With Microsoft desperately attempting to make Windows Phone right into a real competitor for Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, the platform finds itself suffering exactly the sameproblems that Android was lamented for during its infancy – a severe shortage of quality apps.We’d wager that it’s and not really the actual volume of available apps that’s important, but instead the availability of some core apps. Apps that we all want or need, and that are either missing completely with Windows Phone, or are just severely lacking in the quality department.One just scenario is Twitter. Together with the official Windows Phone edition of Twitter being somewhat lackluster just as the rest of the official releases, Windows Phone 7 owners have discovered themselves bereft of quality alternatives. Those who own iPhones find themselves inundated with choices, with Twitter apps literally falling over one another on the App Store. Android is beginning to catch up too, but when you’re a Windows Phone 7 user then you’re somewhat out of luck.Until now.
The latest kid on the block goes by the name of Carbon, and if initial reports and first impressions are anything to go by, then this could just be the standard of Twitter app that Windows Phone has been crying out for.Costing $1.99, it’s true that we now have free alternatives out there, however the whole world of apps is very much the same as the real world – if you need quality, sometimes you just have to stump up the cash for it.Carbon offers a few of the features that users of top-notch iOS apps have already been experiencing for quite some time. In-line images are there, along with the alternative to use multiple accounts and Instapaper/Read it Later support. Threaded Direct Messagesare really in there, too. The present feature list actually is quite extensive.
Full inline Pictures on the Timeline(needs to be enabled from settings)
Double Tap on tweets for quickly replying to tweets without the need to leave timelines
Quickline: A swiss army timeline for accessing all kinds of timelines from Lists, Retweets, Saved Searches.
Live Ties for every account, pinnable to the Home Screen with Mentions & Direct Messages background checks
Compose Tile, pinning a compose tile on the Home Screen for a speedy tweet composition
Search Tiles, pin a #hashtag or keywords to your home screen for quick access to a search timeline
Threaded Direct Messages View
And of course, Bit.ly Pro URL shortening, Read Later support(Instapaper & Read It Later) and a lot more…
There’s more to come, too. Push notifications are planned, though they could be a little ways off just yet. Numerous fixes are also penciled in alongside extra features, too.Within its current state, Carbon looks to become great start and considering the developer’s aims going forward, the app certainly seems like it s going to be one to watch during 2012.
