Flipboard for iPad Creates Waves

A new iPad app is creating waves since it launched -- Flipboard. It calls itself a "personalized social magazine" and has an interesting take on interacting with social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.

Flipboard launched to instant popularity and adulation on Wednesday. So what's all the hype about? Flipboard presents your Twitter and Facebook news, media streams in a magazine styled layout. The free iPad app provides a refreshingly new way of consuming huge amount of content generated every day on Twitter and Facebook by pulling information directly from a user's Twitter and Facebook feed and displaying it like you are reading a magazine. There are no long Web pages to scroll through, just flipping virtual magazine pages sideways.

Flipboard's main interface has a three-by-three grid -- every block representing a Twitter, Facebook feed, and so on. Flipboard also contains several predetermined channels bringing magazine-styled news and information from the world of tech, music, fashion, entertainment, and other areas of interest. Pressing on a block to access it in detail -- clicking on a Twitter feed will pull photos, text, even videos from your and your friends' Twitter feed from the Web. Click on anything you like will take you to the actual article within Flipboard and finally to the source (external) website. You just swipe your finger across to access the next news block in Flipboard's grid. Flipboard can also access Twitter lists, for example, enhancing its overall scope of data aggregation.

Flipboard went live on Wednesday and users immediately started reporting glitches. This was because of Flipboard's servers running over capacity: "Flipboard is currently over capacity. Please try adding your Twitter account later," read the error message displayed when users tried to connect. The pre-programmed channels loaded fine, though.

I know this app has limited appeal right now since it's only for the iPad. I also understand that Flipboard is all about content aggregation and doesn't vastly differ from NYT or BBC iPad apps, for example. But Flipboard's content is driven by social media and people you know rather than served by one newspaper or source. Even in the touch-enabled world of iPhones and iPads, where popular Facebook or Twitter apps still can't do without vertical scrolling, Flipboard captures popular imagination by reliving a rapidly declining print medium. Follow Flipboard on Twitter.

Flipboard on iTunes / Flipboard's Website / Watch an extended video of Flipboard