart, strategic move to partner with a brand and network that’s rich on information and content, and pair it with their app that makes accessing Wikipedia information very fun and easy.
Umami TV for iPad from Umami TV on Vimeo.
Umami’s hilarious commercial (above):
While most videos for apps are nicely shot, they’re usually boring. Umami made a 1990-feeling commercial (which was uploaded a month ago), which begins with a boy (with resemblance to Moder Family’s Luke) and his family discussing how he always watches TV with his family all the time and are “always curious about what they’re watching” (History’s Pawn Stars is playing in the background).
The commercial is not only good because the trying-to-be-serious actors are funny and quirky but it left me thinking about actually using the app to get more information about a show, as supposed to trying to increase my influence online through declarations and comments on my thoughts about the programming.
A great design with hints of Flipboard:
While receiving a demo in September, Rosenberg described the navigational design of Umami as a “flip book-style navigational framework,” which allows checking things like IMDB or Wikipedia, similar to browsing through the game-changing Flipboard approach to social on the iPad display.
Differentiators from IntoNow:
Yahoo!’s IntoNow just relaunched their app with the aim at providing more content for a show once they’ve fingerprinted and checked-in for you. According to their site their fingerprinting, “covers 130 channels of live broadcasting and has more than five years history,” compared to Umami’s top 40-channels. For those who watch tons programming that’s not in one of the top 40 this may be a problem, but Umami’s database will probably grow smarter and design and user experience will ultimately be what wins over consumers.
The other big differentiator is what Rosenberg describes as the “totally passive unmanned technique,” making Umami linear TV program’s closest iPad app friend. Unlike IntoNow, when you open Umami, the app automatically detects what a consumer is watching, then provides show info, cast bios, and photos, as well as one-click access to official show pages, fan sites, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and other content sources,” which their “in-house editorial team curates,” according to the official realese.
They also have a “Smart Search” function, which recommends “keywords and links to help consumers discover even more about their favorite shows.”
Umami’s benefits and the future of companion apps:
Umami’s user experience and design, are enough reason to check out the new app. The idea of not even having to tap when you start watching a new show, or change the channel might also prove important since if you’re a heavy Pandora or IntoNow user you know how distracting it can be to watch the fun Shazam wheel spin or the IntoNow TV bars go up and down.
Zeebox, an iPad app that recently launched in the UK focuses on the social components and casually shows at the end of it’s video that if you have a Connected TV you can also tune-in and use the app as a remote. If connected-TVs, or an Apple-manufactured TV take off and happen over the next year fingerprinting in general might become pointless. Time will tell.
