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Reading Eagle, Pa., Adam Richter column [Reading Eagle, Pa. :: ](Reading Eagle (PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 17--So, when are we getting an app? That's one of the most-asked questions I've heard, both in and out of the newsroom, since we relaunched readingeagle.com in December. We've made a huge overhaul to our Web and mobile sites since the end of 2013. But even though you can read readingeagle.com on your smartphone, you still can't reach us through the iTunes or Google Play stores. That's going to change soon. We are working on a Reading Eagle app. And we'd like your help. Smartphone use has climbed to 56 percent of American adults last year from 35 percent in 2011, according to the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Flurry.com reports that the use of apps has grown exponentially, up 115 percent in 2013. The bad news is that the growth of news apps hasn't kept up with this pace. Social apps like Facebook, Twitter, etc., have led the charge, while news apps have lagged far behind. According to that same flurry.com report, messaging and social apps grew by 203 percent in 2013, as news apps sputtered along at 31 percent. For all of you who ask when we're getting an app, let me ask you a question: Would you actually use it if we had one? This is not a rhetorical question. I really want to know the answer to that question, and several others listed below. We are relatively early in our development of a mobile and tablet app, and your input can help shape the direction this project takes. Here are some other questions I have for you: --How often do you read news on your phone? --How often do you read news on your phone's browser? --How often do you read a news app? --What kind of stories do you read? Breaking news? Weather? Features? Sports? Something else? --How many apps do you have on your phone? --What features in a news app are important to you? This is your chance, dear reader, to help us create a practical news app. We're not interested in building one just for the sake of having another app to peddle. We want to create a useful tool. You can send your responses to me at [email protected] (please write "app" in the subject line) or comment on this column online, or on my Facebook page. I've said before that this is your newspaper. This can be your app, too. Contact Digital News Editor Adam Richter: [email protected] or 610-371-5045. On Twitter: @AdamRichterRE. ___ (c)2014 the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) Visit the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) at readingeagle.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |