I'm playing around on App.net occasionally, iChris as well there, and while right now it's a bit of a nerd playground there's certainly potential for it to grow and become a serious competitor to Twitter.
It's a bit reminiscent of the early days of Twitter: fairly nerd/developer/design users, no marketing spam and auto-tweeting douchebaggery, etc. Lots of navel gazing as to how App.net should work and how it compares to Twitter.
Anyways. Here are the clients I'm currently interested in for App.net. A lot of them remind me, just like the service, of the initial wave of Twitter clients we saw back in the day. Only now they're able to stand on common Twitter conventions that we take for granted - reposting, viewing a conversation thread, starring, etc.
moApp
moApp is a cute and sophisticated AppDotNet client. It's already very stable and almost feature complete and polished. It offers Notifications, Global Hotkey, Gestures, Favorites (Stars), Disabling of the Dock icon and lots more… But, of course it still need a lot of work and performance improvements.
URL: myownapp.com/apps/
This was the first app I used outside of the App.net website. New versions come out almost daily, if not weekly and so you get a first hand glimpse at the development process that goes into an app like this.
It feels a bit slow to me to use - like the interface is dragging a bit. But I'm sure that will improve with development. It's still in beta so no word on final pricing and availability.
Wedge
All of the basics: post, reply, star, repost. View followers, threads, hashtags, and more. Unified Stream of posts and your mentions. Notification Center support and an optional status item in your menu bar. Full support for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Swipe gestures and animations!
I just came across Wedge and really like it so far. It's replaced moApp in my dock for now. It feels like Tweetie used to before Twitter took it out behind the shed and put a shotgun to it's face.
Crisp and clean with a smooth interface, a proper Preferences page. Still in beta as well so we'll see what kind of pricing it gets once it's released in the Mac App Store.
AppApp for iPhone
AppApp is the first native iOS client for AppDotNet. It's maintained by a global team of badass iOS developers
URL: github.com/sneakyness/AppApp
Somehow I was able to get in to a beta for this iOS App.net client. It's a decent app that feels smooth and clean to use on my iPhone. I don't check in to App.net a lot yet on the go - I typically check in on my MacBook Air while I'm working - but a great mobile/iOS app is going to be one of the key ways App.net takes off.
I'm just not ready to plunk down any cash on a app yet until the platform is more solidified as a go to place to go for conversation for me.
Which brings me to Felix.
Felix for iPhone
Felix provides a first-class App.net experience. It gets out of your way to let you focus on what's important - the people and conversations you care about.
By the accounts of bloggers and nerds who have more disposable cash than I 1, Felix would appear to be the best iPhone client for App.net currently available. And for those folks, the $4.99 price tag hasn't turned them off. For me it's still too early to tell how much I'm going to use App.net and so to drop $5 on an app like that just isn't worth it - yet.
I've happily paid money for Twitter apps - Tweetbot and Tweetie 2 so it's not a question of buying apps.
Update 2012-10-05
Netbot
Hold the iPhones. Tapbots has released Netbot - an App.net client based on their hugely popular Tweetbot app.
Netbot is a full-featured iPhone App.net client with a lot of personality. Whether it’s the meticulously-crafted interface, sounds & animation, or features like smart gestures, there’s a lot to love about Netbot.
URL: Netbot for iPhone ($4.99) or Netbot for iPad ($4.99)
I love Tweetbot on my iPhone and my Mac (currently in beta awaiting Mac App Store approval) so I don't know why I wouldn't love this. Just debating whether to spend the last bit of App Store gift money on a App.net or Twitter client.
What about you? Are you on App.net? What are you using to post and read?
- I wish bloggers who review this kind of thing would always mention when they've had beta/free access to an app to test. If I could test out an app, I'd be more willing to drop $5 if I know it's something I'll use. But this has always been one of the drawbacks of Apple's App stores. ↩
- ...before Twitter took it out behind the shed and put a shotgun to it's face. ↩