Reddit (www.reddit.com) likes to call itself the 'front page of the internet'; it is a place where anyone on the World Wide Web can gather together to share content. The content is sorted into various “Subreddits” and then is voted upon by “up” or “down” buttons. Essentially, Reddit is an online news and entertainment source with user curated submissions that are voted upon by the community.
If you have even opened a web browser since June of 2005, when the site originally launched, then we have to assume that you have probably used Reddit or at the very least, visited it. Today, we are going to take a look at different ways to visit Reddit through some of our favorite Windows 8 apps available in the Windows Store.
Reddit to Go
We will be starting the list with the Reddit app that I have been using since I picked up my first Windows 8 machine back in October of 2012. “Reddit to Go” is a simple, yet encompassing, app that aims to deliver an easy Reddit experience no matter where you are.
The application opens up to a page that gives you a teaser list of the current front page, along with a modern tile arrangement of all of your subscribed Subreddits. From here, you can jump into the main attraction of the front page and begin browsing or you can select your favorite niche Subreddit to browse exactly the content you are interested in.
The application is laid out in a two column layout. On the left hand side of the screen is a small sized column that displays all of the current submissions in the section you have chosen to browse. The right hand side of the screen houses a large column, which displays the content you select from the left.
Overall, the app is very minimal and easy to use, but we are not a fan of where the application places its post option buttons. If you wish to vote the content up, vote the content down, save the content, or any other form of content manipulation, you have to right click on the item; this can be a bit of annoyance for those who simply wish to scroll and quickly vote up or down their favorite content. To download it from the Windows Store, click here.
ReddHub
Another popular option that I may in fact switch to after finishing up this article is ReddHub; this application provides a very similar experience to “Reddit to Go”, but fixes our issues with content manipulation buttons being hidden behind a right click.
ReddHub opens up to your front page of Reddit, and subreddits can be accessed by clicking on the drop down button in the upper left hand of the screen. If you have a collection of favorite subreddits that you cannot imagine going without for even a few minutes, you can pin them to your Windows 8 Start Screen.
Our favorite feature, as we previously mentioned, is the ability to easily access the vote up and down buttons while browsing posts. If you wish to do anything more advanced, such as saving, you will have to access a drop down menu via the upper right hand corner.
Overall, ReddHub seems to build upon everything we loved in “Reddit to Go” and provides an even more efficient interface to browse the site we love. One last thing we want to make note of is that ReddHub has an “optimized” setting that automatically scales image content to the right size within the application – a very handy add-on (but yes, you can disable it if you desire). To download it from the Windows Store, click here.
Reddit!
If you are look for a more laid back experience, than you may want to check out our next contender. “Reddit!” is an application that takes Reddit and places it in a more magazine like experience, where you flip through posts. If you always wished for the ability to browse Reddit with Flipboard, then “Reddit!” may be the perfect companion for you, as it delivers a similar experience.
Opening the app displays a selection of tabs entitled “My Subs”, “Popular”, “Recent”, and “Search”. If you are looking for the front page section, you will find it nestled within the “My Subs” section. Behind the tabs is a grunge style background that stands out as a stark contrast to the very modern and clean styled apps we have used thus far.
The “Reddit!” app is not going to be the perfect solution for many. If you prefer flicking through a subreddit and reading only the posts that interest you, than you will find “Reddit!” a bit annoying to use. On the other hand, if you click everything in sight and want an easier way to browse Reddit from your couch, then it may be the perfect solution.
Overall, with a Flipboard style experience and easy to access “up vote” and “down vote” buttons, “Reddit!” could be a great couch companion if you do not mind giving up precise control of your content. To download it from the Windows Store, click here.
Redditting
Taking a turn from the last Reddit app, “Redditting” for Windows 8 allows aims at showcasing as much information as possible. The application relies on a large three column view to showcase your personal profile information, your subreddits, and any connecting content information.
The first small column on the left hand side of the screen showcases information relating to your profile; you can quickly jump to your inbox, liked posts, disliked posts, hidden posts, and saved posts.
The second small column, which sits in the middle, shows a list of all of your subscribed subreddits in addition to the front page. Simply select one of the subreddits from this column and the information will be displayed to the right.
The third column is the largest column and this is where the aforementioned content is displayed. This column is a bit of a trick though, because as soon as you select an item, you are launched into a completely different two column screen for browsing.
The two column screen that is displayed is similar to the layout seen in both “Reddit to Go” and “ReddHub”, with a small column displaying items and then a larger column display the selected content. The experience works well and brings almost every content manipulation option upfront when you select an item.
Overall, Redditting is an excellent choice to compare alongside “Reddit to Go” and “ReddHub”, and it makes the perfect app for the Reddit information hound. To download it from the Windows Store, click here.
Whichever app you choose, we hope you enjoy browsing Reddit – what is your favorite Reddit app for Windows 8 PCs?
