Identify That Song...or TV Program

In 2008, Apple did a commercial that featured Shazam, an app that will identify a song simply by listening to it for a few seconds through your iPhone's microphone (a process called "tagging").  What it can do is very useful when you're out and about and hear a song you like but don't know what it is.  It will even link to the song on iTunes if you decide you like it and want to buy it.

Another app of the same genre emerged later, one that seems to do a better job of identifying songs.  This one, SoundHound, does the same things that Shazam does but also allows can identify songs that you hum or sing.  Either one of these apps are good to have with you when you find a song you like but I recommend SoundHound.  It gives you unlimited tagging while Shazam limits you to five per month.

Although you may have heard about these two app, you may not know that a similar technology can be used to identify a TV show.  An app called IntoNow does this by simply listening to whatever TV show (or movie on TV) you're watching.  It's purpose is a little different than the music apps mentioned above though.  It is primarily about sharing what you're watching on television with your friends.  Beyond the social networking aspect, which I don't care as much about, it does have a practical use.  With the tagged song are links to IMdB if you want to know something about one of the actors or more about the show and links to purchase or rent the show on Netflix, iTunes, or Hulu.  Although it's a fairly specialized app, I do find it occasionally useful.