Pulse for Android: First Impressions
Pulse — that iOS news reader that got much press after the iPhone 4 event — is now live on the Android Market. I was impressed with what Alphonso Labs came up with for the iPad, and even more so when they managed to compress the experience for use on the iPhone. So as soon as I saw the news, I jumped up and bought my Droid Incredible a copy.
First impressions: it’s definitely the best RSS reader available for Android users. That’s not saying a lot, since the platform had almost no legitimate RSS apps before this (I’m purposely excluding the Google Reader web app; we’re talking native here). Pulse’s visual, grid-based interface is a bold step away from conventional email-like readers. It can go far, but it has a problem.
And that problem isn’t limited to Pulse; it’s a recurring issue that affects all developers who have made applications for both iOS and Android. Beautiful iOS apps always look less beautiful in their Android clothing, and I don’t know why. It probably has something to do with the differences between the two SDKs…if you’ve read my latest piece on The Technology Charge, you know how strongly I feel about this. Nevertheless, if you’re an Android user, and are in need of a decent RSS aggregator, the $1.99 that Pulse sets you back is totally worth it.
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