Shane ColeSocial networking giant Facebook is set to give users a new way to explore and discover content both on and off the service with its upcoming Paper app, while Carrot Fit aims to help users lose weight with what the company calls a 'sadistic' approach.
Paper
Paper presents stories from the user's Facebook news feed as well as outside sources in a sparse, gesture-based user interface reminiscent of the Flipboard newsreader. Content is segregated into themed sections — Â the news feed is first, and users can mix-and-match other sections with topics like photography and sports.
The app provides a WYSIWYG, or what-you-see-is-what-you-get, interface for posting content. The preview that users see on screen reflects exactly what the post will look like when viewed in Paper by others.
Facebook's photo and video viewing experience has also received an overhaul in Paper. Videos will automatically play in full-screen mode, and users can pan around large photos by tilting their iPhone.
Paper will be available as a free, iPhone-only download from the U.S. App Store on Feb. 3.
Carrot Fit
Carrot Fit is a simple weight-tracking application that either admonishes or rewards users based on whether they have gained or lost weight since their last check-in. The app leverages text-to-speech functionality and will give users audible feedback — Â those who have lost weight may hear that they "could be a part-time model," for instance, while those whose scale reading has increased might hear that they are "starting to affect the Earth's orbit around the Sun."
Users can enter their weight once each day. The app will allow users to set weigh-in reminders, and milestones can be shared on social media.
In addition, Carrot Fit provides basic graphs for tracking weight trends over time. Users can also set a weight loss goal or calculate their body mass index from within the app.
Carrot Fit version 1.0 is available now as a $1.99, 6.6-megabyte download from the App Store.
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11 Comments
I saw Mike Matas' name on one of the screens in the video. So this is what the Push Pop Press team has likely been working on since they were acqhired.
Sounds about as handy and sadistic as New Years Resolutions; and about as long in use. Besides, BMI is old & tired, hi carb is on the wain, and chocolate will always pleasure bring. At least one holy truth stands the test of time.
I am so glad I completely dumped Bookface from my life - so any news related to them is now a pleasant irrelevance to me.
[quote name="Johnny Mozzarella" url="/t/161837/facebook-debuts-new-paper-reading-app-carrot-fit-brings-snarky-weight-tracking-to-ios#post_2465545"]I saw Mike Matas' name on one of the screens in the video. So this is what the Push Pop Press team has likely been working on since they were acqhired.[/quote] Probably. For a moment there I thought they ripped off an app until reading your comment. And then the realisation sunk in and the memory returned that it was Steve and Apple who ripped-off the Matas' interface. The brutal reality is iBooks textbooks interface should have happened much sooner and first for magazines before text books. And Matas should have been leading the magazine endeavour at Apple after they re-acquired him and his team. But no, because of Steve's pride he threatened Matas with IP, copied him and then Facebook acquired his company. We desperately need a definitively simply interface for magazines that can be adopted like the Push Pop interface for text books. And one for Newspapers. The very same way all physical text books, magazines and newspapers have the same interface. Something along the lines of the Matas' design. A UI so simple, so obvious that there is no other alternative. And therefore, with the free tools provided the various companies would use Apple's tools to create their text books, magazines and newspapers. And users would subscribe knowing they would get a superior experience they already understand how to use.
I saw Mike Matas' name on one of the screens in the video.
So this is what the Push Pop Press team has likely been working on since they were acqhired.
Mike is the lead product designer. He has been making the rounds in the media talking about Paper.