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While the USA Today app has been available on Android and iOS mobile device platforms for ages, it was re-launched for Windows Phone 8 this week. Gannet's flagship news service has landed on Redmond's new baby with a gorgeous Metro-style app that does what it's designed to do exceptionally well and extremely fast. And we mean fast; the free app's load-time is nearly instantaneous.
The USA Today app initially launches into a predictable top stories section, but a slide to the left reveals a tray of tiles that drills into the specific sections of politics, sports and tech (not that you read tech news anywhere but here, right?). Article text is white on a charcoal grey background that gives the app a readability that's easy on the eyes even in low-light conditions. The option to resize the font is available too -- a welcome feature in any reader app.
Every rose has its thorns though, and USA Today for Windows Phone 8 has two glaring issues. First, USA Today's Live Tile functionality is broken, so a trip inside the app is necessary to check for updated headlines. The new app also breaks compatibility with Windows Phone 7. So if you happen to be using the older version of Windows Phone, you no longer have access to the USA Today app; Gannet appears to be maintaining just the new version, so err on the side of caution and do not update.
PUBLISHED DEC. 12, 2012
