Is The American Idol App Worth Downloading?

American Idol has an official app, but is it worth downloading?

From American Idol:

With the AMERICAN IDOL Live Sync Experience, you can see a side of IDOL you've never seen before! Part of the AMERICAN IDOL app, the Live Sync Experience allows your phone, tablet or other wireless enabled device to link the American Idol when it's on TV!Bonus features, exclusive news, games and more are just a couple of clicks away via the Live Sync Experience, and there is a ton of sync-only content you just don't want to miss.Sync now! Here's how!1. Download the free Official AMERICAN IDOL App at either the iTunes or Google Play store. Once downloaded, launch the app.2. Tap on the menu button in the upper left hand corner.3. When AMERICAN IDOL is on your TV (live or recorded), scroll down to the bottom of the menu and tap the option that says "Live Sync" (on Apple iOS devices) or "Sync To TV" (on Android OS devices). The syncing process may take a few seconds.4. You're done! Sit back, interact and enjoy the Live Sync Experience!With the Live Sync Experience, AMERICAN IDOL is literally in the palm of your hands!Tune in to AMERICAN IDOL every WED and THU at 8/7c on FOX.

Sounds like a great app, right?  Well, it needs some work.

On the Google Play store alone, there are 1,393 votes.  But the American Idol app is only rated 2.9 out of 5 as of this post.  That means over half of those who downloaded the app, hate it.

I have downloaded it myself, and that rating is pretty accurate.  It kind of stinks.

I downloaded the app just fine...  no problems there.  On the front screen  it shows a Live Countdown to the next American Idol episode.  Here, you can set a reminder to alert you when the show is on.

The major complaints about the American Idol app, is the menu is hard to find.  I have a touch phone, so in order to find the menu, I have to swipe in from the top left .

The menu consists of:

• Home
• Vote
• Idol Nation
• AT&T Fan Choice
• Idol VIP Sweeps
• News
• Videos
• Photos
• Contestants
• Sync To TV

Theoretically, you can sync to your TV while American Idol is on, and you can get real time updates.  I did the sync, but I did not get any updated content.

I also tried other menu options with the same result...  nothing updated.

Another complaint is in order to vote, you must sign into Facebook.  I have a Facebook account, so it was rather easy to vote for my American Idol favorite.

The app is very slow and buggy, and freezes on occasions, having to be forced closed.

I think this is a great concept for the American Idol app, but it needs work.

What has been your experience with the American Idol app?  Let me know!