Review: ReadOnTouch PRO/PHONE
App: ReadOnTouch PRO/ReadOnTouch PHONE
Developer: Sven Ziegler
Price: PRO-$2.99/PHONE-$1.99
I have been wanting a good ReadItLater app for webOS, haven’t been able to find one until I found ReadOnTouch! I have been using ReadOnTouch for a few days now, and I like it. It is very simple to use and set up. The developer is very friendly, and helpful on any issues I have had.
Sven Ziegler decided he wanted to fill that ReadItLater void by bringing us ReadOnTouch! ReadOnTouch is one of the few Enyo applications (HP’s new development framework) that is available on *all webOS devices!* The thing I like most about the app is it syncs between all devices, and downloads articles for offline reading. Let’s take a further look at ReadOnTouch below. Please note, that this app is only available on webOS 2.1 and higher devices.
Initial Setup
The initial setup is really easy, you just put your login credentials into the app, hit verify, then you’re done! The app has some preferences, but not so many that it is overwhelming. The preferences are really simple, and are a must-have for a ReadItLater app like article downloading for offline viewing, and syncing on startup. Now that we have the app set up, let’s look at the UI.
UI
The UI of this app is very nice. It has the “Enyo” feel like most of the apps on the TouchPad, which is a big plus in my book. The UI is not that hard at all, in fact, it is very simple. It has two buttons on the initial pane, one for adding a new article, the other for refreshing the article list (if you have added an article from another source.) It also has the options in the top to sort the articles either by unread/read, or newest/oldest, which is another nice feature.
Once you click on an article, the page is displayed in “text only” mode, but if you prefer to view it in an actual web-browser, a button near the bottom can launch the article in the web browser. This same action opens up an in-app webview of the link if you’re on the TouchPad. You can also change the font family, the font size, and the overall theme, which can make it much easier to read web pages for more efficient browsing. You can also share the article you are viewing via email, SMS, Facebook, and Twitter, and Google Plus. This app will also soon have “tag support” so you can give specific articles a tag.
Function
The app’s main function is to save links while you’re browsing the web for later reading. It can sync them over multiple devices on multiple platforms, and even download them for offline viewing.
Pros
- Easy to use interface
- Easy Setup
- Not too expensive
Cons
- Some core sharing features missing
- Cannot purchase the app on your Pre-, Pre+, or Pre 2 and have it on the TouchPad also
- Cannot use it on anything below webOS 2.1
Bottom Line
This app is a must-have if you use the ReadItLater software on your other devices. I have grown fond of using this app, as it is fairly attractive and good at what it does. This app is the perfect way to bookmark those links of websites you want to save for later reading.
