I wasn't convinces by the Twitter iPad app at first (like everyone else, it seems). Now I've given it a chance I have to say I think it's one of the nicest UIs I've ever used. Given its functionality, I find it incredibly simple and intuitive to use. I think it uses the iPad's features excellently without being gimmicky, and I think as the iPad slowly replaces laptops for more and more tasks, this is exactly the kind of app we need to be seeing more of.
What I love about this app is the visual history. The panes show you where you've been. Surely better than a back button, a list, or nothing at all; especially when the might of Twitter lies in its massive network of simple information. It's a tidy way to separate threads of information. The panes function as tabs or windows may on a desktop browser. And dismissing them to leave you with the main pane is always just a flick away (I love that icon, and the gesture and metaphor is consistent with the ingenious way to refresh). Composing a new message doesn't clear what you were previously doing, but instead pushes it aside, ready for you to go back to for reference or once you're finished.
I strongly recommend anybody with an iPad who's into Twitter to give this app a good test drive before giving up on it.
Comment on iPad App Design: River of News vs. Twitter by Toby
Backlink: http://gigaom.com/apple/ipad-app-design-river-of-news-vs-twitter/#comment-526060
