Mac: Popular RSS reader NetNewsWire has just announced a public beta of its next version, just in time for Google Reader's demise. The software adds a variety of features, but temporarily removes an important one for many users: sync.

Good news: RSS-tracking service Feedly has begun migrating users onto its own servers -- a necessary move since we're less from a fortnight away from Google Reader switching off entirely. Bad news: when you migrate, you'll find your unread articles count reset, and the service may misplace your saved articles as well.

Feedly has been very popular with Lifehacker readers as a replacement for Google Reader, which has less than a month to live now. To get around that problem, Feedly is developing its own API for when Google kills Reader off for good. If you're a fan of alternate readers such as Reeder, Press or gReader, you'll now also be able to access the Feedly API.

The clock is ticking for Google Reader, and when the alarm goes off, it will be no more. One Australian programmer has developed an Open Source alternative that might be able to cure your RSS woes.

As the countdown to Google Reader closing ticks over, we're continuing to see alternative ways to manage your RSS feeds. Lifehacker reader Michael rolled his own solution with Blogtrottr, creating a system that sends notifications direct to your email.

As the countdown to the death of Google Reader on 1 July continues, the list of potential alternatives grows. Another to consider: CommaFeed, a web-based service that closely replicates the standard Google Reader look.

If you prefer your feed reading simple and distraction-free, Skimr is a new webapp that organises all of your feeds into a single column, with or without images. All of your stories are arranged chronologically, with a short snippet before each, so you can quickly skim the headlines.

New alternatives to Google Reader appear to be profliferating as we await the July 1 cut-off for Google's much-loved-but-definitely-departing RSS reader. Business content curation service Curata has launched a limited beta for its own Reader replacement, which it plans to release in May.

An RSS reader is an essential tool for anyone who likes to be kept abreast of news as it happens and/or updates from their favourite websites. It will make you more organised, ensure you don't miss valuable information and save lots of time that would otherwise be spent manually checking websites. If you're new to RSS, here's what you need to know, including the best RSS readers in a post Google Reader world.

Another sign to remind us that Google Reader will be dead come July 1: some browsers are reporting that the link to Reader on Google's menu has vanished when using Gmail.

We're all seriously bummed about Google Reader shutting down. However, while its departure does leave a big RSS-shaped hole in the universe, there are others news reading apps and services out there stepping up to replace it with syncing features and easy import tools to keep you organised. In this week's Hive Five, we're going to highlight five of the best, based on your nominations.

Just how many people will be impacted when Google Reader shuts down? Google itself isn't saying, but Google Operating System has crunched some of the relevant numbers.

I don't use Google Apps for Business, I don't require extra storage, and I don't need to pay to advertise myself or my company through AdWords. Most of the ways Google wants to extract money from me directly are never going to work. Yet if Google started offering Reader for an annual subscription fee, I'd pay in a heartbeat.

Google's decision to shut down Google Reader means you'll need to find a new way to get your news fix. Here are our favourite alternatives.

With the news that Google is killing off Reader, dedicated Reader enthusiasts will want to make a copy of their existing subscriptions so they can use them once they pick an alternative. Here's what to do.