Dijit NextGuide hits the iPad and hands-on

We're having a look at Dijit's brand new iPad app called NextGuide today, seeing first hand how This app environment is made to fuse together the universes of live TV listings and streaming connections, and with it you'll be working with all of your favorite media sources at once. Inside you'll find standard TV listings, recommendations for the shows and movies that are appearing on your connected streaming apps, and a lovely bright and easy to work with user interface.

This app has you log in once and does not require an account to use, but you'll benefit from having one. You'll select from local TV listings with your ZIP code, iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu Plus. When you've made your selections, you'll have a fully-activated set of panels that show you what's on currently in each of your choices and what will be on soon as well – recommendations come for Netflix as well depending on what's new. Once you've found the program you want, tap it.

Once you're inside a listing for a show or movie you're interested in, you'll get a ton of information on the program as well as the actors in it – connections between shows exist as well, and sharing pops up all across the interface. If you find an episode of a show you want to see, or a movie you've been meaning to view, you have only to hit the "watch now" button to make it happen. Depending on the availability of the media, you'll have the option of going to Netflix, Hulu Plus, the iTunes store, and hopefully more in the near future.

At the moment you're essentially stuck with just Netflix and Hulu Plus, but we're expecting that such choice services as HBO Go and Crackle will appear sooner than later. You can pick NextGuide up from the iTunes app store right this minute for free – it's worth a tap or two if you've got Netflix or just want a snappy looking TV guide sort of situation – and don't already use TV Guide, of course.