Twitter's iOS upgrades seem awkward but prove useful

When you load up Twitter‘s iPad update for the first time, chances are you’re going to think there’s something wrong.

The updated version of the iPad app abandons Twitter’s card-style layout – where tapping on a tweet would make it swipe in from the right side of the screen – for a much more space-filled design. Your navigation is limited to tapping on the four tabs on the side of the screen.

The space on the side of the tweets for your profile is uncomfortable, and the overall impression is that the app isn’t resizing properly to fit your tablet’s screen.

Design quibbles aside, Twitter has packed a number of enhancements into the iPad version of the app that will ultimately make you forgive its less-than-sexy look.

Photos and article summaries linked from tweets appear and disappear with a tap. This is a smooth and fast experience that definitely impresses on either device.

An extra tap makes photos full-screen – so you can get an up-close-and-personal look at that cheeseburger your friend is having for dinner.

Tweets can be expanded almost instantly. But if you want to see a person’s profile or check out a hashtag, you can no longer just tap on them. You now have to open the tweet first. You can, however, retweet, share, favorite, or reply to a tweet by swiping across the tweet in question directly from your timeline.

The process is fast enough, but it’s odd that Twitter doesn’t give you the ability to open any part of a tweet without first expanding the tweet itself.

The ‘connect’ tab now mirrors what you get under that tab on the web, allowing you to keep up with people who have followed or mentioned you, as well as those who have retweeted or favourited your tweets.

Twitter’s new header images also take center stage in the iPad app. Images can also be changed from within the app by taking a photo with your iPad, or using a photo you already have stored on your tablet.