Android News
Clicker arrives at Android party bearing few gifts
July 26, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Android Apps
Clicker is a great tool on the desktop because it crawls the web and discovers streaming video sources in one place. Rather than bounce from site-to-site to discover what’s available, Clicker.com attempts to act as the central locator for video available to users.
It’s a great experience on the desktop, but surprisingly flat on Android. Clicker recently released an Android app, but there’s practically nothing in it that is compatible with Android. Search for a show and tell me if you’re able to watch anything because I’ve yet to find more than a couple of clips compatible on my EVO. There are a couple of Flash-based web originals, but that’s about it.
The entire point of visiting Clicker.com is to discover content and be linked to watch it. Maybe things will be different when Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and other sources are compatible with Android, but the absence of these and other common sources from Clicker is disappointing.
Sure, there’s the benefit of check-ins and other social features offers, but that’s rather limited. Download the app from the Android Market if you’re interested in Clicker Social, but don’t expect much in the way of video content.
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Derek from Clicker here. Thanks the feedback, Andrew. Glad to hear you like Clicker.
On the Android app front, don't kill the messenger here! Clicker is, to use an analogy, "TVGuide," rather than "TV" itself. If shows aren't on, that's just what we reflect since we don't own or display the videos ourselves. We guide you to them, when and where available. And when it comes to mobile, we definitely know there's a TON that isn't available yet… which is exactly why we worked to create a search filter for finding videos that actually ARE watchable on your device, as few and far between as they (unfortunately) may be (for now).
So that's why we describe Clicker App as a "companion" to Clicker in the Android Market. Until more video comes to mobile, the Clicker app is definitely less useful for watching on mobile, and more useful for searching for show details, adding shows remotely to your Playlist (for use on Clicker.com or Clicker.tv when you get home), checking-in to shows and earning awards, rating and discussing with friends, etc…
So we hear you loud and clear– it's unfortunate more shows aren't available on the Android (I'd frankly appreciate more working on my awesome HTC Droid Incredible), but that's obviously beyond our control. Until something changes in the future, hopefully you & your readers will find the reference, management, and social features that are built into the Clicker app useful and awesome.
And maybe it's time for a blog post of our own shining a light on what actually is, and is not, available to watch on Android and iPhone today. So stay tuned.
Thanks again!