Zeitgeist 2011: Year In Review, From Google
A look back at the events of 2011… Well done Google.
A look back at the events of 2011… Well done Google.
It’s been a busy week for Mobile News Readers – especially the first three names on the list. Flipboard, really the app that started it all, released the iPhone version of it’s widely popular iPad application – same visually stunning interface, but on the screen that fits in the palm of your hand. That was followed closely by the release of Google Currents, which has a feature that I think is missing from all the other offerings (so far), which is the ability to synch and read in offline mode – ala the New York Times. Perfect for the long flights where you don’t have a wifi connection. Finally, my long time favorite – Zite – joined the party with an iPhone version of it’s ‘smart’ iPad application. I say ‘smart’ because Zite ‘learns you’ and adapts the content presented to you based on your interaction with the app. You’re not just picking categories of content, it’s adapting to your thumbs up and thumbs down of specific content to present you with a better selection in the future. I love that.
Being the content consumer that I am, I see a lot of use of all three of these applications in my future – with a smattering of Pulse and Yahoo Livestand (though I’m not as big on those as I am the first three). I love being able to just pick up my phone or iPad when I have a free moment and catch up on the categories of content that I’m most interested in, wherever I happen to be. I’ll continue to use each of them for different purposes, and at some point, I’m sure there will be a confluence of features where there is such a similarity that I’ll choose the platform that appeals to me most. But, for now, each has a spot on my iOS device. Curious – which is your favorite?