I am very disappointed with the news that Google Reader is coming to an end. USA Today reports that Google Reader is shutting down in July, and the news is widely reported elsewhere.
Since I moved over from Bloglines to Google Reader some years ago, Google Reader has been part of my every day way of experiencing the internet, especially blogs and podcasts. Google Reader also generates the blogroll I have to the right of this blog.
So we have until July to find a good replacement. Does anyone have a good recommendation? It has to be free, it should not have a magaziney-type interface, and it must at least have the functionality of Google Reader, ideally with the ability to generate a nice blogroll for a specifically chosen group of sites. I suspect I'm asking too much?
Feedly is a good option. While the default settings are magazine-like, it is possible to set the view to "Titles" and then it is much more efficient and not that different from Google Reader. I've spent a few hours today trying several alternatives and I think Feedly might be the one I settle on.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rob. I had read that too, so with your recommendation as well, I'll at least give it a whirl.
ReplyDeleteI blogged on this last night. It's a huge loss for me. I will probably be switching to NewsBlur, although that wouldn't meet your criteria.
ReplyDeleteI've decided - since I have a server I can host on - to run my own using RNews (a free alternative). Now the only one to close up shop will be me, when I choose. It's not perfect - but not 'magazine' either and keeps all my folders\categories etc. A bit of an adjustment, but not a bad one.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Al; thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Drewe -- I suppose I could do the same.
You were one of the first people I thought of when I got the notification from Google about the GoogleReader funeral! =( I, too, am really sad about this change. It's such a loss...
ReplyDeleteI've been reading that Feedly is a likely replacement.
ReplyDeleteProblem is, their servers are overwhelmed at the moment, so it is not usable -- at least for me.
Uggghhh... GReader is part of my daily routine too. There is a petition on Change.org to keep it going you may want to sign. (https://www.change.org/petitions/google-keep-google-reader-running)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried it yet, but I did find this post on moving your stuff out of GReader. (http://www.dataliberation.org/google/reader)
So far Feedly is the only one I'm hearing about that functions similarly to GReader
Okay, feedly is now working for me on my Chrome browser. I logged in with my google acount and it seamlessly added all my feeds from google reader. The interface is somewhat different, but the UI is somewhat flexible.
ReplyDeleteReading their blog, they say they're writing a new backend, and when Google Reader goes offline, feedly will make the switch and the user won't notice anything at all.
So I'm using feedly exclusively now, and I'll also be experimenting with other RSS aggregators.
Well, for me it's goodbye Google Reader and hello Feedly! So far loving Feedly both on Chrome and Android. It could, after all, be a blessing in disguise.
ReplyDeleteI am looking for an RSS feed reader that will let me click a button and have a particular post share to a sidebar on my blog, as I can do now with Google Reader (with a Chrome plug-in to restore the button they removed way back when).
ReplyDeleteOn another topic entirely (if you'll forgive me), have you heard about "the shape-shifting Jesus"?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2293092/Shape-shifting-Jesus-ability-escape-crucifixion-newly-deciphered-ancient-Egyptian-text-claims.html?ito=feeds-newsxml