Clik, the remote control of the future, was an app we were very excited to try when it debuted in mid-February. According to the company, which is owned by the same folks of Kik Messenger fame, has been downloaded 100,000 in less than a month, and much of that is due to the fact that it is simply the best way to control YouTube on a big screen. For anyone with a browser-enabled Smart TV, or a laptop connected to a TV, Clik translates to an almost 1:1 ratio between your smartphone and browser: select a new clip on your phone and it starts playing instantly on the screen.
And because Clik released an API with its public beta, app developers have had a chance to integrate it into other services. For example, Clik is showing off three demo services during SXSW in Austin this week:
– CrowdTube– A new twist on the YouTube experience where a crowd of people can scan in and vote to pick the next video to play on the big screen.
– Tracks– An app that lets users access 8tracks.com’s massive music library to play the perfect mix from their phone
– Ethershock– The first game for the platform and a take on the classic space invaders genre, this game makes the smartphone is the controller. The gameplay is on the big screen
Personally I love 8tracks and use its service all the time. Being able to create your favourite mix and then stream it to your TV-connected stereo is just one more awesome piece of Clik’s potential. While these apps aren’t yet available for public consumption, Clik says they should be soon. If you happy to be a Canadian at SXSW, make sure to visit our friends from Waterloo and say hello for us!
