current.ly

Inspiration

The inspiration behind creating our application for news was to provide a more engaging and visually appealing way for users to consume news content. We wanted to leverage the popular format of short, vertical videos to deliver news updates from various sources in a format that is easy to digest and share. By combining the familiarity of TikTok/Instagram's interface with informative news content, we aimed to create a platform that would make staying informed both entertaining and convenient for users.

What it does

The TikTok-like application allows users to swipe up and down to navigate between news reels, swipe right to open the full news article in a web browser, and double-tap to like or unlike news content. Additionally, the application includes a feature to filter news content based on search criteria, although this feature is not fully implemented yet.

How we built it

We built the TikTok-like news application using Angular.js for the frontend, integrating a news API to fetch news content dynamically. We also incorporated Hammer.js for touch gesture recognition, allowing users to swipe and double-tap for navigation and liking/unliking news reels.

Challenges we ran into

We encountered several challenges during development. Implementing scroll snapping from one reel to another was particularly difficult, requiring precise handling of touch events and scroll behavior. Additionally, since the API could only be run locally, we were unable to make API calls in the live application, rendering the search function useless. We also faced sizing issues related to the dimensions of devices that would use the app, requiring adjustments to ensure a consistent user experience across different screen sizes.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're proud of several accomplishments in our project. We successfully implemented swiping gestures for navigation, double-tap functionality for liking and unliking news content, and the ability to swipe right to redirect users to the full article. Additionally, we focused on creating a visually appealing website, ensuring that the user interface is engaging and easy to use.

What we learned

Through this project, we learned a lot about frontend development using Angular.js, including how to integrate external APIs for dynamic content. We also gained experience in implementing touch gesture recognition using Hammer.js, which was crucial for creating a smooth and interactive user experience. Additionally, we learned how to tackle challenges related to responsive design, ensuring that our application works well across different devices and screen sizes.

What's next for current.ly

To further improve the application, we could implement several features. One idea is to enhance the search functionality by resolving the issue with the local API and enabling users to search for specific news topics. Additionally, we could introduce a feature that allows users to share news reels with others, increasing the app's social aspect. Another enhancement could be to add more customization options for users, such as the ability to choose their preferred news sources or topics. Finally, we could work on refining the user interface and user experience to make the app even more visually appealing and intuitive to use.