iPhone users to get the latest news and interactive polls right on their handsets

Dec 23, 2008 13:38 GMT  ·  By

A new iPhone app is available, this time aimed at more serious users. USA Today's official iPhone application is currently ready for free download on the App Store, leveraging the familiar look and feel that readers trust and expect from the publication.

According to the official announcement, users will be offered instant access to the latest news stories, weather, photos, and interactive polls, as soon as they copy the app to their iPhones. The utility is also said to be extremely easy to use, offering a colorful and convenient interface.

"The USA TODAY application for iPhone and iPod touch is a great addition to our impressive suite of mobile products," Matt Jones, director of Mobile Strategy and Operations, says. "The incredible capabilities of these devices are a natural fit for USA TODAY's rich mobile-ready content and mobile audience."

According to the iTunes App Store description, the USA TODAY application boasts the following features:

Headlines -- Browse and read stories from News, Money, Sports, Life, Tech, and Travel. Articles can be shared via email, text message, or Twitter, and are automatically saved for later reading.

USA TODAY Snapshots -- Scan through USA TODAY Snapshots, and vote on an interactive poll question for each. Review responses from all users and filter the results by state and city.

Scores -- Review the latest sports scores for NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college football, and college basketball. College scores can be filtered down by conferences.

Weather -- Get current weather conditions, up-to-the minute regional radar, and the five day forecast at your exact location via GPS. Review national weather maps including Doppler radar, temperature, and precipitation forecasts.

Photos -- Flip through the day's best images from news, sports, celebrities, science, travel, and weather, or play them back as a slideshow. Share favorite images with friends via email.

Rich media mobile advertising executions (including click-to-call, click-to-maps employing the user's GPS location and video) are also supported. Interested parties can target campaigns at sections such as News, Money, Sports, Life, Tech, or Travel.

Download USA Today via iTunes App Store (Free) (also available for iPod touch; requires V. 2.1 Software Update)