Video review: Handmark's TweetCaster beta is the best Android Twitter app

I saw my buddy Phil mention he was posting Tweets from TweetCaster on his Motorola Droid and I then found out it was a beta version of a Twitter application from Handmark. I was then able to get in on the private beta myself and was told we could talk, write, and Tweet about the beta all we wanted as long as we made sure to inform you all that this is the beta version and the final release version may be different. I was going to put together a full review, but Phil beat me to the punch over on Android Central and since screenshots are a real pain in the rear on Android and Phil shows several in his review I will direct you there to check out screenshots and his thoughts. I captured the video below instead to show you the application in action on my Google Nexus One.

I previously had Twidroid, Seesmic, and a few other Twitter applications on my Nexus One with Seesmic my personal favorite for the last week or so. About 30 minutes after loading up TweetCaster and testing it out I set it as my default Twitter application and think it is the BEST Twitter application for the Google Android platform, even in its latest beta release. I found the best mobile Twitter applications on the iPhone in the past, but have to say TweetCaster ranks right up there with best and may be even better than anything on the iPhone.

As you can see in Phil's review and in my video you will find such advanced features as multiple account support, list viewing, list creation from the phone, threaded conversation viewing, ability to view Tweets above your creation line so you can get some context for your Tweet, shrink URL capability, insert a photo, view and insert Twitter usernames for your friends and followers, view trends, conduct searches, and view Tweets for those physically located around you. Wow, I don't think there is anything left to include in a Twitter application, do you?

I have left feedback on a couple of things I would like to see though, including the following:

• Offer a toggle for a basic theme where you just see lots of Tweets (only about 4 at a time are currently viewable) with minimal visual effects and the two upper rows of menus and tabs auto hidden.
• Enable some options in the threaded conversation view when you press the menu button on your Android device.

There is a version for TweetCaster for the BlackBerry platform and this Android version of TweetCaster should be out for public release soon. I understand there will be a free ad-supported version and a $4.99 full version. I will definitely be paying the $4.99 for this application and already highly recommend it, even in its current beta form.