Fwix

Developer: Fwix
Category: News
Version: 2.0.2
Release Date: March 23, 2009
Price: Free
Rating: 10/10

There are a bunch of really good local news delivery apps out right now, some reviewed on AppsAddicts.com. NewsFlash delivers local news according to your zip code, and World Newspapers searches the world city by city for every online news tid-bit available. While I highly recommend both of those apps, and will even venture to say that no iPhone slinging news junky should be without them, Fwix just may be the most cutting edge local news delivering service yet. It offers the perfect synthesis of social media sharing and news delivery.

Fwix uses the GPS to pinpoint your current location. Then it shows you a Google Map with red pins marking breaking news spots. It really is a amazing when you first use it. Touch a pin and you are scrolled automatically to the news item in the scroll wheel. The events that are listed in the scroll wheel are sorted out in chronological order.

You can use the Heatmap to find out exactly where hot stories are breaking, I really like this feature. The City Feed gives you news, events, Yelp reviews, videos and more from your city. This app is almost like some kind of police/news scanner. You can also discuss popular or breaking stories in your area in a social context. If you find a news item that you feel is really important, you can select "Break This" and Tweet it out or post it to Facebook. The whole point of Fwix is to synthesize a social aspect into news delivery, and it does it very well. I am not sure if this is going to be a "game-changer" or not, but I am sure that it is a very fun, informative, original news app. It will deliver breaking news from your area to you better than any other app available- guaranteed.

I can see how a huge event that was "Fwixed" out to the world could have an impact like Twitter did earlier this year in Mumbai, or during the elections in Iran. If enough people were linked into this thing the social news consequence would be amazing. While Twitter is an information sharing device, Fwix is custom tailored for news delivery. This is a free app, so it is a no-risk download. When this thing takes off you will be able to scoff and say "I've been Fwixing from my iPhone since the start". It may just become the new "News Cool".