DLS Review: TweetDeck for Android seamlessly integrates Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Google Buzz

I initially wanted to review TweetDeck for Android back in August, but ruefully I discovered that it only works with Android 2.1-and-later devices! Now, however, via the power of hacked Russian ROMs, I am using Android 2.1. Without further ado, then, TweetDeck for Android.

Android apps with sensible interfaces are few and far between. Interfaces can vary so much between apps that it becomes both a chore and a challenge to switch between apps. You might have a choice of one billion free apps, but why bother if it hurts your brain to use them? When one app has tabs across the top, another has them on the bottom and yet another uses side-swiping -- well, it almost makes me wish I had an iPhone. And that's a desperate place to be, gentlemen.

TweetDeck opts for my personal favourite of tabs-on-bottom (easier to reach with your thumb!) and side-swiping -- and boy does it look and feel good. TweetDeck for Android, along with default support for Twitter, also lets you connect to Foursquare, Buzz and Facebook. That means I can stick to just one awesome app interface... hooray!

Perhaps the thing that most impresses me with TweetDeck for Android is just how similar it is to the desktop counterpart. The interface is totally different, yet somehow comfortably reminiscent. The primary view is still columnar, but instead of having three or four always on display, you side swipe left and right to see your replies and direct messages -- or indeed any customized columns. The same easy-to-read, clear white font and charcoal grey theme are there to greet you warmly, too.

On to the interface itself. The column on the left, though it isn't obvious from this screenshot, is the TweetDeck 'me column' -- not the standard 'mentions' column from the desktop app. It includes any and all activity that involves you, from Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Buzz. It's very, very cool.


Columns, like on the desktop, are completely customizable. You can add a column for your Favourites, your lists, or any custom searches. As you can seen below, you can then configure each column's update rate and what kind of notifications they generate. You could make it so that every update makes your phone vibrate, but only direct messages produce a sound.

Depending on the service, you have a few options. You can reply, obviously (see the screenshot at the top of this story); you can translate tweets -- kinda cool; or you can even share them with Android's built-in sharing tool. Whether private Direct Messages should be shareable or not, I'm not sure. 'Copy' is also available, which you might find useful (and indeed, in some cases you can copy the URL of the status update or tweet, too).

Facebook functionality is OK, but minimal. What you see in the picture above is all you get. You can't browse your Facebook messages (boo) or photos (I guess that would be slightly too much feature creep).

Finally, here's the accounts page, and what the Facebook column looks like. I can only presume that the Foursquare and Buzz columns have their own gaudy primary color as a background.

Tags: apps, buzz, facebook, foursquare, review, social networking, SocialNetworking, tweet, tweetdeck, twitter