Bitcolumnist - Distraction-Free Crypto News Aggregator (Available for Android)

[GreywaterLabs]

We recently identified a problem with the availability of crypto news apps. Options are limited, full of ads, and not easy to read.

We set out to create a very basic and easy-to-digest app that allows users to get all the top crypto news on their mobile devices in a simple, distraction-free environment.

The Bitcolumnist app is now available for download on the Google Play Store.

We plan to update the app frequently based on the feedback and needs of the community. Let us know what you think!

Download Bitcolumnist

[Patatas]

I'm not fond of using a mobile app to read the news but when it comes to crypto related news aggregation, I use this service https://cryptocontrol.io/en/heatmap They do the job without the annoying adds and just gives me what I need. I know this has nothing to do with your app just letting you know since I got introduced to that project from the same board.

[joniboini]

I personally don't like using apps to read the news, most of the time I just subscribe to their RSS feeds and then read the news if I find it interesting. Another option for me is to join the cryptocurrency news channel in Telegram, they mostly forward the hottest news that's worth to read.

Is this app open source btw?

[GreywaterLabs]

For those who don't prefer to access news via mobile apps:

The platform is also available at BitColumnist.com.

The same concepts apply. No-frills, no-ads, and no-distractions.


In regards to this:

Is this app open source btw?

The app is not open-sourced. No permissions are requested by the app so we don't see it as a vital point to address.

[joniboini]

I just checked your website and it looks nice. What's the algorithm to select the news? Are you just scraping feed from news site like CCN/Bitcoinist etc?

I'll try to use the app when I have time.

[hugeblack]

The risk of downloading a program from an unknown developer, without any evaluations, and closed source with the benefits obtained through it makes it difficult to download your application.
Make your application open source or re-designed to be a site.
Also, an environment free of distraction is a concern about how you manage profits.

[Theb]

What hugeblack said is right, Google doesn't have any kind of screening for apps being uploaded by people in the Playstore so there is literally no assurance for us that the app is clean or not. However I played it safe and downloaded your app from one of my factory resetted phones and all I can say is your app is nothing special, just by clicking one of your news links we are just redirected to the mobile version of the news article so I can call you app not useful as it just acts out as a browser for your website. If I am a reader of your website I would just be going to the mobile version of your website and not download your app.

[GreywaterLabs]

Wow you guys are brutal haha.

Regardless, thank you for the feedback. If you don't see our app as anything special that's fine. We recognize that not everyone consumes news in the same way and we hope others will find value in what we're offering. We are not looking to reinvent the wheel, just make getting the top crypto news on your phone super simple.

Keep it coming.

[eternalgloom]

My comment is about the website, since I don't feel comfortable downloaded just any app onto my phone.

It has way too few features for me to be using it regularly.

- There doesn't seem to be any way to filter news articles on specific keywords.
- While I appreciate a minimalist design, I feel that this is just a tad too minimal.
- Articles are displayed in one continuous list, no way to only see articles from other days.
- You can't add or remove source websites.

The news aggregator that I currently use is Faws.com, which has all the features that I mentioned above.
That's a pretty good starting point, if you want to create your own news aggregator service.