• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, November 19, 2012

USA Today launched a new version of its iPad app that presents news differently based on the time of day and lets users select the kind of updates they want to see most. The updated design also offers a more visual experience, adding more photos and video to stories along with increased audio.

Larry Kramer, USA Today president and publisher, said the redesign “goes beyond a news-reader and provides greater utility and a more dynamic experience that allows consumers to get their news quickly when and how they want it.”

In that vein, users will see a quick-scan text view of the day’s stories in the morning and a “lean-back” version in the evening featuring more images. People can also select the type of view depending on their own reading habits.

A new quick information panel also lets people choose from the latest sports scores, weather alerts, stocks, games, travel information to get news they’re most interested in. Other new features include the ability to save articles and share them easily on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

USA Today also promises the revamped app, which is optimized for the iPad mini, will benefit marketers by offering more targeted ad opportunities. The update is off to a bumpy start, though, garnering just 1.5 out of five stars in the App Store compared to three stars for all versions. To be fair, the lower rating for the new version is based on input from relatively few users so far, and some initial kinks in a new release aren’t uncommon.