Am I able to watch the Olympics while at work or on the go? The answer is yes! In the US, the App Store and Google Play store are loaded with various apps for smartphones and tablets dedicated to delivering content of the 2012 London Olympic Games. The United Kingdom’s app store also has some options available. With so many applications to choose from, how am I able to pick the best one for my country? Lets find out…

The best way to view Olympics related content in the United States is easily the “NBC Olympics Live Extra” app. Since NBC is the official US broadcaster of the 2012 Games, it’s official app definitely has the advantage of delivering the best content. Perhaps the most exciting feature of the Olympics Live Extra app is the ability to stream live coverage of scheduled events directly to your device. This is the same premium footage that will be broadcasted simultaneously on television, and not third-party content. However, this particular feature has strict limitations. In an attempt to “lock down” viewing capabilities, NBC requires that you have an existing cable package through select cable providers. While the list of providers to choose from is somewhat extensive, you must still be able to login through their account and have a qualifying cable package. Those whole process is rather cumbersome, where the app should provide live content regardless of television subscription. The app otherwise allows users to bookmark favorite sporting events, follow event schedules, and review highlight recaps throughout the duration of the games.

For those who are ineligible to receive the live streaming content NBC has released an alternative app that is much similar to “Live Extra”. This app, simply titled “NBC Olympics” has much of the same features, excluding the live streaming, of course. Both apps are currently featuring pre-Olympics material and will become full-functional before the opening ceremony.

Since the suggestions above are restricted to U.S. use only, the best option for fans in the United Kingdom is the “BBC Olympics” app. It too features live streaming capabilities; up to 24 different streams, to be exact. Among other main features, the app includes daily text commentaries from BBC journalists, a daily schedule for live events, and a dedicated page for specific athletes, events, and countries. It is, however, an iPhone app without native iPad support. It is also available for Android devices.

Both apps are available now for free on the App Store as well as the Google Play Store.