Twitter for Mac: Initial Thoughts

The day has come, January 6th 2011. Apple has released their Mac App Store, not yet full to the brim, launching with only 1,000 apps. Pretty impressive for a start though. However, there has been one application some Mac users have been boasting about. What is it? The top free app available, Twitter for Mac.

With a elegant user interface, Twitter for Mac is almost like a dream come true. A total redesign of Tweetie, which was owned by Atebits that Twitter bought out in April last year. Although it is free, Twitter for Mac looks so good with sleek transitions between the timeline, @replies, direct messages, lists, your profile and search. The black sidebar complements not only the Twitter for iPhone and iPad apps, but the texture used on the timeline itself. All in all, Twitter for Mac looks like a paid app, still in the wrapper.

Real time updates in the timeline is another new addition that Tweetie didn't have and competes with Echofon and TweetDeck, which both released the feature out in November. 

Although Twitter for Mac has its good side, there is just one negative that strikes me. By default, Twitter for Mac automatically shortens links via t.co, which cannot be turned off, making my personal url shortener useless. Hopefully, Twitter sees this as a problem to some users can changes it in a later update. 

What are your thoughts about the new Twitter for Mac? Are you going to be using it? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Follow me on Twitter: @JonnyRowntree

Thoughts: iPhone 4G

The iPhone has grew to become one of the most popular yet powerful phones on the market and after 3 years, it still has room to grow. June 29, 2007 saw the release of the first generation iPhone and now in 2010 we are already talking about the fourth release.

Coming from a UK based point of view, 3G isn't everything. Yes, it may produce a fast and strong connection with the iPhone and the outside world, but I think with the release of the iPhone 4G, Apple should release HSDPA as standard, which has a higher specification of speed and performance. Apple could also extend the screen to it fills upto 90-95% of the unit. It would also be good to see a touch button instead of the physical button, which takes up 10% of the unit. Since it is suitable for iPod quality sound, additional speakers could be place at the top and bottom of the iPhone, giving a much better sound quality.

On the external side of the iPhone, it would be good if Apple slimmed down the unit, giving it a even more refined look. When adjusting the volume on the current iPhone it can be a little fiddly, so defining the buttons would be another good move in the 4G. 

I hope you see my post interesting and I would like to see Apple consider the redesign of the iPhone, to make it the revolutionary phone of the decade.

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