Web Buzz: LodgeNet Mobile app controls hotel TV without remote

Say goodbye to the hotel remote; say hello to wireless entertainment multi-tasking from your iPad or smartphone.

Name: LodgeNet Mobile app

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android

What it does: LodgeNet, the power behind on-demand videos in many hotel rooms, has created an app that puts your mobile device in charge of the TV.

Cost: Free

What’s hot: Load the app, turn on your hotel room TV, get the access code and voila! Your smartphone or iPad is your new remote control. No more hunting for the channel guide. The app also has two other sections: My Hotel and Local (attractions, events and food), which are being ramped up for concierge-like service. Using my iPad as a remote is more comfortable than using the hotel’s remote. It will be nice when programming features are added so I can check for my favorite shows before returning to my room.

What’s not: Unfortunately, this app is still a work in progress. Although it’s great for TV, when I tested LodgeNet at La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., local attractions, restaurants and other amenities were not prioritized correctly. I would have liked to know that baby-sitting services existed at the resort.

Worth it: After I discovered that I could use LodgeNet to turn up the volume on the TV from the bathroom, I hated that I couldn’t have this convenience at home. Who likes the frustrating hunt-and-point method of searching for the “sweet spot” on the TV in order to change the channel? Not me. This rocks.

—Jen Leo