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Zite update is aimed at Google Reader orphans
With Google Reader fading into the sunset in July, more and more users are looking to replace its functionality. Zite for iOS (free) has some solutions that should please many news hounds. The app was originally born out of a desire to replace Google Reader with something that learned your interests and had a more compelling display. In a new release, available today, Zite is trying to go further to embrace what's good in Google Reader and add some bells and whistles. First, Zite has increased the prominence of sources. Those sources now appear in a topic drawer after you mark an article that you like. Another welcome feature is that articles grey out ofter you read them. One of the best additions is the ability to highlight sources that are obscure. Google Reader always had a bit of a signal to noise problem because the volume of feeds could overwhelm some of the smaller sources. Zite fixes that and will aggressively display more obscure content that you like. Zite has also made setting up the app easier for new users. There are on-screen guides and built-in tips that explains how Zite works and what you can expect. %Gallery-189143% There are some subtle interface changes as well this time around, and some new sponsored sources have been added. I've found Zite a frequent and preferred stop for my news browsing on iOS. What I'd really like to see is a Mac app that gets me the same content so I'm covered on my desktop and laptop. I'm told this is under consideration and I hope to see it sooner rather than later. Zite is a universal app and requires iOS 6 or later.
Feed Wrangler: A subscription-based RSS reader for web and iOS
Feed Wrangler (US$19/year) is David Smith's subscription-based RSS aggregation and syncing service for web and iOS devices. If you're a Google Reader user, you're probably aware that the service will shut down on July 1st. This means you'll either go back to browsing your favorite news and blog websites the old fashioned way or you'll be looking for an alternative RSS reader. Though I'm not a heavy RSS user, I am curious to find a good alternative to Google Reader. And now that Feed Wrangler has launched, I thought it would be worth checking out. Feed Wrangler takes a different approach to RSS reading. Of course, you get to add feeds, view all your favorite web content in one place, and sync across multiple devices. But Feed Wrangler is somewhat different to others in that you pay a subscription fee to use the service. The idea being your support allows Feed Wrangler to offer excellent performance, while developing, growing and improving. While Feed Wrangler is simple to get to grips with for beginners and light users, advanced users have not been forgotten. Smart Streams lets you create custom feeds based on text filters. Very handy if you're looking to keep track of something specific. You can also filter items out by creating a filter with a particular search term, keeping unwanted content away from your feeds. Other features include full text search of subscribed feeds, starring and integration of read later services Pocket and Instapaper, a welcome feature, indeed! On the web, Feed Wrangler has a really clean and easy-to-use interface. It puts your content front and center, without any unnecessary distractions or cumbersome features. To add feeds, import from Google Reader, an OPML file or enter URL and RSS addresses manually. Adding feeds while browsing is made easy by clicking on a custom bookmark link to Feed Wrangler from the website you want to add. At version 1.0.1, the universal, free iOS app offers the same features as the web version as well as sharing options to Mail, Message, Facebook etc. The app interface is also clean and clear cut, though very basic, with everything pointing to content. My only immediate gripe was that there was no option to change the text size, which can be frustrating on mobile devices. But regardless, in no time I had my feeds setup across my devices -- everything syncing up perfectly. After spending a bit more time with Feed Wrangler, I was pleased to find how stable and speedy it was -- things worked as they should. It was great to be able to set up Smart Streams and filter out content I wasn't interested in, a feature I've not taken advantage of before. At the end of my time with Feed Wrangler, I found myself wondering if I would miss Google Reader using a service like Feed Wrangler. The conclusion I came to was that I would miss Google Reader, but I think purely for nostalgic reasons. For me, Feed Wrangler did everything I wanted a RSS reader to do. With time, Feed Wrangler could easily become my go-to RSS reader. It's clear there's still a bit of growing up to do, particularly in terms of design and interaction, but the core functionality is well and truly in place. Would I pay $19 annually to use it? If I were a heavy RSS user looking for solid performance and great features, then yes, I would. And taking into consideration Feed Wrangler's commitment to developing and growing (there's already a Mac client on the way), the $19 price tag makes even more sense.
