The free app, which is available for iOS, is an extension of Comedy Central's Indecision election coverage.
Among the app's most prominent features is an interactive "Peanut Gallery," which allows users to react and satirize in real-time to news shows, political debates and live events. You can also follow live commentary from Indecision bloggers and special guests.
Users can choose from different “Reacticons” such as “Cry-Baby,” “Dunce,” “Yawn,” “Knock-Out” or “Bulls#*!” to express their reactions to candidates and talking heads on their TV screens. The “Reacticons” will then grow and shrink to reflect the Indecision community's collective opinion in real time.
More visual news consumers will appreciate the "Snap Shots" feature, which takes images from the 24-hour news cycle and adds humorous captions. You can share images (like the one below) via email or social media.
According to Mary Phillips-Sandy, editorial producer of Comedy Central's Indecision, the app "brings political humor to consumers with smart, witty commentary about the candidates, pundits and the political process itself."
Phillips-Sandy says that the "election companion" app will provide users with a variety of platforms to enjoy Comedy Central's election coverage throughout the campaign season.
Because the app was created before the new iPad was announced, it is currently not optimized for the new retina display. Ben Hurst, vice president of mobile and emerging platforms for Viacom Entertainment Group, says the company is currently working on the retina optimization process.