A new Social App FlipToast debuts in the store today.

It is the first social Metro App for Twitter and Facebook in the store in this category. I am sure we will see a deluge of this type of Applications later in this category, but for now the category is the most missed category in Windows 8 Store. So anything will do as for now.

FlipToast is a rarity in that carries a baggage of Games Ads in house. I can’t still make up my mind whether this is a genuine Social App, or just a gimmick for an Ad company to sell their wares. I am still learning what this app have in store, but for now I can only see my Twitter Mention column, News Feeds, Twitter Inbox and I can post new tweets. I haven’t linked it to my Facebook account yet. You notice immediately this app is still a work-in-progress as there are flaky things noticeable. For example, columns, Icons and images failing to refresh properly.

Linking and login to Twitter was a breeze. Clicking the Plus sign at the top-right corner

opens the Accounts selection source for Twitter or Facebook:

The App opens a web Twitter API component to receive Twitter login credentials, after which you’re returned to the app with a token, and login is completed and you are presented with your Mentions, Timeline, Tweets Photos and then the Games&APPs Adverts as columns:

You can pan the application horizontally with touch or mouse. It must be said that this App unlike most third-party apps in the store at the moment supports mouse horizontal scrolling. Scrolling is generally smooth, I am yet to find any complaints. If you’ve linked to both Twitter and Facebook, you can click on the “News Feed” to filter which feeds are shown in the news feed column. Note the “App Preview” warning at the top that informs you that this app is still a work in progress.

For example, URLs in tweets are not clickable yet, if you click on the tweet’s name, it takes you out to IE10 Metro to view user’s posts.

Also there is no clear way to select a tweet for retweet/reply etc with just the touch. With a mouse you just right-click the tweet and it is selected, and the app bar comes up with which you can perform the standard actions on a tweet. If you are using touch only, just touch and hold for a few seconds to activate right-click and perform your standard actions. At the moment there is no way to view you Lists etc, this may come in future updates I am sure.

Well this is my intro to the first Twitter/Facebook App in the store. It is rather a simple app for now. It makes much use of IE for secondary view. Hopefully the competition will break loose shortly so that we may see Killer social Apps. As for me I am waiting for Metrofied MetroTwit app. I have seen the future, the future is Metro.

Letop: The Apps I mention in my blog posts are not yet visible in the Store. You need to open the Store and bring up the Charm and do a search to find this applications.

Thanks for your attention.

-@McAkins.