However your feelings about the The Verge may be, there is no denying that it is one of the largest technology news (and other topics) site on the internet. There is a third-party app available on Windows Phone for The Verge, and it is by far one of the most amazingly developed apps in the Windows Phone Store. Let me explain why.
Created by Anand Prakash, who is a Senior SDE/Technology Architect at Microsoft by day, but by night, he is spending some of his free time developing The Verge, an unofficial app for Windows Phone. He is not a lazy developer and it shows with his work on The Verge. Prakash has been working in Microsoft’s Products and Services IT business, designing and developing systems and leading teams to deliver new and enhanced functionality using the company’s latest technologies. “I am accountable for end to end milestones for development projects by focusing on design, quality, performance, agility and technology adoption,” he adds.
His focus on design, quality, and performance is also showcased in his The Verge app, which comes packed with features and a fantastic design. “Elegant app to read news, reviews, forums, and comments from The Verge on your Windows Phone. Also supports watching videos, sign-in and posting comments without ever leaving the app. This app is neither sponsored nor endorsed by The Verge or Vox Media,” the app description reads.
So why is The Verge an example of the perfect Windows Phone app?
Fantastic Design and Performance. The app is absolutely beautifully designed and performs like a champion. Prakash has spent numerous hours to create a visually stunning app that gives you the best of The Verge, right on your Windows Phone device. In fact, the app is so beautifully designed, you don’t even have to visit the website anymore.
To give you an example of the app’s gorgeous design, when you first launch the app after installing an update, you will be shown the change log so you can see what is new.
Constant Updates. Prakash has been providing constant updates to the app since it was first released. With each update comes bug fixes (if there are any) and new features. Most recently, the app received an update to version 2.5.2.0, adding the ability to sign-in, and post new comments and reply to comments posted by other readers on news articles and forum posts.
Dedicated Developer. You have a developer who not only works for Microsoft but is also dedicated in developing an app for Windows Phone. He has the skill set needed to create and maintain a fantastic app, and it shows.
Rich Features. The app comes packed with features, including a transparent Live tile, the ability to comment on stories, sign-in, customizable reading experience with custom text size and style, the ability to watch videos without ever leaving the app, and the ability to share news and stories with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, and email. You can even browse and read community forums and pin your favorite ones to your Start screen.
So far, his app has averaged close to 5 out of 5 stars in the Windows Phone Store. Here are some of the reviews by users: “This is the best looking app I have seen so far for windows phone. Works great too.” “A beautifully designed app. Elegant, fluid, excellent. Absolutely no problems.” “I loathe the Verge for their anti-MS bias and especially their anti-WP hate, except Warren, but this app is simply beautiful. Fantastic. Way to go dev.”
Prakash only has two apps in the Windows Phone Store — the other app is called Khan Academy. “Khan Academy allows you to learn almost anything for free, including math, science, finance, history and many more. This app is the best way to view Khan Academy’s complete library of ~6000 videos on your Windows Phone,” the app description reads.
Sure, Windows Phone has quite a ways to go in order to catch up to Android or iOS. But with developers like Prakash who has invested so much time and effort in creating a fantastic app, we hope other app developers will take note. Grab the app via the download link below and make sure you give it the rating it deserves.
Got any other examples of the perfect Windows Phone app? Share them in the comment section below.
