NBC has updated its iPad app to offer full episodes of all shows available on NBC.com, rather than only short clips — and it hasn't even started charging for the functionality. The move catches the network up to ABC and CBS, both of which have offered similar full episode-streaming through a native app and iPad-optimized site, respectively.

I downloaded the app to give it a go, and was welcomed by thumbnails for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and America's Got Talent, among others. Brief ads played at the beginning and throughout episodes, but quality and playback were good. Unfortunately, this version lacks AirPlay support (like the ABC Player app), but full-screen mirroring in the upcoming iOS 5 update might mitigate the need for app-level AirPlay integration anyway. Still, it's hard to argue with all this free content — especially when you could be paying for it from the iTunes store instead.

Source: iTunes, via MobileBurn