First it was the Newspaper and mailer TV Guide… then it was the slow scrolling digital guide on Channel 2… then, if you got the cable box, you had a sweet new digital guide that you could scroll through (and scroll and scroll and scroll) to find your shows… then there was the mobile phone TV guides, which is basically a digital version of ye ole paper guide Granny WhiteGlossy used to get for her soaps. Now comes the next evolution in the TV Guide frontier… the guide that breaks all boundaries and changes the way we search for our programs.

Now comes Peel ($FREE) the app for iPhone/iPod. Just imagine… instead of scrolling through channel after channel, hitting up the same old 4-5 networks you usually watch… you tell Peel (once) about your preferred viewing habits and it tells you what SHOWS are on and where to catch it. It’s the Program guide… not your boring old TV guide! let me explain better… with 200+ channels of blah blah blah how are you supposed to know about everything out there? What if your next favorite show is already in season 3, but it’s on some obscure network you’ve never watched? What if that program you absolutely refuse to miss on Thursday night is syndicated and you can also catch it 5 nights a week… but you never knew? Pic your favorite genres (Comedy, Action, Drama, etc.) and if ya love sports add that in too (Basketball, Football, Hockey, etc.). Quit letting the channels do the talking, and allow the shows to speak up!

To make Peel even better… as you watch the programs it suggests to you, simply “rate” what you just saw (a thumbs up if you liked it… and a fat thumbs down if it rubbed you the wrong way) peel will not only remember… but it will start to make other suggestions based on similarities in the programming. It will “peel” away the clutter for you! (Pun absolutely intended) Here is how Peel themselves describe the app:

Description

Peel is a visually stunning new form of TV guide, organized by shows and your preferences rather than a long, boring grid…

The Peel app features:
• A beautiful guide to see what’s available to watch on your TV
• Separate views for TV shows, movies, and sports
• Show summaries including episode information, cover art, viewing times, and the channel number for your provider
• Highlight your favorite programming, and over time, Peel tailors its Top Picks to your preferences
• Find shows and sports from only the channels that are actually available to you, including optional premium channels
• A simple search interface for finding exactly the show you want
• Current and future time slots–see up to a week ahead

How can a crazy little iPhone/iPod app do all of this? I had the same question… lucky for all of you, I was able to sit down and have a conversation with one of the wicked smart people behind the app, Alec Marshall VP of Marketing. We laughed… we cried… he called me ruggedly handsome… and all-in-all I learned a great deal about a new idea that can very well change the way we all decide how to spend our couch-time. Here are some highlights from our conversation:

  • WG – It’s obvious you’re a bunch of tech wizards… but who are you exactly?
  • Alec – Our Design Engineers are compiled of the greatest minds around. Some of them are ex-iTunes engineers responsible for the Genesis programming, others are finalists from the Netflix project, Apple remote app designers and people behind many of the iAps.
  • WG – So, a bunch of incredibly creative people in one room… why “Peel”?
  • Alec – TV is too integrated& complicated for the modern watcher… we wanted to take on TV and make it friendlier. Channels & networks are irrelevant, the “shows” need to be up front.
  • WG – There are about a thousand other “TV Guides” in the app store, granted none that focus on the show over the channel. What makes Peel stand out?
  • Alec – Peel “learns” what you watch and gives it to you better. We are focused on the “Deep Dive” of TV.
  • WG – I have to ask… why the name “Peel”?
  • Alec – It’s symbolic… we’re removing the complexities. Content is king.
  • WG – What are you guys doing in the way of marketing?
  • Alec – Right now… just talking the good talk. Very soon we’re running static ads online, getting into movie theaters & public transportation. Where people find themselves sitting around with idle time.
  • WG – Thanks Alec… it’s been great speaking with you
  • Alec – Your Welcome. I love you.

Okay… I may have made that last part up, but the WGUB is lovable so I’m sure he thought it. Thanks Alec… had a blast, and your app is really going to change the way people check out what to watch. Can’t wait to see what’s next!