Hmm, I'm kind of interested. Your UI layout looks great. I might play with it at home a bit tonight to see what I can come up with. For future reference, here are some helpful things:
Why every site has to have an App so I can read it nowadays? What's wrong with a site being a site?
For the same reason that anything has a mobile application, because generally they are easier to use. Why browse a website built for a 15" laptop when you can have application with the same relevant information perfectly formatted for my device? Sure you can make a mobile version of the website, and they are step up for sure. But they still do not offer the simplicity and ease of use of a good mobile application can.
Because not every site is made for every platform. But also, I enjoy reading HN but leaving to one site and then coming back to HN its a bit of a pain. Also lets not forget every site has a different layout, banners, distractions, etc.
Choose to go HTML5 + Phonegap and we could possibly talk
Please don't. This needs to be a slick native experience. It's too bad I'm still cutting my teeth on iOS as this looks like a fun first project!