My apps have never worked. I try pushing the right arrow once in a while for the heck of it. I just now pushed the right arrow and the apps appeared.

OK.

I had the same issue. My receivers have been networked for a long time. Been using DirecTV on Demand, MRV, music/picture streaming, etc, with no issues, but Apps would not work. Then one day last fall they started working. Nothing changed, except the software that week from CE....So, you are not alone...