Taptu - Mobile News Reader & Curator | iOS & Android
The Resurgence of Digital News Consumption
The practice of reading news is experiencing a revival in popularity, largely driven by the adoption of the iPad and the proliferation of visually appealing news reader applications. Examples include Flipboard, Zite, and Pulse.
These applications revitalize established news aggregation technologies.
They demonstrate the inherent suitability of tablets and mobile devices for news consumption.
Platform Availability and Taptu
A review of the current options reveals a concentration of high-quality news readers primarily designed for iOS platforms.
However, exceptions do exist, notably Taptu, a versatile news feed reader and curator.
Taptu distinguishes itself through its cross-platform compatibility, functioning seamlessly on both iOS and Android operating systems.
Testing Environment
Due to a lack of access to an Android device, the screenshots presented below were captured using an iOS device.
Users of Android phones may observe minor variations in the user interface.
Exploring Taptu: A News Reader Experience
Upon initial launch, Taptu immediately captures attention with its engaging comic-style tutorial. This introductory guide effectively demonstrates the app’s core functionalities through visually appealing illustrations. Regrettably, a method for re-accessing this tutorial after the initial use was not discovered.
Users familiar with other mobile news applications may recognize similarities between Taptu and Pulse in terms of interface design. News content is presented in organized rows of sources, with articles within each row displayed in chronological order. Articles that have not yet been read are visually distinguished from those already viewed.
To obtain the most current articles, or if all existing content has been reviewed, a downward swipe on the main screen will refresh all subscribed sources. Individual sources can also be refreshed by swiping their respective row to the right and releasing. The duration of this process is dependent on internet connection speed and the number of subscribed news feeds.
Selecting an article opens it in a streamlined reading mode, removing extraneous page elements and focusing solely on the article text and the initial image. Devices equipped with an accelerometer will dynamically adjust the layout based on orientation – either landscape or portrait.
Consistent with modern application design, Taptu facilitates effortless article sharing. Tapping the share icon, located in the upper right corner, enables users to email, tweet, or post the article to Facebook. Alternatively, the full article can be opened within the Safari browser.
The Star icon, positioned adjacent to the share button, allows for saving articles for later reading (the icon’s appearance differs on iPad). Taptu employs a unique approach to saved articles, differing from applications that rely on external “read later” services like Instapaper. Articles are stored directly within the application itself.
Saving an article automatically generates a new “Saved” category at the top of the screen. This provides convenient access to previously bookmarked content.
The app’s layout is intelligently optimized for the specific device on which it is installed. The following image illustrates the reading view as it appears on an iPad screen.
Categories can be deleted or reordered by accessing the “Edit” button, found in the top left corner of the main page. Deleting a category is accomplished by tapping the red button. Rearranging is done by tapping and dragging the three-bar icon, while the “Settings” menu is accessed via the gear icon in the top right corner.
Expanding Your News Sources
While the Taptu application comes pre-loaded with a selection of sources, users retain the ability to supplement these. To discover and integrate additional feeds, simply select the "+Add" button located in the upper-right corner of the primary screen.
Furthermore, Taptu allows for the connection of your Facebook and Twitter accounts. This integration enables you to stay informed about updates from friends and track tweets alongside your regular news consumption. iPad users can directly link these accounts from the application’s main interface.
A wide array of sources are readily available on the "Featured" tab for quick addition. The process of adding a source is streamlined, requiring only a tap on the "+" icon.
Should the desired source not be listed among the featured options, a search function is provided to locate it.
Alternatively, you can explore sources organized by category under the "Topics" section. Certain broad topics, such as Architecture or Technology, are expertly curated by the Taptu team. These curated collections aggregate content from numerous relevant sources, eliminating the need to individually subscribe to each one.
For those who have previously built a personalized collection of feeds using Google Reader, Taptu offers a seamless import option by linking your Google Reader account.
If you are a dedicated news consumer, Taptu is certainly worth investigating. While some may find its aesthetic less refined than Flipboard, design preferences are subjective. In terms of functionality, Taptu offers a comparable experience to other news reader applications.
Have you had the opportunity to use Taptu? What are your impressions? Or do you favor a different mobile news feed reader? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
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