The Wall Street Journal. app initially impresses with both form and function, combining a striking, print-like visual aesthetic with plenty of available content and some helpful navigation constructs. Each section (updated regularly throughout the day) is packed with the latest stories -- many with photo galleries and embedded video clips -- and a scrolling article listing on the right side of most sections makes it easy to flip between stories without returning to a front page. Like the print version, The Wall Street Journal. is second to none for investment news and analysis, and the iPad version lets you easily access current stock quotes.
Each front page retains the iconic look of the revered paper.
But while the app delivers a lot of free content, a large number of articles and features are held behind a pay wall, and the current pricing model ($17.29/month) has triggered major backlash from users. Buying a standard print/online subscription is much cheaper ($140/year), but even then, you'll only get "temporary" access to the locked stories on the iPad, as well as the past week's worth of digital papers.
We love the story listing, but so much of the content is for subscribers only.
We're certainly not opposed to paying for quality coverage, but the pricey access fee and potential for double dipping have us turning to other newspaper apps instead.
The Wall Street Journal.
COMPANY: Wall Street Journal
CONTACT: www.wsj.com
PRICE: Free
REQUIREMENTS: iPad
Easy to flip between stories. Lots of free investment news and analysis.
Many features require expensive paid subscription.
