LinkedIn for Android: Still Trying To Be Cool; Still Not.
LinkedIn, the "social" business network has released their app to the Android Market. LinkedIn is great when you're looking for a job or trying to network with other professionals, but on a daily basis, there's no reason to visit. And that's ultimately the problem with the app, there's nothing there to interest me...or anyone really.
The greatest use for Facebook and Twitter on mobile devices is the social nature that’s inherent to those services. Facebook had updates from people I like. Twitter has information from people I respect. LinkedIn creates a sterile space to discuss business with colleagues. There's no humour or debate, no pictures or videos, just up-to-date resumes and work-appropriate, cross-posted status updates.
The app works fairly well, it has a list of your connections, new messages and invitations, and an updates section where you can see what’s going on in your network. And that's again where the problem lies. Clicking on my recent updates shows me a page of changes in job titles or new additions to the networks of people I know. Unlike Facebook and Twitter apps, there is no widget that I can use on my Android desktop to stay abreast of the latest updates at a glance. Instead, I have to launch the standalone app for LinkedIn to find out what’s new. And, after playing with the beta and running the final version, I see no compelling reason to do that.
