Google’s changes to Google Reader this week upset a lot of people, and it got us wondering how many of you still use Google Reader as your preferred RSS newsreader when there are so many other options. This week, we’re going to highlight some of those other news readers, in case you’re looking for alternatives.
Reeder (Mac/iOS)
Reeder is a sharp-looking feed reader that offers separate clients for iPhone, iPad and Mac. We’ve discussed Reeder before, but since its launch, its clean interface, easy integration and sync with Google Calendar, and integration with services like Read It Later and Instapaper make it a great app on any platform. You can’t manage subscriptions in it, but you do get an incredible interface to read the news, jump right to the articles you see, star items to save them for later, and save them to other social bookmarking services like Pinboard, Evernote, or post it to Twitter. Reeder will set you back $2.99 for the iPhone version, $5.49 for the iPad version, and $9.99 for the Mac version.
Feedly (Firefox/Chrome/iOS/Android)
Feedly is another good-looking newsreader that does a bit more than just sync with Google Reader. You can hook Feedly into Google Reader so you don’t have to import your subscriptions or start from scratch, but that’s just the beginning. Feedly also provides additional news and reading material based on topics you already subscribe to, all organised in an uncluttered and easy-to-read layout that works in any browser. The app also integrates with Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Feedly is free, and installs as a browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, with companion apps for iOS and Android.
Netvibes (Webapp)
Netvibes isn’t strictly an RSS reader, but it definitely does that well. The basic features are free, and once you sign up for an account you can easily import your feeds, read them, manage your subscriptions, and stay updated when new articles are posted, all in an attractive and easy-to-use interface. You can also use Netvibes to share your stories on Twitter and Facebook or even integrate your Facebook and Twitter feeds with your Netvibes dashboard to see them all in one place. Netvibes’ usefulness doesn’t stop with feeds: the tool can also be used to aggregate other information as well, like weather, stocks, mail and more.
FeedDemon (Windows)
Free, easy to use, and quick to set up, FeedDemon isn’t the sharpest looking feed reader, but it syncs with Google Reader, is well organised, gives you tons of options, and gets the job done. You can add and manage your own subscriptions from within the app, tag and organise items by keyword or topic, and even use FeedDemon to download and your audio podcasts as well. It’s ad-supported, but it’s one of the best free feed readers for Windows.
Google Reader (Webapp)
Many of you said that the changes to Google Reader won’t stop you from using it at all. After all, it’s free, it’s web-based, easy to use and set up, and it’s tied to your Google Account. Subscribing to feeds is a one-click operation, and organising them is as easy as dragging and dropping. The fact that it’s now more difficult to share stories with others on services other than Google+ is definitely a drawback, but if you use Google+ heavily, it can be a boon. Google Reader is so popular and so widely used that every other feed reader in the roundup syncs with it.
This week’s honorable mentions go out to Newsblur, a great web-based and easily accessible alternative to Google Reader. It imports your feeds and gives you a constantly-updating dashboard of top stories based on your subscriptions.
Did we miss your favourite RSS newsreader? Did we miss a must-mention feature about one of your favourites above? Have your say in the comments below.
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