My review of Oprah's OWN app as a SecondScreen experience

I had pretty high expectations with this app that was released during CES (though I don't believe it was at CES).  Oprah is known for her incredible attention to detail when it comes to her brand, but this app really is just an app shell interface to the existing OWN website.  I was intrigued first with the large "Sync" button, but despite trying for quite some time to get it to work (volume up, no noise, etc, etc), I could not get it to watch the show I was watching.

I gave the app my Facebook credentials, but I can't tell why it wants them.  Every feature from the main page brings you to the main OWN website, which does not recognize your app log-in and hence asks you for a website login.  It didn't even remember that I had already input my provider and zip code for the channel selector.  The schedule gave me east coast times for shows.  The Twitter feed button was literally just a browser launch to their Twitter page.  The Facebook feed button?  Well, I think you can guess.

So odd and disappointing for an Oprah product to be so mediocre.  She should have struck a deal with Yap.tv similar to USAAnywhere or perhaps built a Miso sideshow and at least had a serious app on the market place instead of a web browser with an "OWN" skin.

Simple.  None.

Social.  While you can see the Twitter feed, it is not integrated in any way what so ever.  I actually think using the Twitter app would be a better experience.  Very low.

Seamless.  No integration of any source of content (just a proxy for the TV lineup).

Stimulating. There are a few featured shows on the main page, but there is only a 4 line descriptor of the show itself behind the option to click.

Discovery.  None.