Flipboard is a social-network aggregation, magazine-format mobile app localized in more than 20 languages. The software collects content from social media and other websites, presents it in magazine format, and allows users to "flip" through their social-networking feeds and feeds from websites that have partnered with the company.
Flipboard is produced by Flipboard, Inc., a United States-based software company founded in 2010 by Mike McCue and Evan Doll and headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
History
The app Flipboard was launched in 2010 by former Apple iPhone engineer, Evan Doll, and former Tellme CEO, Mike McCue. The duo set out to create an app that merged the simplicity and feel of a magazine with the accessibility and collaboration that technology provides. The app integrates news from media outlets from around the world and presents it in a magazine format.
Invention
According to McCue and Doll, the idea for the application was invented during a brainstorming session between them, during which they tried to imagine what the web would look like if it were designed from scratch. The design they came up with placed emphasis on the social web and the ability to consume content in a graphical magazine-like format.[2]
Development
Flipboard launched for the iPad and in December 2010 was updated to add support for the iPhone and iPod Touch. On May 5, 2012, it was announced that Flipboard would be released for select Android phones, beginning with the Samsung Galaxy S3.[1] On May 30, 2012, a beta version of Flipboard for Android was released through its website.[3] A final stable release of the Flipboard for Android was released on June 22, 2012 in Google Play[4] while the China version of Flipboard for Android was released on June 26, 2012.[5] The Windows 8 version of the Flipboard app was also unveiled during the Microsoft 2013 Build Conference and also on the official Flipboard blog with video although no release date has been given.[6][7] On October 22, 2013, it was also announced that Flipboard for Windows 8 will be rolled out to selected devices starting with Nokia Lumia 2520.[8]
In February 2015, Flipboard became available on the web. Up until then, Flipboard was 100 percent mobile, only available on users' tablets and mobile phones. It only provides webpage links on desktops, however.[9]
Reaction
The reaction to the application was mainly positive, with some calling it a "killer" iPad application.[10] Apple reviewed Flipboard positively and named the application Apple's iPad App of the Year in 2010.[11] When a new update of the software added more features such as support for Google Reader, a web-based aggregator, and content from more publishers, it, too, received mostly favorable reviews.[12]
Censorship
On May 15, 2011, Flipboard was blocked by the Great Firewall of China. McCue said on his Twitter feed – "China has now officially blocked Flipboard".[13]
The company then released its first international edition for China. Beginning in February 2012, the company started self-censoring if the user is using the application from China. The content guide for China does not include Twitter and Facebook anymore. Existing subscriptions for Twitter or Facebook are also automatically removed.[14]
User interface
The application's user interface[15] is designed for intuitive flipping through content. Once the feeds have been set up, the first page seen when the application is opened is a visual list of the subscribed content. The iPhone and Android versions have a "Cover Stories" section on the first page collating only the most recent, important items from all of the subscriptions. This is meant to be read when the user only has a short period of time for reading.[16]
