Google Reader Lets You Comment On Feed Items (For Other Reader Users)

Google Reader users can now post and read comments, viewable only by their Google Contacts, on anything they come across. There was, of course, already a “Share” option for any item to offer it up to your fellow Reader-using contacts, but there was no back-and-forth dialog, unless you jumped into email—so that, basically, is what this solves. Along with the change, there’s a new “Comment View” in the Friends’ Shared Items list to condense what all your contacts are saying, and any feed items that your friends have commented on will show up with their picture thumbnailed on it during your reading. Is Reader’s semi-private watercooler commenting a smart move, or does it close off blogs and news from getting comments at the source? Share how you see it in the comments.