Yamgo: TV on the go
In today’s world, the boundaries between our televisions and our Internet are quickly blurring. Not only can you tune into a web site to see the latest episodes of some of your favorite shows, but there are entire sites devoted to bringing television access directly to your computer and mobile devices. Yamgo.com is one of these sites. And while it may not be able to let you watch Game of Thrones, Doctor Who or Mad Men, it does provide a variety of options to keep you entertained.
After spending some time perusing their site, I came to a few conclusions regarding this particular web TV phenomenon. First and foremost, Yamgo.com is an overall cornucopia of popular culture, focusing on nothing in particular. From pop/dance music to extreme sports to soft-core porn and environmentalism, there seems to be a little bit of everything.
Just some of the options you’ll find when checking out the site include multiple channels in multiple languages (with a particular emphasis on
The general categories include music, fashion, Bollywood, (generic) entertainment, sports, news and “bikini.” Within those categories you’ll find the actual channels, which feature live streaming on things like video games, cooking, documentaries, environmental information (the WWF and Greenpeace both have their own channels), girls in bikinis, half-naked girls doing whatever, belly dancing and plenty of music. Most of the music is popular club music and DJs, however. Many of the channels also feature interviews, in case you want to hear what your favorite underground DJ has to say about things and stuff.
The good stuff
The thing I first noticed is that I was able to find a lot of things via Yamgo.com that I would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Plus, all these are in a single location. So, if you have seriously eclectic tastes and want to listen to some Indian music one minute, watch models in bikinis the next and then feel like viewing a cooking show, it’s all here. There are also several educational-themed channels, meaning that it’s not all completely eye candy. There’s even a channel that just streams parkour, which is, in my opinion, one of the best things ever.
Also, and perhaps the biggest strength of Yamgo.com as far as general appeal goes, you can get an app that lets you stream the channel through your mobile device. It’s very easy for the person on the go to catch 15 minutes or so of random streaming video while waiting for the bus or in line at the DMV. For purposes of instant distraction, Yamgo.com fits the niche nicely.
The bad stuff
Since Yamgo.com is live streaming and there is no apparent guide to the programming (the TV guide area is worthless in this regard), you have to just log in and get what you get. Most of what they offer is bite-sized by nature, though, so it’s accommodating to the ADD television viewer in all of us.
Another thing that turned me off is that due to the fact that the site is so eclectic, you have family entertainment just a few clicks away from easily accessible soft-core strip shows. They do at least have the courtesy to interrupt you with the obligatory “Are you 18 or over?” message, but it really isn't enough. I’m guessing from the majority of the programming, the site doesn't try to cater to those under 18, but still.
Another thing that threw up a red flag is that finding a review on the site is next to impossible. Despite being in service for several years, all a web search amounts to is a long list of places to get their mobile app or links directly to their site. In my experience, lack of feedback usually a direct attempt by marketing to hide things, though I wouldn't be able to confirm this without days or possibly weeks of research.
Final judgment
Yamgo.com reminds me a lot of classic radio programming. You don’t get to decide what you’re going to see, you can easily change the channel to something else if you’re not liking what’s on at the time and there’s plenty of choices to fit most everyone’s tastes. You can even set up a “playlist” to make this surfing more convenient.
The whole thing feels a bit like one group’s attempt to fill, in a half-hearted way, many of the smaller television viewing niches. You won’t find many proper shows, but you will find obscure and specialty channels. It’s handy and useful, but something like this will never be able to replace proper TV as the entertainment source of choice for the vast majority of people.
Yamgo Screen Capture courtesy of fonearena.com