I have said it before that I would love to take several of the Twitter apps we currently have in the Windows Store and cut and paste features and elements of those apps into one single app that meets all of my Twitter related needs.

Unfortunately, that is not a reality and my preferences for a Twitter app are not necessarily yours so compromise is inevitable to get as close to the functionality that each of us want.

It is no exaggeration to say I have tried every full blown Twitter app that has hit the Windows Store and ultimately have not settled on one for the Metro/Modern side of Windows 8. On my Windows 8 desktop I opt to use MetroTwit for Desktop since it runs on the legacy desktop.

Over on my Surface RT I have recently come across a Twitter app that gives me great functionality and although it is missing a couple of the items we tend to see on other Metro/Modern Twitter apps the lack of these features do not reduce its usefulness.

The app is called Halfwit and is developed by fellow MVP Matt Hamilton who is also know as @mabster on Twitter.

You can find Halfwit in the Windows Store and it has the following features according to Matt’s description page in the Windows Store:

Halfwit is a simple Twitter client for Windows 8/RT and has a free, fully-functional trial! Purchase Halfwit if you’d like to donate!  Tweets are presented as a single column, with mentions (even from people you don’t follow), direct messages and search results integrated into the stream. Additional features include: Integrated single column of tweets, Streamlined Snapped view, Username auto-complete and Spoiler suppression.

Let me walk you through some screen shots of the app:

Start up screen – not sure what the story is behind the parrot!

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This is your main screen when the app starts up.

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Bring up the App Bar to refresh or post an update to Twitter.  The app automatically updates your timeline about every 60 seconds.

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By clicking on the back arrow next to home you bring up all the other views that are available to you.

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This is the Mentions view including list of Twitter users who have recently mentioned you in one of their tweets.

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Your re-tweets.

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Tweets you have marked as favorites.

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Search pane.

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User details and tweets.

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Even has Twitter List support at least to view the tweets from your lists.

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Snapped view of your Home column with no wasted space.

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App bar in snapped view for refresh and posting an update icons.  Automatic update happens in snapped view as well.

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The drop down selection list of all the different views available to you.

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Yes there is a Message view – I just opted not to show you my DM inbox.

So what is missing? No Live Tile or Push Notifications are the main two things plus no support for multiple accounts.

However, in my own personal use of this app, I am not missing those elements at all. Especially with the ability to keep it nicely snapped when I am using it on my Surface RT.

The developer has an unlimited trial available but honestly this app is worth the $1.99 he is asking for to encourage him to continue developing the app and possibly bring along some of those other features down the road.

If you are looking for a simple Twitter app for the Metro/Modern environment then give Halfwit a serious look.