The tabs along the top make it very easy to view your friends timeline, mentions, direct messages and even popular topics, and including a picture in your tweet is as simple as selecting the camera icon (you can also view tweeted pictures in the app).

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Once in the applications view, tapping any icon launches the associated app (or bookmark), while holding any icon lets you move it to another position on the grid (or remove it by pressing a little red X, if present).

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Users can switch the display between an upright view and a horizontal view simply by touching an icon on the panel.

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In the lower left is a button that brings up your current location, and in the lower right is a tiny icon that lets you switch to satellite view, to see public transit and traffic information, or to launch the separate Google Earth app.

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Whether or not Mountain View is succeeding is debatable as revenues continue to drop and losses increase for the beleaguered, former icon.

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Click the icon at the top of a window, and the computer will resize the window so you have room to view a browser and Windows Media Player, for example.

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