Seriously, I’ve been wanting an iPad ever since I first heard about them. I don’t own any Apple products and never have, but the iPad is one that I’d like to have. I’ve always been a PC Guy, mostly because that was what we used where I used to work. The fact that the PC platform is so “open” is also a factor, Apple products are much more proprietary, which is also a little off-putting.

Anyway, a week or so ago, DISH Network announced that their DISH Remote Access application is now available for the iPad. This means you can use an iPad to access Sling-enabled DISH Network DVRs and watch programming remotely wherever they can access a Wi-Fi or 3G connection (depending on the model).

In addition, the new app allows iPad users to use DISH Remote Access technology to access their DVR’s program guide, including the ability to search for programs. It will also allow users to schedule program recordings, manage recording conflicts, delete recorded programs and even transform the iPad into a fully-functional remote control.

In a December 1st press release, DISH Network Network Chief Marketing Officer Ira Bahr is quoted as saying:

“DISH Network is the only pay-TV provider to offer a true TV everywhere solution, and now we’ve extended that experience to the iPad. Unlike mobile viewing from cable and telcos that limit access to select programs, our TV Everywhere services give consumers 24 x 7 access to all of their live and recorded content included with their DISH Network programming subscription.”

While I’m penning my letter to Santa asking for an iPad, DISH Network customers who already own an iPad and have compatible DISH Network equipment may want to head over to iTunes and download the free DISH Network Remote Access app.

DISH Remote Access Available For The iPad

TV Everywhere is what they are calling it, and it makes getting your TV entertainment easier and more accessible than ever before. Among the features are:

- Access to live and recorded programming on a laptop, mobile device, or anywhere in the home – without wires.

- The DISH Network WiFi Monitor. A new device that is capable of transmitting a high-definition video signal from a set-top box to any place in the home over a WiFi network.

- The DISH Remote Access App, which offers satellite TV customers total control of their television from just about anywhere. It is now available free for both the iPhone and iPod touch.

I don’t have access to all these features with the equipment I currently have, but I have used the internet to access my ViP622 DVR from other locations via the internet and it is a very nice feature.

I once used an iPhone to access my DVR while traveling home from a visit to my relatives, and was able to record a program that I had forgotten to set the timer for earlier in the day. Doing that while traveling down the road in a car (I was not driving) was pretty cool.

I also tested using the iPhone as a remote control, which does in fact work with my DVR, but since I am the type that rarely loses or misplaces things, it probably won’t be all that useful to me unless my remote control is broken. Although I don’t often lose things, I am actually pretty good at breaking stuff, so you never know!

TV Everywhere Is The Latest Innovation From DISH Network