There’s nothing like starting your morning with a hot cup of coffee and the day’s news. But when one’s hard-pressed for time, and reading the paper front to back is a luxury, there are a bunch of free apps that aggregate news, for you to rely on. They pull in the news from various sources to give you a quick scrolling option. Here are a few you might want to check out.
Inshorts
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Inshorts, as the name suggests, has news in 60 words. (For a long read, you can go to the original news link.) The templated, user-friendly interface shows a picture and short copy beneath, so it’s easy to catch the pith without having to sift through layers of text. Simply flip from one item to another, much like flipping through sheets of notes on your phone. You can customise your feed as per the genres of news that interest you, bookmark whatever catches your fancy, change the language and also opt to view images in high definition. And if you’re the kind that likes to sneak a peek in the middle of the night, there’s night mode too.
SmartNews
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This app brings together trending stories and categorises them based on the subject, and it’s easy to switch from one category to another (just switch tabs at the top). SmartNews partners with over 1,500 publications, such as NBC, Medium, TIME, AP, Reuters and more, to aggregate the latest news based on your reading activity. The app has a rather austere presentation with no frills, but its main draw is the fact that it can be used offline as well, through its feature SmartView. Great for folks, who read their news on the go. It is super easy to open the app even while commuting, and flick through headlines or opt to read an article.
Android and iOS
One of the earliest entrants in the segment, Flipboard has featured in the Editor’s Choice list on Play Store for a while now. With a magazine-style aesthetic, the app is rather engaging with several publications on board and a customisable feed. And if you miss your print editions, the app’s slick print-style layouts should help it feel more like an old friend. The only drawback probably is the fact that one can’t save a story one finds interesting on the app, without actually downloading a third-party app, though you can ‘Like’ and leave comments.
Android and iOS
Pocket, as the name suggests, allows you to save or pocket the news you want to read later from various other news apps. It integrates beautifully with other apps such as Twitter, Flipboard and Feedly. So if there’s a story on Flipboard that you don’t have the time to read now, send it to Pocket to be stored until you’re ready to read it.