Toughest App to Get Right – Tweetbot for iPad Review
Arguably (one of) the toughest app on any device to get right is the application for Twitter. There are many reasons why it is so difficult to get it right: people being the biggest reason of all. Everyone uses Twitter in such a myriad of ways that it is difficult to find the client that suits how you use twitter. Speaking from experience I think I have downloaded nearly every notable Twitter client for the iPad and still I find them (the clients) lacking in one way or another.
Of all the Twitter clients I’ve tried Tweetbot is at the top of a very long list of Twitter clients. Tweetbot ranks among the top of all Twitter clients because it easy to use while still being robust enough to handle the most demanding of Twitter users. Among the more useful features are sliding a tweet right to view replies and sliding left for more detailed view of the tweet (scroll up for replies, if any exist). Most timelines include the ability to search the downloaded tweets (use search on the left navigation bar for a more powerful search).
What Tweetbot doesn’t do for you is make you fit into how the developer envisioned the application being used as the only way it can be used. Tweetbot offers quite a few options to help customize it to suit you. You can change the font size (tiny to huge), display name ( full name, user name or both), date format, navigation (hiding or displaying favorites, search, profile, lists, re-tweets and mute filters), streaming, quote format and much more.
Beyond the left and right sliding of tweets Tweetbot makes use of another gesture: triple tap. Triple tapping can cause one of the following user configurable actions: reply, re-tweet, favorite, translate, or view in Favstar. Translation occurs in the app in the form of a dialog box. In the few tweets I tried translating, it translated quick enough to be useful. Presumably translation translates tweets to the default language of the iPad, as this is one of the few features without any user customization. Given that the developer’s domain has DNS entries for Google Apps, translation is likely handled by Google. Having never heard of Favstar I found it to be an odd choice for the triple tap gesture however, users of the site might like it. Favstar allows users to get more detailed information about tweets; think analytics for tweets.
One feature I especially liked is the ability to import and export Twitter accounts into Twitter’s iOS application. This meant I didn’t have to re-type all my Twitter account information to start using Tweetbot. People with multiple Twitter accounts will particularly like the easy transition.
Tip: Leave your Twitter account setup in iOS and uninstall the Twitter app to retain Twitter integration in other applications yet save the space; this will also stop double data and Twitter polls from both Twitter applications.
Alerts in Tweetbot work as they should except for one simple oversight. Tweetbot doesn’t have the ability to run in the background and poll for new tweets in your Twitter stream. Tweetbot alerts for mentions and direct messages any time but the lack of background updating for Twitter stream as a whole feels like an oversight; for users that want or need such a feature. Tweetbot does allow for “streaming” of your Twitter stream but only when open and the active application.
Android Twitter App Plume Updated with ICS Visuals and More
Plume, my personal favorite Twitter app, has been updated today to version 3.0. Along with the increase in version number, the app now includes some nice new visuals that fall in line with Android 4.0 and new navigation methods. You can now easily swipe left and right from column to column, and navigation in the app is easier thanks to the inclusion of the new action bar up top.
Tweakdeck Pulled from Android Market
Paul from Modaco just posted that he was asked to remove his Tweakdeck app from the Android Market. Tweakdeck is a great app that picked up the slack after Twitter bought Tweetdeck and the app was abandoned. Honestly I am surprised it took Twitter this long to pitch a fit. Paul is working on re-releasing the app with a new name and different logo to avoid further “confusion” with Tweetdeck and Twitter.
Also, all current versions of Tweakdeck will continue to function, but there won’t be any updates until this gets resolved one way or another.
From Paul:
“Unfortunately, this evening I received an e-mail from the ‘Global Brand Protection Manager’ at Twitter, stating that…
It appears that your app TweakDeck is causing confusion because of your unapproved use of the Twitter bird and your description as “TweetDeck Based“.”
“With this in mind I have unpublished TweakDeck from the Android Market while, through my new found Twitter contact, I try and obtain permission to re-offer TweakDeck with an icon and name which doesn’t risk trademark infringement. I have asked the contact to put me in touch with the TweetDeck Android team and i’ll keep you posted on when / if I receive a response.”
Via [Modaco]
Twitter Updates Android and iOS Apps
Today Twitter released a big update for their Android app and the iOS app (not so much the iPad though). The updates provide a new UI for both apps that are very similar in nature. They have changed Mentions to being called Connect now, combining an Interactions tab along with your Mentions.
Also included now is a Discover tab/hub, that allows you to to search hashtags or keywords, see what is trending, and also view your suggested friends. It is really nice that both Twitter and Facebook are trying to get on the same page with their apps on both platforms. Go ahead and update your apps or download them to try out the new updates, and tell us what you think?
After Party – Episode 34 – On Time
Subscribe:
RSS | iTunes [Please Rate Us]
Nic:
twitter.com/NicBall
Nic@TheGadgetGurus.net
Google+
Liz:
twitter.com/Liz_Money
hellolizzy@facebook.com
This week Nic and Liz dive into a ton of stuff. They finish it off with a long discussion about something or other…you’ll see! Show notes after the break.
