CBS Releases Official Star Trek PADD for iPad [UPDATED]

Much has been said about how the Star Trek ‘PADD’ devices resemble Apple’s hot iPad tablet. Well now CBS has made that connection even closer with the release of the an official Star Trek PADD application for iPad. More details and screenshots of Star Trek PADD for iPad below. [UPDATED: Promo video added]

 

CBS Releases official Star Trek PADD for iPad

UPDATE: Official promo video

CBS has sent us a promo video for the Star Trek PADD app for iPad, check it out.

Original article…

press release

CBS INTERACTIVE LAUNCHES THE OFFICIAL "STAR TREK™ PADD APP" FOR iPAD

App Merges 24th Century Technology into 21st Century Mobile Device

SAN FRANCISCO – July 11, 2011 – CBS Interactive today announced the launch of the official STAR TREK PADD app, based on the iconic television franchise. The STAR TREK PADD (Personal Access Display Device) app provides fans with the ultimate mobile "Trekker" experience. The app features an authentic reproduction of the LCARS interface—the fictional computer operating system depicted in the STAR TREK television series—as well as a rich, interactive database of STAR TREK television series information, including images and an episode guide. The STAR TREK PADD app is now available for $4.99 in the App Store.

Developed in conjunction with CBS Mobile by app development studio ArcTouch, the STAR TREK PADD app transports fans back through the extensive 40-year history of the STAR TREK television franchise, including its amazing universe of characters, planets and technology spanning from STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES all the way to STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. The app also includes a recognizable computer voice as well as familiar STAR TREK-related sounds.

"STAR TREK fans are passionately involved with all things STAR TREK. The STAR TREK PADD app lets die-hard fans and casual enthusiasts use the authentic LCARS interface to access the extensive official STAR TREK database, and easily connect with other Trekkers. We expect that the app will also introduce the show to a new generation of fans, leveraging 21st century technology to provide a glimpse into the 24th century," said Rob Gelick, Senior Vice President and General Manager, CBS Mobile.

The app includes the following features:

  • A rich LCARS graphical interface that provides an authentic and immersive experience, complete with STAR TREK-related sound effects and prompts from a recognizable computer voice.
  • An official database of STAR TREK information, including aliens, ships, places, and technologies as depicted in the STAR TREK television series, plus a detailed episode guide.
  • The official STAR TREK Facebook fan page and Twitter feed integrated into the app to let fans catch up on the latest news and connect with other Trekkers.

“Back when the PADD first appeared on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, none of us imagined that today we’d be able to hold the real thing in our hands. But the STAR TREK PADD app, running on your iPad, is an actual miniature, handheld, touch-sensitive, 24th-century-style computer screen,” said Michael Okuda, who was in charge of computer interface design for the Starships Enterprise and co-authored the STAR TREK Encyclopedia along with wife Denise.

“We’re honored CBS chose us to develop the official STAR TREK PADD app," said Eric Shapiro, CEO of ArcTouch. "We’re true STAR TREK fans and were intensely focused on making this app both useful and fun, while maintaining authenticity and reproducing the LCARS design faithfully.”

The STAR TREK PADD app is now available for $4.99 from the iTunes App Store  for the iPad in every one of the more than 120 international markets where the show’s five series are licensed.

 

TM & © 2011 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.

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wow cool

AWESOME! I can’t wait to start using it!

No Android love?

The tease for this article is wrong. The PADD does NOT resemble the iPad. The reverse is true, the iPad resembles the PADD. Jobs and Co. got their inspiration from Star Trek not the other way around.

Damn this looks awesome.

Too bad it won’t work on a regular PC… or would it?

So this is why CBS pulled the first LCARS app off the Apple Store… how much do you want to bet the original app was better then this.

Hmm, I’ve spent a lot of money this summer. Only the 11th and I can tell it’s going to be a Iong month as far as stretching the dollar. Guess I’ll have to buy this huh?

omg… thank you. Getting it now….

I can barely afford my shitty phone, let alone the continuing expense of an iPad’s service. I’ll just sit here and be jealous.

So does this app allow you to run the LCARS interface over the existing OS, like a shell? Or is the LCARS only good for searching Trek-related content within the app? If it’s both then AWESOME, if it’s just the second then….meh, not worth the money IMO.

I agree @ 11.
Unfortunately I think it is the latter. Something tells me that the big wigs over at Apple wouldn’t allow this app to run its OS. The system is tightly closed as it is.

I agree, blah. But if some of us are hungry/ starving for anything Trek related while we wait for the 2012, 2013…2014 movie, we’ll might buy anything. (hey I bought the communicator app and well…it’s cute, I guess..sort of..ok not really.) Blah

But if they can configure this app to run the entire OS, I am on it.

@10: You have the option of purchasing a wi-fi only iPad, as I did. Therefore you will not incur a “continuing expense.”

If you choose a 3G model, it is $100 more, and you can choose month-to-month service – turn it on or off for the month, depending on your needs.

Agree completely w/ 11 @ 12, the key would be to make LCARS an “alternative UI” for the iPad, not some silly trivia lookup program.

If it is true the Apple wouldn’t let them put something like an alternate UI on top of their precious, cloistered OS, I’m sure the Android community would embrace LCARS as an alternate UI on phones and Android-based tablets…

I may need to buy an iPad now. where’s my cell phone that looks EXACTLY like a TOS communicator?? I want it now, damn you!

Hey, Maj. Lee “TIBERIUS” Skywalker, Battlestar Serenity. That is the greatest name ever

Sincerely,
Captain Malcom “Husker” Solo, USS Torchwood

Suddenly, I need an iPad!

