CNN's new iPad app is completely different than the news network's website, because it was designed specifically for the iPad, and isn't meant to be a tablet-version of the website, Kenneth Estenson, the company's senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com, told Poynter.org's Damon Kiesow.

"With a multi-touch interface, there is no rulebook yet," he said. "The iPad is so new. The initial question was, 'What do I want to touch?'" The design centres on high quality images, because people "want to touch imagery more than words," he explained.

Image: Broadsheet view of CNN's iPad app The app is completely ad-supported and free of charge, and CNN has also made its current iPhone app free as well, paidContent reported.

The app has three views: broadsheet, list view (with a continually updated list of stories) and slideshow, which shows the day's top stories. The content also incorporates text articles, video and users' comments.