Reeder updated to connect with Feedbin, or nothing at all
Personally, I'm still in denial about losing my beloved Google Reader in the near future. The web-based RSS reader has been a standby ever since I started using RSS, and even when I used other services, like the great Reeder app on iOS, they ran through Google Reader to get their content. But the times they are a'changin', and as of July 1, Google Reader will be gone for good. Reeder has gotten out ahead on this one, and just recently pushed out an update for its iPhone version that liberates the app from Google Reader's clutches. You can now use Reeder with an alternate service called Feedbin, or you can use it as a standalone RSS reader, just by punching in your feeds manually. Unfortunately, Feedbin is a pay service (that costs US$2 a month to use), so it's not exactly a one-for-one replacement for GReader. But this is not the only update you'll see from Reeder: The company says the plan is to both update the iPad and Mac versions to 2.0 (which is why they're currently free), with plenty of extra compatibility, and the iPhone version is also set to get even more services in the future. So things are still in flux. As for me, I still have to find a service to replace my GReader, and Feedbin isn't it. We've already put together a nice list of alternatives, and from what I've heard so far, Feedly appears to be the frontrunner. Feel free to share any other insight you might have in the comments below.
Feedly hits 3 million users, updates its iOS apps
Feedly has quickly become the RSS feed-reading client to beat since the announcement of Google Reader's impending shutdown. Since Google's March 13 announcement, Feedly says it has seen over 3 million new users join the service. Fresh off an influx of new users, the service has announced new versions of its mobile client for iPod, iPad, iPod touch and Android. For new users making the switch from Google Reader the process is simple: sign up for Feedly before Reader is gone on July 1 and your feeds will transfer over. The updated app features an improved search engine which improved the speed of finding what you're looking for, and has over 50 million RSS feeds right to your device. It boasts an improved search algorithm that utilizes the searches of the entire Feedly community to find the most relevant feed results for your search. In addition, the app has added a new feature called "Must Reads." Posts from the feeds you promote as "Must Reads" will be moved to the top of your feed panel and "Today" section. Sharing has been improved with the addition of Google+ and the option to select which service will appear as the sharing shortcut in the main toolbar. The update also removes the ability for users to search just their own feeds. This development has lead to many comments from chagrined longtime users on their official announcement blog. The company says the feature is too resource heavy for the current version and hopes to restore it in a future update. TechCrunch is reporting Feedly is also finally addressing their long-term business model, one that will ultimately ask some users to pay for the service. In an email with Feedly cofounder Cyril Moutran, the executive implied they would be exploring a freemium model for power users. "We have also heard from our power users that they would like deeper integration with other services they use and pay for, like Evernote and Dropbox. We intend to launch a premium version of Feedly this year on a subscription basis that would include new features for power users." The updated Feedly apps are available in the App Store.
Reeder for iPad and Mac is now free
What happens when you make a Google Reader client for iPad and Mac, and then Google announces that the service is closing up shop on July 1, 2013? If you're developer Silvio Rizzi, you continue development on a version of your app that won't rely on Google Reader, and you give away your app for free. As of today, Rizzi is making Reeder for iPad and Reeder for Mac freely available. In an announcement made this morning, Rizzi noted that "it's still too early to have answers to all questions I got over the last few weeks." He noted that development of Reeder will continue on all platforms, and that the iPhone version of the app already has support for services other than Google Reader. Version 3.1 of Reeder for iPhone will be available soon, and Rizzi says that "the plan is to add more services you can choose from in the next weeks and months." For the Mac and iPad versions, version 2.0 is in development and will be available "in the coming months." It's expected that version 2.0 of Reeder for iPad and Reeder for Mac will add the features currently seen in the iPhone version, which includes all sharing and syncing services. In the meantime, the iPad and Mac flavors of Reeder are free.
