New app, more features

If you're like half of Castanet's viewers, you're reading this on a mobile device.

And we've got some good news for you.

We've improved the mobile app user experience in our latest update.

New features include 12 buttons that match our website's navigation and add new options, as well as make it easier to find other features.

We've brought out the B.C., Canada, World and other sections that were previously hidden under News, added the Opinion section and more. Our Town is the new home of the Events and Cams pages, and we've added new community sections there as well.

The Okanagan's most popular Classified section has also been improved, with the addition of watchlists to the app.

These features are on the latest update for both Apple and Android.

But we've gone a step further for iPad users. The app now adds a sidebar packed with features previously only available on our website.

It's a snapshot of popular features with a more visual display and bigger pictures. In the sidebar, you will find things like Offbeat, Around the Web, our reader photo gallery, poll and letters sections, the weather forecast at a glance, the Castanet gas gauge, which tracks pump prices across the valley, and large teasers to top stories in our various news sections.

Apple users now also have better support for Voiceover, which reads the screen for the visually impaired.

The release has been in development since last summer.

"We are excited to get the latest version out into the community," said Castanet's in-house app developer Tim Czyrnyj. "But we're not 'done.' We will continue to work on updates and welcome reader feedback on new features they would like to see."