The official app of one of the most popular social networks in the world gets an update. We check out the rejigged Twitter for Android and iOS.
It has been perhaps the most controversial of social networks, having claimed a few ministerial casualties, and is perhaps the simplest to use. Facebook might have inspired Hollywood but when it comes to sheer impact, the 140-characteronly Twitter is in the eyes of many, the most dynamic social network in the world. In fact, there are a number of people who depend more on Twitter than on television and the Internet for getting the latest on what is happening in the world, be it reviews and analysis, live coverage of events or simply to banter with the hundreds of celebrities for whom tweeting is second nature. Which has led to the development of dozens of applications that let you access Twitter on your device. Of course, the most popular ones by far are Twitter's own official apps. And it is these that have been giving a rework earlier today.
In terms of sheer appearance, not much seems to have changed in the apps themselves. Starting them off still lands you on the Home screen which contains tweets from those you are following. At the bottom of the app are three other tabs - Connect (which let you see the tweets that mention you), Discover (which contains trends and recommendations) and Me (which contains your profile information as well as direct messages sent to you by other Twitter users). So far, this seems pretty much like service as usual.
However, scratch beneath those regular features and new things start to emerge. Hit the Discover tab and you will see not just the regular trends and stories that the app recommends you follow and read but also the activities of the people you are following - you can actually see the tweets they have favourited and retweeted, the people they have started following and those they have added to their lists - handy, if you are the type who keeps wondering who to follow next on Twitter. Then there is the Search bar on the Connect tab, which now comes with autocomplete suggestions. So if you are looking for a person you follow and cannot remember their Twitter handle (which can get rather complex - Amitabh Bachchan's Twitter handle is not @amitabhbachchan, as some might think, but @SrBachchan), the app will now automatically suggest the names of the people you might be looking for. And best of all, you now have the option to get push notifications whenever a tweet by you has been retweeted or favourited, and even when someone starts following you. And of course, the usual functions of letting you post tweets, links and pictures are all intact, as are you options to retweet, favourite and quote tweets. Also, unlike most of its competitors, we found the official Twitter app to be rock solid in terms of functionality - hardly any crashes.
All of which makes the new Twitter app a very handy one for those who not only Tweet regularly but are also looking out for new people to follow as well as keep track of those they are already following. No, there is no earth-shaking change in core functionality, and in terms of appearance, there are certainly more colourful apps out there. And we still think they need to change the names of those tabs รข€“ how on earth is someone supposed to know that direct messages sent to them will be stored under a tab labelled "Me?" - and also work on the speed of opening links and pictures within the app (it still is easier to just copy the link into a browser and hit "enter!") But if you are just getting into Twitter and want a decent app that performs well enough, we think we can now recommend the official app without any trepidation whatsoever.
Get it from: iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/in/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8), Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twitter.android&hl=en)
Price: Free
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