HitPad News App: Too Late To The Party?

Hitpad is the latest entry in the ever-growing iPad news app category. Created by Instant Cover, Inc., the app looks like a cross between the Pulse News Reader and Flipboard. But, is it any good? News apps for the iPad are like sneakers: we each have our favorite. And besides, they all get you to the same place. Users may arrive at the same conclusion when trying out Hitpad, a free app making its debut this week in the App Store. It’s a nice way to view the news. But, it probably won’t beat your current newsreader because it does the same thing, only differently. Unlike other news apps, which require user input to generate the stories it tells, Hitpad is based on topics “trending today.” Each of these, which currently includes trends on Kirstie Alley, Notre Dame women’s basketball, and Congressman Paul Ryan, among others, feed each section of the app. These include: News, Tweets, Videos, Web, and Photos.

For example, Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi remains in the news, making him a Hitpad “trending today” topic. As such, you can read news about dictator, plus tweets, videos, and photos. Each story can be easily sharing via email, Facebook, or Twitter. Plus, you can save the stories for later reading with Instapaper. The speed of the app could be its strongest selling point. As you enter the app, each story is readily available, and the movement to and from each topic is equally quick. Hitpad is worth a look and since it is free, you have nothing to lose. Still, it might be too late to the newsreader party. It is available for free in the App Store.

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