Upset that Google is shutting down
Google Reader this summer? You’re not alone. The death of RSS, on
numerous occasions, has been greatly exaggerated. The truth is that
millions of people still use feed readers on a daily basis. They’re a
convenient way to sift through the mountain of near-real-time content
that gets published every day on the web.
So where do you turn now that Google Reader is being put out to pasture? You could use a desktop RSS reader, but chances are that if you were using Google Reader you’d probably prefer to stick with a web app instead.
Some better-known alternatives are Bloglines and Netvibes. Both are solid options, but Bloglines is a better choice if you’re after something that works a lot like Google Reader does. Netvibes is more of a personal start page, while Bloglines more closely resembles a traditional feed reader. It’s also got loads of personalization options and it’s totally free — Netvibes charges for some functionality.
There’s also The Old Reader which claims to be just like the old Google Reader, only better. It’s getting hammered right now, so you’ll have to take their word for it, but TOR has been a popular alternative for quite some time.
You may find that all of these services are struggling to keep up with the demand for new accounts, and that’s no surprise. Google might think that Reader was underused, but there are still millions of avid news readers on the web that are out there looking for a new services that works well and isn’t going to be shut down any time soon.
So where do you turn now that Google Reader is being put out to pasture? You could use a desktop RSS reader, but chances are that if you were using Google Reader you’d probably prefer to stick with a web app instead.
Some better-known alternatives are Bloglines and Netvibes. Both are solid options, but Bloglines is a better choice if you’re after something that works a lot like Google Reader does. Netvibes is more of a personal start page, while Bloglines more closely resembles a traditional feed reader. It’s also got loads of personalization options and it’s totally free — Netvibes charges for some functionality.
There’s also The Old Reader which claims to be just like the old Google Reader, only better. It’s getting hammered right now, so you’ll have to take their word for it, but TOR has been a popular alternative for quite some time.
If you don’t mind switching up to something that places more emphasis on aesthetics than Google Reader, have a look at NewsBlur, Taptu, or Pulse. Newsblur is laid out a lot like Google Reader, but “feels” more like a desktop app. The others are all presented in more of a thumbnailed, curated digital magazine format — not a bad thing, just not the workmanlike experience Reader provides.
You may find that all of these services are struggling to keep up with the demand for new accounts, and that’s no surprise. Google might think that Reader was underused, but there are still millions of avid news readers on the web that are out there looking for a new services that works well and isn’t going to be shut down any time soon.
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