Trying 3 Twitter Android Apps
The first Web AddiCT test for the OpenMoko trying and finding Twitter Android applications that just wwworked on the Neo Freerunner running Google Android. The minimum requirements to pass the Twitter test was:
- I could download it from the browser as there is no default app Market on the version of Android I’m running.
- It simply allowed me to update my tweets and keep up to date with the people I was following. There is not camera on the Neo Freerunner (maybe future OpenMoko’s will have one) so Twitpic was not a needed option.
- The Twitter Android application had to be easy to use as I’m still getting used to the touch screen on the open source mobile device.
Here’s my 2 cents on 3 twitter android apps: Twidroid, Twitli and andtweet…
The first application my Google search revealed and one that appeared to be popular when doing a Twitter search was Twidroid. It was an immediate fail of the Web AddiCT test because to download twidroid to your device, you need to launch the android market. I do not have access to the Android Market yet. Fortunately they will soon offer further ways to download or buy twidroid via their own store as well as integrated stores on devices of their partners.
Up next, in round 2 of the Web AddiCT test, was Twitli. Twitli is a Twitter client for Android smartphones. You can download and use Twitli from your Android phone (like the OpenMoko) or you can download the .apk program file and install it manually. Pointed the Android browser to http://www.twitli.com agreed to the T&C’s and downloaded and installed it. Installation and entering my twitter username and password was simple but that’s where it ended. Twitli might support Laconica/identica and have all the bells and whistles but using it or figuring out how to use it is more effort than it is worth. Using twitter via the web is as easy going to m.twitter.com or Slandr and I’d rather revert back to them or find another twitter android alternative to twitli.
I was third time lucky when finding AndTweet on Google Code. Described as… Designed to be a light-weight Twitter alternative for Android. Optimized for fast operation using both Touch and Keyboard. Finger-friendly interface that allows the user to quickly navigate tweets and respond to them with just the touch of a finger.
That’s Exactly what it was.
- I could download it from Google Code here.
- It had a simple and easy to learn user interface that provided just enough to meet my twitter needs.
If you have a look at the AndTweet roadmap, some basic features are still missing. BUT for people like you and I, who are playing around with Android and OpemMoko this early, some basic back-in-the-day-when-twitter-was-part-of-IM-commands STILL work just fine 🙂