When first released , Flipboardfelt like it was bear for the iPad . The app began living by cull links from your Facebook and Twitter timeline , presenting them in a clip - inspired layout , drive by first-class innovation : You could feel the pages of turn as you cabbage with your finger . Over time , the app ’s focus broadened ; it could display content from all sort of seed , including major publication . In its latest looping , Flipboard for the first time became uncommitted on the iPhone and iPod touch sensation as well . In addition to slimming down a turn to suit that smaller machine ’s covert , the app scored some new feature article , to boot .
Not too long ago , Flipboard introduced accounts . Those account serve two purpose : Multiple folks share a exclusive iOS machine could each make a unparalleled Flipboard account , giving each private access to his or her preferred content reservoir . That way , you could opt to see stories fromRolling StoneandThe Hollywood newsperson , while your roommate can sharpen onVanity FairandThe Onion . welfare two : Your Flipboard setting carry over seamlessly between dissimilar iOS devices .
Thus , the here and now I loggoed into Flipboard on my iPhone , all my old cognitive content generator were there . Flipboard on the iPhone is clearly the same app as the iPad version , but the app ’s designer smartly reoriented things a bit to make the app fit better on the smaller screen . The most obvious difference is in the flipping itself : On the iPad , you swipe horizontally to flip between page ; on the iPhone , pages sneak vertically instead . Most of the time , it feels natural , but I ’ll admit that on occasion I mistakenly endeavor to swipe horizontally first — blame flock of clip spend using the iPad reading of the app .
In world-wide , though , swiping through articles feels natural , like flipping page in a top - spiral notebook . Much of the Flipboard ’s sailing is similarly visceral — adding source , browsing articles , even marking tweet as favorites or commenting on Facebook posts .
fresh to Flipboard on both size iOS cover is a lineament called Cover Stories . It ’s intend to assemble the best or most interesting news report currently uncommitted across all your sources for quicker browse . I ’m not a Brobdingnagian buff of the feature — I favor browse the specific source that capture my current interest — but I appreciate its ingathering .
I have but a trio of complaints about the iPhone incarnation of Flipboard . With many sources , the app is able to deliver a Flipboard - initialise version of the subject ; as with Instapaper or Safari Reader mode , it ’s a indication - friendly layout . But flipping through iPhone screen - sized pages of drawn-out article feels unexpended ; there ’s not always a room to visually value how far into the text you are — or how much text is leave alone . Sometimes , story show pageboy numbers ( like 1 of 7 ) . Too often , however , the full number of pages is n’t expose . study a lengthier missive fromVanity Fairin this fashion is n’t idealistic . I ’d prefer a more traditional scroll barroom as I swiped through . In fact , that ’s just what you get when Flipboardcan’toffer an “ optimized ” view of the article , since you instead see the article in its aboriginal home ground as an embedded Web view .
My 2nd ailment is even more minor : I could n’t find the Read Later push I long to beg on some longer articles . finally , I learned that you first need to go to Flipboard ’s options and configure a service ( either Instappaer or Read It Later ) before the choice shows up . Many apps take the approach of testify such buttons even before you configure the serve , prompting you to enter to your overhaul of choice when you first taste the button . Had a favorable Twitter follower not pointed me in the right direction , I do n’t know how long it would have rent me to discover Flipboard ’s Instapaper supporting .
And my final complaint : When you peruse new sources — and wow , Flipboard offers just oodles of great source — the app take you back to the incorrect screen if you opt to rap the Back button ; you postulate a 2d tap to get back to the lean of available feed to add up .
Minor grievances aside , Flipboard remains first-class . I do n’t practice it as an RSS reader , Facebook referee , or Twitter reader , though it certainly encompasses element of all three . My daily reading regime on my iOS devices start with my RSS and Twitter feeds , and I apply Flipboard for lighter reading . The app performs superbly in that role .
[ Lex Friedmanis a Macworld faculty writer . ]
