Popular technology news site Engadget.com already had an optimized page for iPhone and iPod Touch, but AOL has now launched a dedicated iPhone app (free), which features a complete stream of news from Engadget, Engadget Mobile and Engadget HD.
I particularly like that Engadget has made it easy to share news by fully integrating email, Twitter and Facebook. Links open in-line, can also be opened through Safari if users prefer. Complete episodes of “The Engadget Show” are available for streaming, and I had no issue with either clarity or speed when watching over 3G. I also love that reading and posting comments are fully integrated and accessible through the iPhone app.
Because Engadget’s bread and butter is technology, the iPhone app loses a few points for the features it lacks: primarily, the ability to change font size (you can zoom in on text, but it doesn’t wrap, thus creating a lot of extra scrolling) and no landscape read mode. There is also no search function — quite a surprising oversight, but something I’m sure (Right, Engadget? Right?) will be included in future updates.
Overall, Engadget’s iPhone app is nicely designed, faster than its mobile counterpart and rich with useful content. While I am typically opposed to site-specific iPhone apps similar to Engadget, I think technophiles and gadget-junkies will be pleased with this download.
