OVERVIEW: Comparison of 6 of the top Twitter apps for the iPhone. Echofon, Tweetdeck, Tweetie, Twitteriffic, Twittelator, and Hootsuite.
There are tons of Twitter applications for the iPhone. I took a look at 6 of the most popular ones to see which one is the true champion.
Here are the Twitter apps that I tested:
Echofon
Hootsuite
Twitteriffic
Tweetdeck
Tweetie
Twittelator
How I Tested
I installed all of the applications below on my iPhone and used them fairly heavily. Over the course of two weeks, I used one application as my only Twitter interaction for two straight days. I tried to test every situation that I could think of to see how well each application worked. I also took detailed notes on things that caught my eye as good, bad, or weird as they occurred.
Disclaimer: I have been using Twitteriffic Premium for several months and LOVE it. I think that my work on this blog demonstrates my passion for free software. So if my cheap ass springs for the most expensive app on the list, you should take note.
Echofon used to be called Twitterfon until Twitter's copy write lawyers got involved. I tested the free, ad supported version of this client. I generally liked everything I saw. Reading, retweeting, creating of tweets all was very nice. Everything functioned exactly as I thought it should. If I had not already bought two of the premium apps on this list, I would definitely consider Echofon. iPhone App Store
Pros: "Nearby Tweets Map" is awesome! Instapaper Support. Smooth interface.
I like Hootsuite. I think it's more for the SEO social networking power geek than the average user. It feels slightly less smooth than Twitteriffic or Tweetie, but it could be good for some people.
If you want to keep track of your Facebook and Twitter presence from the same app, than this is the one for you. I don't love the interface. It seems like you're always clicking left, scrolling down, swiping right, etc. It's all over the place.
Tweetie 2 is constantly labeled as the "best twitter app for the iPhone". Well, I'm just not sure at all. I constantly felt like I was clicking all over the place to get things done. I just doesn't feel quite as smooth as I liked.
I wanted to love this one so badly. Mostly for the cool egg logo. Sadly, I'm just not that into it. When you see a tweet that you like which has a link in it, guess what? You can't open the link! Done! not even close to good enough.
This is my absolute favorite of the whole bunch. I love how solid the interface is. Love how you can save tweeted web pages with Instapaper for later reading. Yes, it's tied for the most expensive app in roundup, but if you use Twitter a lot, it is worth every penny.
Pros: Very smooth, clean interface. Everything works just like you expect it to.
Cons: No Nearby Tweets map feature
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
iPhone Twitter Application Feature Comparison
The following table breaks down some of the main features for all of the contestants.
Which Twitter Client Do You Use?
Show some support for your favorite Twitter App in the survey below.
As always, please leave your thoughts, questions, or feedback in the Comments section. Also, if you use a great Twitter app that is not listed here or is on a phone other than the iPhone, let's hear about it.
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I was talking to a friend the other day and we were both discussing how we thought BlackBerry was in trouble. They owned a niche with their killer push email service and just stopped there. I can't think of a single impressive innovation from them in the last several years.
There are several reasons why I think that they are in for a long slow slide into irrelevance.
Can't cross over as consumer devices
Too many superior alternatives
They will lose the enterprise (and that's really all they have)
Software is stale and boring
Can't cross over as consumer devices
You have to admit that their hardware is fugly. Their best hardware feature is their amazing keyboards and they keep turning their backs on them. The Storm touchscreen that made you ask, "Should I touch it, tap it, or press it?" How about that stupid "two letters on one button" idea on the Pearl and Perl Flip? What a train wreck. There are both bad ways that they deserted the traditional keyboard. The problem is that if they include that big, wonderful keyboard, you'll probably get a big, ugly phone. That's fine for corporate drones, but not 16 year old girls.
Too many superior alternatives
iPhone - Except for the keyboard, it kills BlackBerry in every conceivable areaGoogle's Android Platform - any good handset maker has free access to great softwareWindows Mobile - Available to any handset maker. Enterprise support, Better UI, Better Media, Better appsPalm's Web OS - It's just sexierNokia's Symbian Platform - Take a look at the worldwide stats.
They're Losing the Enterprise
The only thing that keeps BlackBerry afloat is their absolute stranglehold on Enterprise mobile email. They currently have 21 million enterprise users or a 60% +/- share of enterprise mobile email. Nowhere to go but down.Here are a few reasons why that will erode fairly soon:High cost of their email services for enterprise - In order to supply "push email" to those Crackberry addicts, you need to have a very expensive addition to your IT infrastructure. Most companies either use Microsoft's Exchange or Lotus' Domino mail servers. BlackBerry devices can't connect directly to those servers. You need to have the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, a second "shadow" mail server that is the intermediary between the corporate mail server and the phone. Extra server, extra software, extra support staff; you do the math.All of their competitors can connect directly to Exchange serversAll of the other major smartphone Operating systems can connect directly to the Exchange server. BlackBerries do work better for email, but not enough to justify all that expense. Plus, key decision makers would love to ditch that bulky extra phone.
The Software is Stale and Boring
Does anybody actually "like" using their BlackBerry for anything other than email? Let's face it, the software is kind of boring.The fact that the vast majority of customers are corporate workers who don't own the phones means that their apps store faces problems too. Think about it; are you going to buy a bunch of software to install on the phone that your work owns? That's if your IT department doesn't have it locked down before they give it to you. No Up-sell
Other Nails in their Coffin
Gmail - It works amazing on mobile phones and supports "push email". The mobile web interface is great too.
Google Docs / Zoho Office - You can view, edit, and create office documents for free. They also support real-time collaboration.
Tablets and Netbooks - Did anyone see the iPad? True, I knocked it for a few issues, but version 2.0 and beyond will start taking big slurps off BlackBerry's milk shake. What happens when another 30+ iPad competitors hit the streets? Those slurps start turning into chugs.
Conclusion
Now I know, Palm is still around. Heck, I even cited them as one of BlackBerry's threats. But they used to be a household word, not the fifth bullet in an argument. People labeled an entire electronic gadget category (Personal Digital Assistants) as Palm Pilots. Kind of like all mp3 players are called iPods today. Now they're an afterthought.I'm not saying that they will shut down operations next week, but I do anticipate a several year slide into obscurity. Don't be surprised if in 2016 you hear yourself say, "Remember CrackBerries?" Kind of like when we make fun of those huge cellphones that rappers carried in their videos.
What Do You Think?
Do you think that BlackBerry's best days are behind them? Or, are they about to seize control of the handset market?
Overview: You will learn how to turn your iphone into a portable document scanner for free in under 15 minutes. This will all be done using one piece of cardboard, a ruler, a utility knife and a pencil.
Getting Things Done With Creativity and Elbow Grease
Occasionally I need to get digital copies of papers into my home and/or work computers. I don't feel like having two full-blown scanners wasting space on my desks, nor do I feel like buying them.
What's my quick, free, space saving solution? Build a stand that allows me to use my iPhone to make quick images of documents.
I have a few simple requirements for this document scanner:
Must be able to be assembled quickly and easily
Muse capture 8.5" x 11" documents perfectly (no cropping)
1. 
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4 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars
2 out of 5 stars
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