Feedly Mobile revamp caters to Reader escapees with fast search, Must Reads
The phaseout of Google Reader is quickly becoming a boon for developers still carrying the torch for newsreader apps -- just ask Feedly, which now says it took on 3 million new users in the two weeks since Google's decision. Rather than simply wait for more customers to roll in on their own, though, the company is taking matters into its own hands with a major refresh of Feedly Mobile for Android and iOS. The update brings a reworked search engine that's both extra-quick and makes topic suggestions based on the collective subscriptions of the Feedly user base, getting better as more readers join the ranks. Other updates also serve those who want to keep things moving quickly. A new Must Reads section prioritizes feeds, a title-only view maximizes screen space and an updated sharing panel both allows a customizable shortcut as well as (slightly ironic) sharing to Google+. Once you've gotten over the sting of another Google spring cleaning, Feedly's potential solutions await at the source links.
Reeder to use Feedbin to power its newsreading feature (Updated)
The developers behind popular Google Reader-based newsreading app Reeder said earlier this year the app would not die when Google's Reader service goes offline this summer. Customers concerned about this transition can breathe a sigh of relief as Reeder announced last night that it will switch to Feedbin as its back-end service. Feedbin was created by San Francisco web developer Ben Ubois and is based on open source software. It has a robust API that'll sync subscriptions, articles and their read/starred states. There's also a web-based interface that allows you to manage your RSS feeds. Access to the web version costs US$2/month. The iPhone version of Reeder will get Feedbin support soon, while the iPad and OS X version will be updated in the coming months. Update: The developer behind Reeder confirmed on Twitter that Feedbin is not the only solution being implemented. It is just his favorite choice right now. [Via The Loop]
The Weekly Roundup for 03.11.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Feedly picks up over 500,000 Google Reader defectors
It looks like Feedly's promises of a "seamless transition" worked. The newsfeed service recently reported that more than 500,000 Google Reader users have joined its ranks following the announcement that the popular aggregator will close this summer. It multiplied its bandwidth ten times over, added new servers to cope with the sudden influx and hopes to keep the service up as much as possible as more users pour in. In an effort to keep its new clientele happy, Feedly has promised to listen to suggestions and add new features on a weekly basis as well. But if it doesn't, don't worry; we suspect there'll be many more alternatives pitching for your RSS feeds over the coming weeks.
Google Reader partially rebuilt in Zite
Many of our readers are mourning the impending loss of Google Reader, which will cease to function on July 1. The folks at Zite have a kinda, sorta replacement that can be used from within the free Zite personalized news app. Zite has always been a bit of a hybrid, allowing you to access your Google Reader feeds manually, while providing the extra Zite-selected news, based on your interests. Here's how to bring the feeds in: Link your Google Reader account by clicking on the magnifying icon in Zite. You'll find an option for Google Reader Feeds in your Quicklist. The Zite developers want you to understand the Google Reader selection will only be found after you've restarted the app or added another category, something Zite will fix in the next release. Also note that not every RSS feed is currently indexed by Zite, which will improve over time. There is no folder support, but it is being worked on, and there is no ongoing syncing with Google Reader. The Zite solution is not perfect or complete, but should please some soon-to-be orphaned Google Reader fans. Other options on iOS are apps like RSS Runner and the TLDR Reader, along with Reeder and Feedler. If you want a wider landscape than Google Reader feeds provide, I'm a daily user of Flipboard and the Pulse News app.
Digg to build a Google Reader replacement with same API, new features
The news of Google Reader's upcoming demise has put the spotlight on several alternatives that RSS fans can only hope will fill the gap. The latest to vie for our attention doesn't even exist yet: Digg just announced that it will be creating a reader of its own. According to its blog, the aggregation service was apparently already planning to build such a reader, but upon hearing that Google's version will bite the dust, the company is kicking into gear to develop a suitable replacement. Digg's reader will maintain what it calls the best of Google Reader's features, including its API, while incorporating changes that reflect the relevance of social networks and other popular Internet communities.
The Daily Roundup for 03.14.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Update for March 14, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
The outrage and sadness of Google Reader's demise
Pope Who? White smoke over the Vatican doesn't stand a chance as a trending topic next to the black cloud over one of Google's most beloved products. Google Reader has landed on the company's sunset list, and will wink out of existence on July 1. Problem is, Reader is not as widely beloved as its most fervid users assume. And speaking of trending topics, the extinction of Reader signifies the mainstream rejection of RSS as a hands-on tool for organizing a living library of real-time information flow. It has been eclipsed by social content discovery. As Brian Alvey, chief scientist of Ceros and creator of Blogsmith (Engadget's publishing platform) noted, "Dear RSS: @Twitter won." More broadly speaking, Reader's ultimate fail is the latest major rebalancing of the internet's legacy symmetry of "push" and "pull."
Mac 101: How to back up your Google Reader account
Google is sunsetting its Reader service in July and you may be on the hunt for a new RSS service and client to use. Before you fire up that new client, you should take a few minutes to back up your current Google Reader feeds as you may need to import them into your new app. Importing your feeds will be a lot faster than manually re-subscribing to each one. It's also a good idea to have a copy stored locally as a backup. Here's what you need to do to pull your feeds down from Google Reader: 1. Login to your Google Reader account and click on the gear on the right-hand side of your web browser. Select "Reader Settings" from the drop-down menu. 2. Click on the Import/Export tab in the Google Settings page. Here you will find a link to "Download your data through Takeout." 3. Click on the link to "Download your data through Takeout" and you will be brought to Google's Takeout service. Login again to your Google account, if needed. 4. Make sure the "Choose Services" button at the top of Takeout is selected and Google Reader is noted in the box on the center of the screen. Click on the "Create Archive" button at the bottom to create a backup of your Google Reader account. 5. You will then jump to the download screen where you will see the progress of your backup. My backup was small so it was already completed by the time the page opened. The files for your Google Reader account will be bundled into a zip file and can be downloaded to your computer. 6. Click on the download button to start transferring the Google Reader files to your computer. I use the default download settings in my browser, so my zip file was saved to the "Downloads" folder on my Mac. Depending on your settings, your file may be saved to a different location. You may also be prompted to open the file with the archive utility or save it to your drive. I recommend saving the file directly to the drive. If you download the file and forget where it was saved, you can locate it by opening the "Downloads" window in your web browser or clicking on the Downloads icon in your OS X Dock. 7. Locate the downloaded zip file on your Mac using Finder and double-click on it to extract the files to their own folder. The Reader folder will contain a handful of .json files and a subscriptions.xml file. You can ignore (but not delete) the .json files. 8. Open your new RSS client and use it to import the subscriptions.xml file that you just downloaded and extracted. Please note that this backup contains your RSS feeds and folders (subscriptions.xml) as well as your starred articles (liked.json), shared articles (shared.json) and more. Though stored in the backup, these starred and shared articles are not always transferred into other apps.
Alternatives to Google Reader for OS X and iOS users
Google caused a stir yesterday when it announced that it will shut down Google reader this summer. Though you have a few months to migrate to a new RSS reader, now is the time to start looking at alternatives. We've compiled a list of web services, OS X clients and iOS apps for you to consider while you prepare to make the switch. Don't be quick to abandon your favorite apps just yet, as most will likely migrate away from Google Reader in the next few months. Both Reeder and Feeddler, two popular Google Reader clients, have said they are not going away. If you have any suggestions for clients or services not mentioned in this post, please share them in the comments. Web Services Feedly Feedly is a news aggregator with a newspaper-like flair. It has its own iOS and Android apps so you can setup your feeds in the browser and view them on your mobile devices. There's no desktop app, but you can use Fluid to create one. In response to Google's announcement, Feedly said it has been working on a clone of the Google Reader API that could easily replace Google Reader both in Feedly and in other popular Google Reader apps. Newsblur Newsblur is another news aggregator that pulls down stories from your favorite blogs, podcasts and YouTube channels using their URL or RSS feed. You can access your news via the web, iPad, iPhone or Android device. The basic service is free while a premium account (US$1 per month) adds extra features like unlimited sites, private shares and more. Feed Wrangler Feed Wrangler is an RSS aggregator service from David Smith that is ready to enter beta testing. He describes it as a backend syncing/aggregation subscription service with web and native clients. Smith started work on the service as a replacement for Google Reader and planned to launch it this summer. After Google's big announcement, those plans have been moved up. You can sign up on Feed Wrangler's website to be alerted when the service is ready to launch. Feedspot Feedspot, created by Anuj Agarwal, is another startup service that's building a new RSS platform to replace Google Reader. It already has a working website and you can create a login to check it out for free. Feedspot lets you import your Google Reader feeds. Bloglines Bloglines is another online agregator that lets you subcribe, manage and share news feeds and other web content. It's been around since 2003 and has changed hands a few times. Now owned by MerchantCircle, Bloglines is one of the largest news and feed aggregators using RSS. It is web-based; there are no native apps. Fever Fever is a PHP and MySQL application that you run on your own Apache server. Fever serves up your RSS feeds and rates them so you can see the hottest stories first. It's not for everyone and developer Shaun Iman, who created Fever, has some tips for those considering switching to this self-hosted option. There is a $30 one-time fee to use the software. There's also a native iOS client, Sunstroke, created by Gone East. NetNewsWire NetNewsWire debuted in 2002 and was one of the first desktop RSS readers. The app has changed hands a few times over the years and has undergone a lot of changes. Now owned by Black Pixel, NetNewsWire is receiving a major update in the coming months that'll bring syncing to its OS X, iPad and iPhone apps. All apps will also get a modern design. OS X Apps Readr, $4.99 Readr is a basic RSS client capable of reading Atom and RSS feeds. You'll see a setting for syncing with Google Reader, but that is optional, not required. The app also integrates with Pocket, Instapaper, Readability and Evernote. NewsRack, $7.99 NewsRack is a basic RSS reader for Mac OS X with a keyboard-friendly, tabbed interface. Syncs with Google Reader, but that feature is optional, not required. Created by Ole Zorn, the developer behind Pythonista for the iPad, Newsrack hasn't been updated in a over a year. Hopefully, the Google Reader News will be incentive to bring some fresh features to the app. Pulp, $9.99 Pulp takes your favorite news feeds and presents them in an magazine-style layout. You can scan through previews and quickly find the stories that interest you the most. You can export your current Google Reader feeds as an OPML file and import them into Pulp for OS X. Pulp works on the Mac & iPad. Headlines, $1.99 Headlines brings together the news you are interested in and displays the content in newspaper-style columns. It supports RSS feeds and lets you organize them into 7 pages of content. This is a good option for someone with a smaller RSS feed portfolio. Feedy $2.99 Feedy is an RSS reader that uses Twitter and Facebook to score the items in your feeds. Those topics with a high rating float to the top of your news stream. It's designed to help you find the news that you care about. iOS Apps Rss Runner, Free RSS Runner is a non-Google Reader client that supports 9 different feed formats, offline reading and background downloading. It'll import your current feeds from Google Reader as well. News, $0.99 News App is a basic RSS Reader for the iPhone and iPad. No accounts (Google, Yahoo!, etc.) of any type are required. It's not as robust as the more popular Google Reader-based apps, but it will still work a few months from now. xFeed RSS Reader, Free xFeed is a lean RSS Reader for the iPhone and iPad. Like the News app, it's not as robust as the more popular Google Reader-based apps, but it will still work a few months from now. TLDR, Free TLDR is a news aggregator that pulls down 100 feeds from 14 news categories. The app gives you short summaries of each article so you can quickly decide which story to read. If you are tired of managing RSS, TLDR is a nice alternative. Zite, Free Zite is a news service instead of an RSS reader. The service scans news stories and pulls down those articles that match your areas of interest. It's not a replacement for your RSS reader, just a different way of consuming your news.
