For years, though, the company has shown signs of forsaking its RSS application. In 2008, Google's new web browser, Chrome, didn't render RSS feeds, and in 2011 the company removed Reader's social functions entirely in an attempt to lure users to Google Plus. After the March 13 announcement of Reader's demise, Google offered a three-month sunset period for users?a tidy RSS severance package. That grace period just ended.
Google Reader officially expires on Monday, July 1. But where one reader dies, many thrive?and tech companies have rushed to fill the void. RSS newsreaders, such as Reeder, Press, and Newsify, have stuck deals to integrate with other aggregators' API. Facebook even announced its own reader earlier this week, though it looks to reimagine the experience rather than replicate it.
Here are a few alternatives that will continue to help give order to web chaos.
Feedly
After Google's announcement, Feedly emerged as one of the early frontrunners to replace Reader and grabbed 3 million new users in just a couple of weeks. With more than 12 million users, Feedly announced last week that its back end infrastructure is open to many newsreaders with its cloud API.
Importing Google feeds into Feedly is simple. It takes just one touch of a button. Also, if you're using a third-party reader that's supported by Feedly, transition from Reader to Feedly should be relatively pain-free.
The application's customizable interface allows users to ape the Reader experience and create a magazine-style front page or other image-heavy designs. Feedly cofounder Cyril Moutran also mentioned that the company is exploring a premium option that will be available for power users.
Although Feedly offers an update to the traditional reader experience, there are a few annoyances?most notably, clicking photos forces Pinterest integration instead of linking to the original source. But even this is easily fixed after a quick trip to the aggregator's preferences.
Digg Reader
The developers at Digg turned around a competitive aggregator in just 90 days. A week before the July 1 Google Reader shutdown, Digg gave access to its beta reader so users could import their feeds. For the most part, Digg's "all feed" interface mimics the structure of Google Reader and includes a similar collection of keyboard shortcuts. The application also allows seamless transition between list and expanded views to appease any kind of newsreader.
One advantage Digg Reader has is the tech powerhouse behind it. Digg's current owner, Betaworks, is home to a suite of applications such as Tapestry, Instapaper, and Bit.ly. However, President Andrew McLaughlin has stated that Digg has no interest in favoritism and will also offer the same service to other outside apps within its reader.
Digg Reader allows you to sign in with Facebook, Twitter, and Google. One standalone feature is the Digg.com integration that helps curate trending stories for the user. Whatever you digg becomes its own feed, which you can make public or private.
Digg Reader is still in beta and rolling out users slowly. It's still missing some key functionality?search function, tagging, other service integration?but for something that's only 90 days old, it's hard to argue with the results.
The Other Challengers
AOL's bid into the RSS race is an elegant, straightforward solution to any aggregation woes. A muted blue and gray display and a similar interface as Google Reader might be a good option for anyone who likes their reader stripped down and simple. Of course, it similarly lacks a search function, which will hopefully be fixed in the days to come. http://techland.time.com/2013/06/24/aol-reader-is-a-slightly-better-slightly-worse-version-of-google-reader/
The Old Reader was designed in reaction to Google as well, specifically when Google Reader dropped its sharing features in 2011. It also has a user-friendly interface, and it's simple to transfer subscription from Google Reader through exporting an XML document using Google Takeout. The Old Reader isn't quite as fast as some other feed options when navigating among feeds, so speed readers might be subject to mild frustration.
NewsBlur's interface is a little busier than other RSS readers, but it has an impressive folder system that makes navigation simple. However, Newsblur is a freemium application, and only its paid service ($24 a month) offers unlimited number of sites and more frequent updates. If you stick with the free service, you'll have to wait in line.
Still haven't found the perfect match? Try InoReader, Netvibes, or, for a completely different experience, Flipboard.
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