Windows/Mac/Linux: Freeware Adobe Air application Snackr runs a news ticker of your RSS feeds at the bottom or top of your monitor, or as a scrolling sidebar. The application is very customisable, allowing you to add feeds individually or import an OPML file of feeds from your current reader of choice. If you like to keep an eye on all the latest updates to your newsfeeds, Snackr is an excellent option. The attractive Snackr is freeware, cross-platform, and requires Adobe Air.

In the wake of the recent Google Reader for iPhone update, web site Mozilla Links saw an opportunity to make good use of the new mobile interface by putting Google Reader iPhone into your Firefox sidebar. The setup is a snap, and when you're done the simple, mobile-friendly iPhone interface loads perfectly and looks great in the Firefox sidebar. Add this one to the growing list of mobile apps that fit perfectly in your sidebar.

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From blogs and online newspapers to calendars and social networking sites, the internet is a constant flow of information directed straight at your already full brain. Luckily, everything offers an RSS feed these days, which means that keeping up with all of that information is simply a matter of staying on top of your subscriptions. On Wednesday you nominated your favourite RSS newsreaders, and over 400 comments later, we're back with your favourites. Hit the jump to see if your newsreader of choice made the list, and then cast your ballot to choose the newsreader to rule them all.

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Windows only: Freeware application Newsgator, voted one of the best RSS newsreaders in our recent Hive Five, has released a new update with significant performance enhancements and new features. Aside from under-the-hood improvements that should improve overall performance, the new FeedDemon implements enhanced feed subscriptions, improved synchronisation with NewsGator online, and even an improvement to one of my favourite FD features, the Panic Button. FeedDemon is freeware, Windows only.

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Windows/Mac/Linux (Adobe AIR): Free, open source application ReadAir syncs your Google Reader feeds to the comfort of your desktop. ReadAir—whose three-pane interface looks and feels much more like a desktop newsreader than Reader—also retains a lot of Google Reader features, like starring items and adding and tagging feeds. The biggest missing feature in ReadAir is its lack of keyboard shortcuts; you won't be j/k-ing your way through your unread items in ReadAir the same way you can on the web—at least not in this version. That said, the app's to-do list includes offline mode and keyboard shortcuts, so if you'd prefer Reader had that desktop look and feel plus a killer web interface when you need it, ReadAir is a great option. ReadAir is free, all platforms, requires Adobe AIR. Thanks StevieB!

If you spend any amount of time on the web, you're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't found a decent RSS newsreader to keep on top of your favourite web sites. If you aren't using one, it's time you start; if you are, the question remains: Are you using the best newsreader for your needs (and feeds)? So for this week's Hive Five, we want you to tell us all about your favourite RSS newsreader. Hit the jump for more details and to nominate your favourite newsreader—be it web- or desktop-based—in the comments.

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Windows only: Freeware Microsoft Outlook add-on Newsgator Inbox delivers RSS feeds directly to your Outlook inbox. NewsGator Inbox isn't new, but this latest release is the first time we've featured it. Aside from the Outlook integration, NewsGator Inbox synchronises with all the other NewsGator readers, like its popular FeedDemon and NetNewsWire. Best of all, they're all freeware. NewsGator Inbox is Windows only, requires .NET 2.0. If you've considered making the jump from web- to desktop-based newsreaders, NewsGator Inbox or one of the other NewGator solutions are all excellent choices.

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Blogger Marshall Kirkpatrick offers seven tips for making the most of your RSS reader, including a few unconventional ideas about feed volume. Kirkpatrick writes:

I'm a big believer in subscribing to anything that looks of interest. Read what you can and don't worry about the rest. The chances that you'll see something worthwhile in a feed are far, far higher if you've subscribed to it than they would have been if you hadn't... I don't know why people feel obligated to read every item in every feed they've subscribed to. Get over that and you'll already be a far happier person.

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