Feedly promises 'seamless' transition after Google Reader to its own backend
If you (like many of us at Engadget) are in a state of shock facing the end of Google Reader this summer, there may be an easy replacement. RSS app/service Feedly posts on its blog that it has been anticipating the shutdown of Google's service for some time, and invested in building its own backend. Dubbed "Normandy" it is intended to be a clone of the Google API running on Google's own App Engine, set to swap in on July 1st when the service ends. Even better, in the comments Feedly states it will open the API for other 3rd party clients once everything is stable. The only bad news? If you're considering jumping onboard you're not the only one -- Feedly's servers are pretty crushed right now, so you know, just test the waters out some time in the next few months.
Google to shut down Google Reader, Snapseed for Mac among others
Fans of Google Reader are going into mourning, as Google has announced that it is shutting down the RSS reader service on July 1. As part of its now annual spring cleaning initiative, Google says service usage has declined. It urges people to find an alternative in the three and a half months before Google Reader sees the sunset. Users can export their data using Google Checkout. There's a number of really good Google Reader apps for Mac and iOS, including Reeder and Flipboard. It will be interesting to see Reader's shutdown will affect them. Our staff has seen recommendations for Feedly and NewsBlur as alternatives to Google Reader. You have until July 1 to make the changeover, so there's still time, but a lot of services and workflows will undoubtedly be affected. Google also will be closing the door on the desktop version of Snapseed. As of today, Google will no longer be selling the desktop software or provide updates. Existing customers can still get support and download the program. Mobile versions of Snapseed have not been affected.
Google Reader to shut down with other services in another 'spring cleaning'
Last spring, Page and Co. retired iGoogle, Google Mini and other services as part of a 'spring cleaning' initiative to help it better focus its efforts, and another clean-up round has just begun. This time around, Google Reader and seven other services are getting the axe, bringing the firm's total of features closed since 2011 to 70. Mountain View says it's sunsetting the feed reader because it has "declined," and that turning it off will allow it to pour its energy into fewer products. Reader will keep the lights on until July 1st, and diehard users will be able to keep their data and subscriptions by using the outfit's Takeout tool. Other products being put out to pasture include the company's Building Maker, Cloud Connect, Apps Script's GUI builder and five UiApp widgets, Search API for shopping and the CalDAV API (for developers who aren't whitelisted, that is). The internet giant also announced -- and confirmed our fears -- that it'll no longer sell or provide updates for Snapseed Desktop for Mac and Windows. Blackberry's Google Voice app is being shelved as well, but the company suggests its HTML 5 experience is a nice alternative. By the sounds of it, CEO Larry Page is still making good on his promise to keep Google focused on fewer things. Hit the bordering source links for more details. Update: Apps Script is sticking around, but its GUI Builder and a quintet of UiApp widgets are being deprecated.
Mobile Miscellany: week of October 31, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of October 31, 2011: If you have a Verizon tablet and a strong aversion for Google Maps, try UpNext HD Maps. Released by the carrier this week, it's interactive and offers 3D, and uses quick tabs to help you find restaurants, nightlife, businesses and so on. [Droid-Life] Motorola Droid RAZR release rumor: how does November 11th, 2011 at 11:11AM sound? [AndroidCentral] Apparently it's Verizon week, because here's another one from Big Red. This rumor's about the LG Spectrum, which is being regarded as the Revolution 2. It's apparently showing up in some Verizon database, according to screenshots; the images don't really give away a whole lot, other than the fact it appears to have LTE -- not really a shocker for the sequel to the Revolution. [Droid-Life] The BlackBerry 9790 Bellagio got a bit of hands-on time, and has a bunch of images to prove it. [N4BB] Let's face it -- not everyone is enamored by the look of the Motorola RAZR. Y'know, the new one. This week, a version of the device with a different design, dubbed the MT917, was spotted en route to China. It has a lot of similar specs inside, but it has rounded corners and includes a TD-SCDMA radio. [Unwired View] The Google Reader and Google Docs apps on Android have been given refreshes, both of which having been inspired by Ice Cream Sandwich. Head to the Market and check them out. [Droid-Life]
