Flipboard has earned a respectable name by bringing news in a more manageable fashion. Touted as the mobile-first company, Flipboard limited its access through mobile apps on different platforms. But all that is changing now as Flipboard forays into the web platform on PCs. This new integration will allow users to see all their personalised content on the desktop same as phone or tablet.
According to Flipboard, the development helps get the app work across all sizes of screens with adaptive layouts. Also, the new web app will help Flipboard get more users on board as it is more difficult to convince users to get an app on their smartphone than navigating to their website.
"You'll see that Flipboard.com has its own look and feel. As with developing for iPhone, Android and Windows, the team builds on a platform's unique attributes while still retaining the heart and soul of Flipboard. For example, Flipboard on the web has responsive layouts for different screen sizes," the company wrote.
Flipboard for Web allows users to sign up via email or Facebook while existing users must use the same credentials as in the mobile app. All Cover Stories are shown in a scrollable format. Sadly, the web interface loses its essence of "Flips," the company's signature flipping animation. Clicking on news content redirects users to the source of the story instead of Flipboard's own magazine layout like in the mobile app. But selective content can be seen in that format if not all.
Flipboard for web is clearly just the beginning and there will be a lot of tinkering involved to make it better. Overall, the web version of Flipboard looks simple and minimalist. Users can share content to social media channels like Facebook and Twitter or even via email.
Users can browse through topics and Flip topics into personal magazines by clicking the + sign. The web app is indeed an ideal choice for those who are using Flipboard for the first time. It can also come in handy in case the Flipboard app is not available on a particular mobile platform like BlackBerry.