Next step: LCARS iPad interface. Not just an app.

This app would be great if it includes all the info you can get at the Memory Alpha site. I’ll get this app and see for myself!

just got it here in the UK store £2.99 – it is pretty cool and great fun!

$4.99 for it…yeah not so sure. Maybe when I’m doing better financially. Don’t get me wrong, looks cool, but not quite $5 cool to me.

Have they said anything about it being on the iPod Touch?

It’s just a regular app — you open it from the home screen, do your thing, then press the home button to quit — so it wouldn’t even make sense to expect it to somehow take over the rest of the OS. If you want to customize the look of iOS, you jailbreak, simple as that. There are already LCARS themes out there on Cydia. Granted, they all suck goat balls because the LCARS UI works very differently than SpringBoard and nobody’s written a wholesale LCARS-style SpringBoard replacement shell (a la PogoPlank), but the themes are out there.

@ #7… Yep, this is why the pulled the functional web browsing, twitter reading, youtube watching, flicker following, news reading, non-licensed LCARS app.

Fluff

/sad

oh yeah, going to get this.

I was expecting a bit more from the app. Whilst it’s a fantastic encyclopaedia, I find it could have been so much better if entries had video clips or 3d models to play with. Also some entries have only a paragraph again which could have been enhanced with additional content.

This should be a silverlight app for windows. Then it would work on a windows 8 tablet when they eventually come out.

So buying this right now!

WebOS needed!

Best $5 I’ve spent on an app in a while! Love it!

Just got it.

First of all I know this is an enormous undertaking to do. As it was downloading it boggled my mind just thinking about the amount of material to cover and amount of work and research put in for such a thing.

But sure are a lot of “image not available” tags on things that seem like easy no brainer images to me (I’m guessing there’s lots of legalities here to deal with too)

Also cross referencing and collating subjects? Mention of Gary Seven as as a ‘character’ but under ‘actors’ no mention of Robert Lansing. Little things like that.

this i will wait for this to be on a Meego tablet

@19

Well, the next time you think about going to McDonalds or any other fast food restaraunt, starve and spend your $5 on this instead.

About. Bloody. Time.

I’ve tried 3rd party lcars-esque apps, with limited enjoyment (of the the tricorder apps for iphone was actually pretty cool, showed GPS coordinates, used the magnetic sensor, and a broken decibel meter).

I’m hoping this one will at least have the kajunpakt that the others lacked, so long as its relatively accurate (not holding my breath here… i saw klingon aspects in the promo, which is so not cool unless you can use an entire klingon theme)

Downloading now.

Need a version that works on Android and has the option of other species’ graphical interface such as Cardassian, Romulan, Klingon, Vulcan, etc.

listen to the voice at the end it sounds like George takei don’t it or I’m imagining it

Reading #29’s view on this app, I can learn more about ST on Memory Alpha than I could on this app.

Damn I was hoping it’d work on the iPhone too. :'(

Leave to CBS to steal other peoples ideas,Viacom leading the IP protection bill to censor the internet and to stop YouTube and P2P sites.Yet they steal peoples copywrite designs and ideas.Go figure.

@24

Yep…..

“Sector 001………..mostly harmless”

:)

Please remember that the first ‘pad’ was seen in “2001”, not Star Trek!

#15 that was actually sold in 2007 in Europe.

Meh.
If it actually converted the operating interface of the iPad to an LCars interface, I might be interested just for ****s and giggles. It’s just the bundling of official information into an app; not that useful actually.
Lots of glitz no substance.

# 7

I deleted the original app,, this seems better.

Gotta have an iPad now!

Im talking about the apps.I designed a Star trek apps several months ago for the ipad.It even has a copywrite.I posted it on Facebook and theres a design of it on DeviantArt anyone can go and look at.Its not the first time the TV and Motion Picture industries steals other people Ideas and copyrights to use as their own.But watch out if you download their movie or post a clip on YouTube.They dont like that at all and force YouTube to delete the upload,and harass people IP servers.Dont get me started about Warner Brothers,I could write several pages on their illegal internet activities.

I want an Ipad now, :( oh well

@39 not quite. 2001 was out in 1968. IIRC the first Trek tablet was in the first production episode, Corbomite Maneuver which was 1966. Granted they never showed the surface but it was an electronic paperless tablet with stylus. 2001 was just flatter but the same idea and we did get to see that (better budget).

I’m pretty sure that the electronic tablet in TOS was never mentioned by name nor was the one being used in 2001. They were just there. It wasn’t until STNG in 1987 that it got a name – PADD. I may be forgetting something in the films but I don’t remember it being called anything until season 1 of next gen.

HAHAHHA the Apple Mac App Store also has a ‘Time+’ app that’s a clock/alarm app that is modeled quite accurately after the LCARS interface, too. Also there’s an iPad RSS reader on the App Store that is modeled after the LCARS interface.

That being said, that promo featured the WORST rendition of the TOS theme I HAVE EVER HEARD! :S

And was the announcer that guy who did the voice for the Federation commercial on Nimbus 3 in Star Trek V? LOL

That all being said, I hope JJ and crew team up with Paramount to release a similar app for the computer interface from the 2009 film… I’m sorry but that was cool. Not LCARS, but cool all the same.

Too bad the entire 24th century LCARS navigation system leaves me cold. Never liked it. But, for those that do, this app should be a lot of fun, it looks like they’ve nailed the look.

Can we have a TOS version with it’s graphical interface and another for the TOS films?