Windows 8 App Roundup this week is focused on free News Apps. We’re showing you three of the best news apps in the Windows Store as well as the default Microsoft News app. Getting the news and the latest headlines shouldn’t be difficult and some apps out there make it visually unappealing to read the news.
Keep in mind our choices have nothing to do with the stances or coverage of a particular news provider but rather the way they present it using the Windows 8 Metro design.
News Digest
News Digest is a news app developed by Geometric Labs LLC that brings together over 78 different news sources around the world for you to get the latest news. News Digest updates itself every 15 to 30 minutes after a story breaks and is updated through a major news provider. As you read more news through News Digest, it remembers the types of stories you read to present you more personalized news headlines.
Pros
- Hosts over 78+ news sources
- Personalizes headlines to what you read the most
Cons
- Have to go to the news web sites to actually read stories
- Previous updates have been buggy
NBC News
NBC News is the official app for the major news network created by NBC News Digital LLC. This brings together all of NBC’s major brands in one place in a vivid UI that lets users not only get an idea of the stories of the day but also the human interest and lifestyle
Pros
- Offline access available
- Gives you push notifications, pinning and sharing
Cons
- Presents only its brand of news as opposed to multiple sources outside the NBC brand
- Most videos only offer snippets instead of full run time
Pulse News
Pulse News, by Alphonso Labs, is one of the most popular ways to get news and RSS feeds on your PC, tablet or mobile phone. Pulse News for Windows 8 does the same things you’re used to with its other apps, brings you the news the way you want it. Once you add your favorite RSS feeds and web sites, you can get the latest updates in the familiar Metro style of Windows 8.
Pros
- Customize the news you want, including News and RSS feeds of favorite web sites
- Syncs your news sites and RSS feeds across multiple platforms
Cons
- Provides only news sources you add to it
- May be forced to manually update new stories
Default App: News
Bing News is the default news app in Windows 8 that comes with the OS. Bing News is designed for optimal visual display of the latest news headlines. The default Windows 8 news app truly takes advantage of the Metro design and gives you everything from headline news to technology to science in a beautiful and easy to read display.
Pros
- Lots of news sources and ability to add your own
- Fully customizable to get the news you want when you want it
Cons
- The “main story” when you open takes up an awful lot of screen
- No live tile for breaking news stories
What is my favorite news app in Windows 8?
Without a doubt, my favorite news app in Windows 8 is NBC News. NBC News is everything you could want in a single news app, except for the abundance of news sources the other apps we’ve covered offer. If other news apps, especially the default Bing News, could take some of the features of NBC News and implement them, we’d have a real battle of the news apps on our hands.
What news apps are you favorite in Windows 8? Let us know in the comments below!
