TweetDeck bills itself as a Twitter management app for power users, and this app has long been a favorite of those folks looking to manage multiple Twitter accounts. But its latest version is lacking some of the appeal that made earlier versions of this app a perennial favorite.
With its latest update, TweetDeck is now available in two versions: a Web-based version that runs on Apple's Safari or Google's Chrome browser and a desktop counterpart (which no longer runs on Adobe Air, as past versions did). The versions sync nicely, so that the information you enter when using the Web version appears when you log into the desktop version, and vice versa.
TweetDeck's interface is slick and attractive, and its features--such as the ability to schedule tweets for future posting--are easy to access.TweetDeck offers a nice array of features. It lets you manage an unlimited number of Twitter accounts, lets you schedule tweets for future posting, and offers a customizable layout that lets you view a good deal of information. I like its column-based format, which lets you organize the information you want to see--such as your Twitter timeline, @mentions, lists, messages, trends, tweets, and more--into easy-to-read columns. I wish you could view more than three columns at a time: TweetDeck limits you to that number, leaving an expanse of empty gray screen rather than letting you fill that space with another column.
TweetDeck was acquired by Twitter in mid-2011. Since then, the app's focused has narrowed: It now supports just Twitter and Facebook, whereas earlier versions included support for LinkedIn and other social networks. Users who relied on TweetDeck to manage various social networks are rightfully annoyed with this change--and may have better luck with HootSuite instead--but anyone who's looking to manage accounts from Twitter and Facebook only will appreciate its narrowed focus. Note, however, that while you can use TweetDeck to manage multiple Twitter accounts, it supports only one Facebook account. That means you can't use it to manage both personal and business Facebook accounts, should you have them. TweetDeck does make it easy to post an update to either Facebook, Twitter, or both services at once, though.
If you relied on TweetDeck's support for LinkedIn or another network, the latest version of this Twitter management tool is not for you. And despite its Facebook support, TweetDeck's focus is clearly on Twitter. That said, it does offer a comprehensive set of Twitter management tools, all laid out in an attractive interface. And it's free, too.
Note: The Download button takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.
--Liane Cassavoy
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