Tweetbot just hit the US App Store and boy is it a beauty. Tapbots has done it again and designed an application that is not only functional and pretty, but an artistic masterpiece that I cannot keep my hands off of. I was an instant critic when I read Tapbots' claim that Tweetbot is "a twitter client with personality", but they're right.
A text review can hardly do this app justice because it is impossible to put into words how beautifully Tweetbot is made. Sure, I can describe how, at your touch, a tweet slides up revealing a navigation bar while simultaneous emitting the perfect sound. I can explain that swiping a tweet to right reveals the conversation and swiping to left displays related tweets. I can tell you about smart gestures, multiple timelines, and customizable navigation. I can even spew out a concrete list of every feature that Tweetbot includes. What I can't provide you, however, is the experience.
The problem with Twitter clients these days is that they're all the same. Yes, the same. Sure, the features vary (slightly) between them and some come with cool themes. The experiences, however, are too alike. I used to get excited when a new Twitter app was released because each app offered something different, something new. Today, they all feel the same. What happened? When users flocked to a particular Twitter app, other devs copied what made that app special. Individualization was lost. Now the App Store is basically filled with slight variations of the same app - with the exception of Tweetbot.
Tweetbot is different. It's innovative and refreshing. Tweetbot isn't an app you use, it's one you interact with. Everything has an animation, a sound, a beautiful interface. And true to Tapbots' style, the sounds are subtle and pleasant - enriching the experience.
In case you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of Tweetbot, but it isn't for everybody. Tweetbot is full-featured, but doesn't have every possible feature known to those in the Twitter app world. Tweetbot doesn't have a mute option or display in-line photos. It doesn't have multiple themes or native push notifications (but it's compatible with Boxcar). If these features are deal-breakers to you, then Tweetbot isn't for you. Not yet anyway.
For those who are suckers for design, innovation, and dare I say, personality, Tweetbot will rock your world.
Check out the screenshot gallery after the break!
[$1.99 - iTunes link]
