Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 -- 11:47 a.m. -- on my couch

I love it when I download something in the app store that makes me say "COOL or WOW!"

I also like it when someone creates something that's not a carbon copy of something already in the store.

The Chicago Tribune Sports Reader is a perfect example of both.

The description does a pretty good job of explaining it: The Chicago Tribune Sports Reader gives sports fanatics an intuitive, user friendly app that highlights the top stories in Chicago sports. You'll never have to scour the mobile web again for Chicago sports news and scores.

Now we had this conversation recently -- mobile Safari vs. an iPhone app ... we all basically agreed that there's a time and place for both but that sometimes an app does a much better job at keeping us from having to click 100 times.

You're not going to get every sports photo from every team, but if you are a Chicago sports fan, you'll definitely want to make room for this icon on your springboard.

What you'll notice right away is how the use of words and pictures are tied together. When you scroll down and read a story, the photos that are above scroll as well, but they move horizontally. It's hard to explain without a video of it, but since it's free you have nothing to lose.

And, you can also make the photos smaller if you really don't want to look at that, or make them bigger and show less of the story. I find it to be fluid, fast and easy to use.

While the app clearly has a focus on Chicago sports, it's not limited. For example, after last night's thrilling Red Sox victory, I was greeted this morning with the score and when I selected that game, I got the stats of all the players.

But I really like the photos ... I think that's what makes this app unique -- and the Tribune has some really good photographers (I'm not saying that because I work there) and you get to see their work in all its glory in this app.

Check it out and while you're at it, check out the Tribune's Mobile Zodiac app, which updates the old newspaper horoscope in a really cool way, every day.

Let me know what you think. If you want to talk to the developers directly, you can ... ping them at apple at tribune.com or send your comments via Twitter here.

Thanks for calling.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451600969e2010535942a16970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference iPTIB app review: Chicago Tribune Sports Reader:

Interesting that once you select the app on your iP{hone, the Chicago Tribune reader intro screen says "Oh, and one more thing: Go Cubs in 2009."

Why even invite the possibility of biased coverage? And you wonder why Sox fans think your coverage is slanted...

SCOTT'S REPLY: I know this won't help in any way, SoxFan, but when I saw that for the very first time, I thought the exact same thing.

Thanks for pointing out this great app. I probably wouldn't have found it, as the App Store redesign has resulted in me poking around a lot less than I used to. Also, I've been avoiding sports news since the Cubs disappeared from the post season and the Bears have begun to reveal more of their fundamental flaws. On he up side, "Northwestern thumped Purdue" yesterday, and, no matter what happens, I gotta follow my Chicago teams.

SCOTT'S REPLY: I hear ya ... this definitely makes it easier to do so and yeah, anything in the world to make searching apps easier!

The comments to this entry are closed.