We all ooh and aah over the iPad, but sometimes you just want to check the news. CNN gets credit for creating a natural and intuitive app for the iPad without the future-shock of something like Virgin’s PROJECT magazine.
On the main screen, three tabs take you from “Top Stories” to “Featured Stories” to “Video.” You can scroll up or down in any of these categories or drill down to a story level. Most stories come with text, photos and video, so the app is a real multimedia experience, and takes advantage of all of CNN’s assets. If all the media feels too distracting, you can change the view to show just the headlines while you scroll.
Like CNN’s website, you can read everyone’s comments about stories through the app, or make comments yourself with the iPad’s virtual keyboard. Another tap allows you to share stories over email or your favorite social network.
The app features video throughout. All playback looked gorgeous and played seamlessly in my testing. Click “LIVE Video” to see stories as they happen.
Overall, like the cable channel, CNN for iPad lets you get current on the news without a lot of fancy packaging. At the same time, it’s clear the app was decided with the iPad’s capabilities in mind, and it feels like a perfect fit.
