New York Times updates iPad app to stop constant crashing

It's about time. Ever since the NYTimes for iPad app replaced the lame Editors' Choice app, it has been tough sledding trying to read the news. It often took a long time to load, and then before displaying a single story, it crashed. I reinstalled the app, and that made things better for a while until the crashes returned.

I wasn't the only one having trouble. The app store reviews of the previous version were brutal.

The app was updated over the holidays, and I'm happy to report it is far more stable. I can actually read the news without having to constantly relaunch the app. The only downside I experienced was I had to log in again. If I had been commuting or on a trip and didn't have that info it would have been a pain.

The New York Times app is free, but in early 2011 it will require a subscription. The old version wasn't worth $0.02, so I'm glad to see the app back on track. If you dumped the app in disgust, it's worth another look now, even though it is not perfect. In particular, the navigation bar at the bottom covers up some text unless you dismiss it. If you don't register for a free account, the app will constantly nag you. Ironically, the iPhone app from the Times works great. The developers writing the iPad app should take the iPhone team to lunch and get a bit of advice.