Timeline Review
Price: FREE
Version Reviewed: 1.0.2
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 5
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No news story is without some significant context and backstory explaining how it came to be. Historically, events of today are often tied into things that occurred many years ago, which explain why it's such a big deal now. Many news apps and outlets don't have the time or spare to devote to adding the backstory but that's the entire point behind Timeline. It works pretty well too, although it'd be convenient if it listed its sources.
Each day, you're offered a series of news stories, each attractively laid out through a catchy headline and appealing photo. Open up the story and you're led through a timeline style interface. It starts at the beginning, wherever that story might have originally stemmed from then works its way up chronologically to the current story. Items are divided up well with each story beginning with a brief then leading onto the rest. A timeline button is always there so you can choose to skim read through the different periods of time, as well as leap to a different section easily enough.
Timeline covers different kinds of news so there's a place here for analysis surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline as well as legal action amongst Oscar nominated films. You can generally find something interesting to read and its long form nature is great for those who want to sink their teeth into a subject.
Options are available to save a story to read for later, as well as an extensive history function meaning you can easily look back at what you've previously checked out.
Where Timeline stumbles is when it comes to crediting sources. You're told who curated the collection of news stories, but not where they gathered each piece of information from. Often, it'd be interesting as well as useful to know such information, just to guarantee that it's from a reliable source.
Still, assuming you're ok without knowing every tiny little detail about the origins of something, Timeline is easily an entertaining and informative read. It can provide great insight into the past as well as what it means for the future.
