S60 Twitter client shootout: Twittix vs. Gravity

Posted on Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 by Matthew Miller

35 Comments » File Under:Reviews, Software, TouchUI, XpressMusic;

I’ve been a Twitter user since 21 July 2006 and there hasn’t been a S60 application available (other than Java apps like Twibbler) even with millions and millions of S60 devices out there in use. The best choice before now has been an optimized web page like Dabr or Slandr, which are actually good free choices even today. It seems it really does pour when it rains as we have been blessed with two great choices for Twitter dedicated applications over the last couple of weeks. Gravity was launched first, followed very shortly by Twittix.

I’ve posted several screenshots from both applications running on my Nokia 5800 and a video below of both applications running on the 5800 and my Nokia E75. You will find the basic info on both applications below, followed by my thoughts on the differences and performance of them on my S60 devices.

Twittix

As you can see on the Twittix page they state that it is “the best mobile Twitter Client for Nokia Smartphones!” While I do think the client is quite good, I have now purchased two copies of Gravity and find it to be the better client for S60 devices at the moment. The good thing about competition is that this could change as developers improve both applications. UPDATE: A new version of Twittix was released last night that fixes several issues so it now looks like I will have to go buy Twittix for my S60 devices too

Available for $4.95 and is tied to an IMEI number.

Here is the list of features from their website:

All Twitter functions: Tweet, Reply, Direct Message, ReTweet, Follow, Unfollow, Create
Search function and Auto Update
Tabbed view of Timeline, Replies, Messages, Favorites, Followers, Followings
Get users profiles directly out of tweets; Open URL from any Tweet
Real time number counter; Followers and Following lists
Build-in Theme support and Portrait and Landscape Mode
Support of build-in accelerator
Symbian Signed certificated; Lifetime free updates
English and German version available

Here is the list of updates and improvements from 16 April:

Function “Introduce” added
Multi-Accounts added
FullScreenMode (press star key) added
New download bar added
Deleting Tweets added
Symbol for received Tweets, DMs and Replies
Several improvements of GUI and usability
Auto-disconnect added
Direct Start of New Tweet (press & hold any key) added
Chinese language support added

Twittix works like a traditional S60 application with the menu system being quite familiar. It doesn’t have anything unique or that special as far as the UI goes, but it does work pretty well and I find it better on the 5800 than on the E75 (found I was using the older version on the E75 in my video). See below for more detailed thoughts when I compare the two apps.

There are tabs/pages for timeline, replies, direct messages, favorites, followers, following, and everyone in Twittix.

Gravity

I read that a few people were in the private alpha/beta testing of Gravity and was excited about what I heard was coming. I immediately tried Gravity on my Nokia 5800 and purchased a license for that device within a couple of days. I just recently installed it on a Nokia E75 and bought a second license for the program, although I am not as happy with it on the E75 as I am on the 5800 as I will explain in detail below.

Gravity is available for $9.95 and the license is tied to a specific IMEI so if you have multiple devices you need multiple licenses. Hopefully, if I get rid of a device I can get the developer to switch my authorized IMEI purchase.

Here is the list of features from their website:

Compatible with Twitter and Laconica
All functions available on your S60 phone: tweet, reply, DM, follow & unfollow, create favourites, search, auto-update and many more …
Tabbed view of your Timeline, Replies, Messages, Friends, …
Setup and use as many accounts as you want at the same time
Twitter-Search section with multiple search tabs and Twitter Trends
Post pictures via TwitPic
Open URLs from any Tweet
Kinetic scrolling on S60v5 (Nokia 5800 and Nokia N97)
Theme support on S60v3 (fixed dark and bright theme)

Gravity works like an iPhone application on the Nokia 5800 and it was quite refreshing to find such an application on the S60 platform. I am having an issue with it on my Nokia E75 where I cannot just use the directional pad and scroll up or down between Tweets simply and easily. I find I have to hold down the directional pad and then the scrolling catches up to it, but what happens is I end up going up or down 3 Tweets and it is taking lots of practice getting it to select the Tweet I want to on the display. I know the E75 is a new device and the firmware isn’t finalized, so maybe that is the issue.

There are tabs/pages for timeline, replies, direct messages, my Tweets, favourites, friends, and followers in Gravity.

So what application is the best right now?

I know I am probably a fringe case, but I have two Twitter accounts for my own personal usage and one for Nokia Experts. Gravity lets me setup, manage, and post to multiple Twitter accounts and this setting does not appear to be supported on S60 3rd Edition devices. However, as I show in my video, I did find you can setup multiple Twitter accounts on 5th Edition devices with Twittix (added in latest version to all devices).
There does not appear to be anyway to post a photo (via TwitPic) with Twittix. Gravity does have this capability, but is a bit limited on what photos can be selected for uploading.
Gravity supports kinetic scrolling on the Nokia 5800 and N97 and this works extremely well on the 5800.
Gravity has a very cool UI that I prefer, including the cool way you select a Tweet and then see buttons appear for replying, direct messaging, retweeting, etc. The buttons look cooler on the 5800, but still appear in color on the E75 too.
Twittix does allow for full screen mode by double tapping on the 5800. This full screen mode toggle does not appear to work on S60 3rd Edition devices like my E75 though.
Gravity has a cool Knight Rider/Cylon downloading status bar while Twittix uses the standard Nokia one a new custom download bar that appears in the latest version.
You can control the frequency of updates in Twittix while this is setup with a default value that cannot be changed in Gravity.

It is a tough call about which one is best and it comes down to your desire for a slick UI or desire for more control of update frequency and full screen mode. I purchased Gravity before seeing this latest version of Twittix, but now am thinking I need Twittix on my E75 since the selection doesn’t work well on the E75 with Gravity.

Twittix and Gravity on the Nokia 5800

Which is your favorite Twitter application? I am pleased to see both of these and look forward to updates and improvements as people give them regular feedback after more usage.

jakob
April 16, 2009

gravity is my preference. It can do full screen too…

Matthew Miller
April 16, 2009

Care to share with me how to make that happen? I couldn’t find it in the settings.

These two look very close to the same with the UI going to Gravity and update frequency settings going to Twittix.

Gordon
April 16, 2009

Gravity is a great looking app and works extremely well. I like it alot. It almost rivals my desktop client.

Pedro
April 16, 2009

I love Gravity! Lot’s of weekly updates too =)

jtio
April 16, 2009

Matt to make it go full screen you have to have one of the last two BETA’s of gravity. 1.09 or later and you go to View > Full Screen.

My question for you is: I tried twittix early and thought it was much slower than gravity (E71), has the speed improved?

Corvida
April 16, 2009

I’m in love with Gravity. If it weren’t for Google Maps and the camera on my E75, Gravity would be my favorite app for Nokia hands down!

I love the interface. I didn’t have any issues with it during the trial, and everything is designed with everything being easily accessible. There’s really no learning curve for it.

Paulston
April 17, 2009

Gravity is the one for me, it looks great and works great on my E71. The latest alpha V1.12 includes audio and vibrate alerts for new tweets, I’ve been using it for a few hours and it works great. It supports posting pics to both Twitpic and Mobypic and there is a preview option for pics that doesn’t open the browser. Search is also good for me, I keep 4 or 5 searches open and they update just fine. I haven’t really played with the group feature yet so can’t comment on that.

Best of SPE, 19 April 2009
April 20, 2009

[...] video. Definitely check it out. If you’re a Twitter fanatic, you will want to see the Twittix vs Gravity shootout to see best way to get your Tweet on. There’s plenty more to check out, so head on [...]

Best of SPE, 19 April 2009 | PalmTwit Best source of Palm Pre news
April 20, 2009

Why can’t S60 provide a native threaded SMS experience? | Nokia Experts
April 21, 2009

[...] Nokia would take some time to address the issue. Shoot, with the excellent work done by the recent Twitter application developers maybe one of them can take on this issue and solve it better than Nokia. The [...]

Khanh Le
April 22, 2009

Sorry, off topic but I saw Dropbox icon in your Nokia E75 screen. Could you tell me how to install it? Thanks.

Why can’t S60 provide a native threaded SMS experience?
April 23, 2009

Twitter desde tu Celular sin clientes adicionales « El Rincón del Ornitorrinco
April 25, 2009

[...] Symbian (Modelos mas recientes de Nokia y otros fabricantes). [...]

New to the AT&T Nokia E71x? Here are some tips to make it better | Nokia Experts
May 6, 2009

[...] and Twittix: I gave you all a comparison of these two Twitter clients and since that review both have been updated a couple of times and are [...]

nabeel
May 8, 2009

The scrolling with Gravity is working fine on my N73 :S. Pressing down once takes me to the one just below. Must be your E75.

Matthew Miller
May 8, 2009

An earlier version had the problem, but like you said the latest updated version works like a charm. I now have it loaded on my E71x and LOVE it!

robert
May 25, 2009

Tweetie

DaWaBZ94
May 29, 2009

Gravity killed Twittix

Tina Janero
June 29, 2009

I use Snaptu twitter application for java phones it works perfectly on my nokia E71, and offers everything from groups, tab navigation, block users to search and trends it has a video guide here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukM9bORGHYE and you can download it directly from snaptu’s website here http://snaptu.com/

Jean-Michel Frouin
July 12, 2009

And I add, that twittix have a little widget available on home screen Haven’t time to try on gravity, since I removed it so fast and buy a twittix license

Mirko
August 8, 2009

Yes, Snaptu is awesome. Lots of features and very fast performance on my E71. It also does Facebook very well.

tm65
August 12, 2009

I like tweets60. Basic functionalities, small and free.

Filipe
August 14, 2009

I like gravity, but it seems that it has to be permanently connected to the server to have auto-update on. It would drain my battery… Is it real or am I just missing something ? Twittix seems to connect AND disconnect automatically when searching for updates.

Irma
August 31, 2009

well i like twittix so far, i havent try gravity yet. but twittix cost a lot, twibble is more cheaper.

My bittersweet relationship with the Nokia E71x, part 1 « Jane Talks Tech!
September 24, 2009

[...] available twitter clients for E71x are Twittix and Gravity. Save your money and buy Gravity. After suffering in silence with Twittix, I decided to give Gravity a try and I fell in love! His application has color (yes!), [...]

My bittersweet relationship with the Nokia E71x, part 1 - My Habari
September 28, 2009

Jane Talks Tech! :: My bittersweet relationship with the Nokia E71x, part 1
October 5, 2009

emmanuel
October 15, 2009

gravity is cool works easily and supports posting pics.

michael
November 8, 2009

gravity of course! the kinetic scrolling is awesome.

coenvdp
December 1, 2009

A really simpel question: how can I post a normal tweet with Gravity??

I can’t find that option… :S

Matthew Miller
December 1, 2009

You just start entering text to create a new Tweet in Gravity and a box will appear for the Tweet.

jeat
March 17, 2010

why will my gravity expire and cant use anymore? =(( help please

kuurozaki!
April 3, 2010

I prefer Gravity…

Gravity ftw!

pedestrian
August 31, 2010

Yes… snaptu is pretty good. It would be great app IF it was NOT DEAD after phone bacup & hard reset & restore. I was using Facebook via Snaptu on my E72 for 3 months and I was amazed how good it is. Now I’m trying to get rid this off my phone in order to enable reinstalling (tips posted for E71 do not work). Snaptu developers claims that this is java machine on Nokia phones – perhaps it’s true (because I already saw way too much weak sides of my phone). So – I’m, for now, I’m rather into native application – I do not want another beloved-app afterformat issue.

Thanks for that entry, and thanks for comments.