Twitter for “power users”
If you are a heavy Twitter user, chances are you’ve heard of and used TweetDeck. TweetDeck is a great dashboard application that lets you manage your Twitter account(s) like a pro. Unfortunately, if you’re a Windows user, Twitter has announced their intention to end support for TweetDeck Window app, beginning April 15th.
This move will force PC users to rely on the web version instead of the standalone app they’ve become accustomed to. TweetDeck was intended for Twitter power users, allowing users to see and organize posts by mentions, notifications, and lists. With the elimination of the standalone Windows app, PC users will have to adapt to the not-as-viewer-friendly version on the web.
Why nix the standalone app?
post, Amy Zima, project manager, stated they want “to better focus on enhancing your TweetDeck experience.”They also stated they’d, “been working on infrastructure projects like [TweetDeck] to ensure we have a stable foundation to continue improving [it] in the future.” While Twitter is adamant nothing is changing about TweetDeck itself, merely how you access it; longtime TweetDeck fans will probably notice a few differences in the layout and organization.
Don’t panic yet
According to Twitter’s blog post, users should be automatically logged into the TweetDeck Chrome and Mac apps as long as you’re on twitter.com or Twitter’s analytics page. This should allow for faster access to the new TweetDeck. Also, Twitter gave instructions on how to pin the web version of TweetDeck to your Windows taskbar, but this may not be as useful, especially if you’ve gotten used to the standalone app. For one, the readability in the web view isn’t the same as the standalone app, but it is better than losing the capability altogether. You may remember the iOS and Android app version were also nixed, so in a way, in makes sense for Twitter to end the Windows app as well.
Perhaps, by offering TweetDeck in one place, Twitter will be able to offer more relevant, timely, updates to the service. What do you think about Twitter’s decision to nix the Windows app?
#TweetDeck
Corrigan
March 23, 2016 at 1:03 pm
I’m not surprised that they’re getting rid of the desktop Tweetdeck programs, because their support for it has been godawful for years. It *still* doesn’t have proper animated GIF support, but on the other hand, it doesn’t have a lot of the garbage features that web Twitter has, like Moments and Sponsored Tweets.
It’s a shame that Twitter killed the API for third party apps, because I’d love to see an open source TweetDeck clone.
Lani Rosales
March 23, 2016 at 3:53 pm
We’re hearing that very sentiment from a lot of people. Oh well, I guess.
nollet
March 23, 2016 at 3:32 pm
“According to Twitter’s blog post, users should be automatically logged into the TweetDeck Chrome and Mac apps as long as you’re on twitter.com or Twitter’s analytics page.” Already the case and it’s a disaster for multi users….
The great utility of tweetdeck for community manager is to have one tool for all accounts. Now I can’t use tweetdeck with my all accounts and see in tweeter others. Very bad news
Lani Rosales
March 23, 2016 at 3:53 pm
Right!? We predict some pretty crazy “OOPS” moments for the next few weeks as people adjust….
Matthew Hall
March 24, 2016 at 8:23 am
As a long term, Windows based standalone Tweetdeck app user, I’m fine with this migration. However, my default and very preferred browser is Firefox. Is there a way to force clicks on links in the Chrome based Tweetdeck to open in FFox instead of Chrome? Looking for magic!
Lani Rosales
March 24, 2016 at 10:17 am
We’re not sure of the magic, Matthew, but we’ll ask around!
Lani Rosales
March 24, 2016 at 10:59 am
Matthew, we DID hear one suggestion that might work: “My suggestion would be to change the default browser preference to Firefox while using TweetDeck then you can always switch it back. That’s not the best fix, but it may work.”
Matthew Hall
March 24, 2016 at 11:07 am
Thanks. That’s a bit cumbersome and it appears that I will have to go with Chrome for now until some other deep, dark,black magic reveals itself! Thanks for the quick reply.
Lani Rosales
March 28, 2016 at 10:17 am
Sorry we’re only partially magic 🙁
Lynn
June 2, 2016 at 5:02 am
I hate not having the desktop version of Tweetdeck. I miss it&TBH,it worked a LOT better. Plus,it was much more convienient for me,than the web version. I have been having so many issues,glitches&problems on the web version(one of said issues,is it crashes my browser constantly&sometimes several times a day,where the desktop version never did that&another issue,is DM conversation is near impossible as it freezes up,after a few messeges),that I never had on the desktop version. Plus,I now have to be on the web,to use it,whereas with the desktop version,I did’nt have to worry about it,just click the pinned tab&I’m there&tweeting,no logging onto the web to access it,or anything else. I don’t see how they thought forcing us to use the web version,is better/more convienient than using the desktop version,but I personally don’t think it is,at all. I think the desktop version should have at least been made/left an option to choose if you wanted to use it,rather than force people to have only one way to use Tweetdeck. I like Tweetdeck/Twitter&used to love it,but all their constant changes(this one definately included)is sadly making me begin like it less&less&become more frustrated with it,as time goes on. \: