Google Reader shutting down.

K-9

There was a time RSS subscriptions were the cool new thing with even Google getting in on it, now it's old and closing down, facebook or twitter seem to be where people read their news these days.

Any good sites for gathering news items and just that? I don't want to read about what somebody watched last night or had for dinner, I just want to catch up on the news, sports etc.

Seachmall

The only thing I ever found useful about RSS feeds was to learn XML parsing. Didn't realise people actually used them. I'm surprised Google's lasted as long as it did tbh.

FatherLen

K-9 wrote: »

I just want to catch up on the news, sports etc.

but boards....?

PogMoThoin

I still use Google Reader all the time, would badly miss it. I've not fully moved to social media for my feeds. Twitter is ok, but some content is better in a reader.

I found RSS feeds especially useful on my phone, when I'd use apps to access the news I wanted quickly. Will be very much a pity when they're gone.

Dyr

Retires Google Reader due to "low usage"

*picture of douchebag*

Keeps Google+ open

Alpha Dog 1

K-9 wrote: »

There was a time RSS subscriptions were the cool new thing with even Google getting in on it, now it's old and closing down, facebook or twitter seem to be where people read their news these days.

Any good sites for gathering news items and just that? I don't want to read about what somebody watched last night or had for dinner, I just want to catch up on the news, sports etc.

Pulse and flipbored are good smartphone apps for news.

FoxT

I've always really liked RSS. I use it for news headlines, mainly, and found it very good.
I use twitter also, but lately, so many tweets are just noise. News media often retweet the same thing a few times, and they also are developing a tendency to tweet valuelessly if its a slow news day.

These issues did not occur with RSS. The biggest problem with RSS IMO is that most people didnt know it even existed!

Another issue I've found lately is that it is harder to find the RSS feeds on websites. Took me about 5 mins to find the Irish Times RSS feed the other day. This isnt a big deal, but , if sites dont promote it, people wont use it.

keith16

Hey K-9, try the google currents app

PogMoThoin

Alpha Dog 1 wrote: »

Pulse and flipbored are good smartphone apps for news.

Can you add RSS feeds to Flipboard?

positron

That's terrible. I use Google Reader and keep track of all my intersting blogs and news sources there. Does Google has an alternate product / solution for Reader?

/I am officially starting to dislike Google...

K-9

Deleted User wrote: »

I found RSS feeds especially useful on my phone, when I'd use apps to access the news I wanted quickly. Will be very much a pity when they're gone.

Can see RSS feeds going eventually all right.

Bambi wrote: »

Retires Google Reader due to "low usage"

*picture of douchebag*

Keeps Google+ open

They'll keep trying to come up with a googleface, what was the one they tried a few years back?

Cutting back on services but coming up with muck like g+.

Alpha Dog 1 wrote: »

Pulse and flipbored are good smartphone apps for news.

Actually I use feedly, just google it, it takes your Google Reader feeds and presents then in a much better and quicker way. They've announced they'll have a way round it by coming up with their own service.

Kichote

I used to read a lot of blogs and use the firefox live bookmarks feature. Still use it for a couple of sites and on my phone

Then they started pushing people to use a website to read the feeds which always seemed a bit pointless to me. RSS is a handy feature but without a megacorp agressively pushing its use it will go unnoticed by most non techy people

I hate twitter and i'll never use it as a replacement for anything. Mostly teenyboppers tweeting about justin beeber these days anyway

positron

Save Google Reader campaign page: http://savegooglereader.org/

LifeHacker page on best GR alternatives http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/03/the-best-google-reader-alternatives/

Another 'Keep Google Reader Alive' petition with 25k+ supporters at the moment: https://www.change.org/petitions/google-keep-google-reader-running#share

And every other alternate reader websites have come to a grinding halt as this news is spreading and everyone is scrambling for other options.. Did Google underestimate how popular Google Reader is? They piling on a lot of bad karma for this....

K-9

FoxT wrote: »

Another issue I've found lately is that it is harder to find the RSS feeds on websites. Took me about 5 mins to find the Irish Times RSS feed the other day. This isnt a big deal, but , if sites dont promote it, people wont use it.

Yep, browsers are also not helping, the sub button is gone from the address bar in Firefox and I think Chrome as well. Chrome has an extension to bring it back.

Sorry had, when I look it up on the app store seems they have retired it too.

Ush1

They ditched Google Listen recently enough and told people to use google reader for podcasts. I didn't like Google Reader that much though, wonder what they'll recommend for podcasts instead, can't let iTunes have all their own way.

brimal

Shame, I use Google Reader every day for one of my businesses. Anyone got an alternative RSS reader they recommend?

K-9

brimal wrote: »

Shame, I use Google Reader every day for one of my businesses. Anyone got an alternative RSS reader they recommend?

Feedly is good, takes your current Google Reader feeds and organises them differently. They are setting up their own service to work around the closure.

Dyr

K-9 wrote: »

They'll keep trying to come up with a googleface, what was the one they tried a few years back?

Wave?

Or Buzz?

or all the others....

PogMoThoin

K-9 wrote: »

Feedly is good, takes your current Google Reader feeds and organises them differently. They are setting up their own service to work around the closure.

It's ok, but I'm missing the Google Reader Widget already

Chips Lovell

That's annoying. Google Reader is one of the things I'd have open all day, every day.

steve_r

Ush1 wrote: »

They ditched Google Listen recently enough and told people to use google reader for podcasts. I didn't like Google Reader that much though, wonder what they'll recommend for podcasts instead, can't let iTunes have all their own way.

I use the gReader app (which relies on Google Reader) for my podcasts (with BeyondPod) so I'm disappointed to see this go.

I do envy iOS, it does make podcasts so much easier. Maybe I'm missing an amazing podcast listener for Android though so if anyone wants to name one that doesn't need google reader that would be great!

Ush1

steve_r wrote: »

I use the gReader app (which relies on Google Reader) for my podcasts (with BeyondPod) so I'm disappointed to see this go.

I do envy iOS, it does make podcasts so much easier. Maybe I'm missing an amazing podcast listener for Android though so if anyone wants to name one that doesn't need google reader that would be great!

I still use Google Listen, can get it here:

http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/Audio/Google-Listen-Android-121121.shtml

Even though no development will be done it's still the best audio podcast app I've used.

Mr Benevolent

What a goddamn tragedy of epic proportions.

This thread should have been started in a forum where someone cares bout nerd woes.

gurramok

I never got Reader working properly in Chrome or FF on the PC so gave up a long while ago. I just use the normal RSS feeds from the sites manually added in to get my news.

norrie rugger

I'm going to miss my iGoogle homepage. I have all my feeds directed there. RTE, BBC News/Sport/Tech, New Scientist, Weather etc.
All updated on the one page, without me having to go look for the info.

PogMoThoin

norrie rugger wrote: »

I'm going to miss my iGoogle homepage. I have all me feeds directed there. RTE, BBC News/Sport/Tech, New Scientist, Weather etc.
All updated on the one page, without me having to go look for the info.

Did iGoogle not finish a while back

missingtime

http://www.feedly.com/

On their blog they are giving instructions on how to import from google reader http://blog.feedly.com/

Annasopra

brimal wrote: »

Shame, I use Google Reader every day for one of my businesses. Anyone got an alternative RSS reader they recommend?

I use feedreader which is quite good

H3llR4iser

Curiosity: what exactly does Google Reader do that other RSS aggregators don't? I have always used desktop applications or (more recently) a sidebar gadget, which is always there without the need to go to or keep a browser open.

PogMoThoin

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Curiosity: what exactly does Google Reader do that other RSS aggregators don't? I have always used desktop applications or (more recently) a sidebar gadget, which is always there without the need to go to or keep a browser open.

It's all part of the Google ecosystem, it gives you multiple options to view your content from anywhere, browser, phone, tablet, as long as you're signed into Google. Not tied to an independent gadget on your desktop.

Haven't you heard the "cloud" buzz word being bandied about lately

H3llR4iser

PogMoThoin wrote: »

...
Haven't you heard the "cloud" buzz word being bandied about lately
...

It's just that being a technical person it doesn't really affect me much, I don't find it aggravating to keep applications sync'd "manually"

KyussBishop

RSSOwl is pretty good, and it can import Google Reader stuff; it has a couple of long-term bugs that could do with fixing, but works great otherwise:
http://www.rssowl.org/overview

norrie rugger

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Did iGoogle not finish a while back

They announced it a while ago but not going until November this year, AFAIK

Morag

Netvibes.com FTW

CrazyRabbit

Feck it. I really like Google Reader app for Android. I get all my news from it. Best thing is that I can have it display only news with specific keywords, so I only get stuff that interests me.

Scruffles

mango salsa wrote: »

I use feedreader which is quite good

am not a user of feeds but woud recommend bookmarking the site 'alternative to' and whenever are stuck for a program or one goes kerplunk just search the name or a similar one from the same sort of theme.
a search for google reader gives a **** ton of alternative programs; most are multi platform and open source- http://alternativeto.net/software/google-reader/

Grayson

Alpha Dog 1 wrote: »

Pulse and flipbored are good smartphone apps for news.

Pulse especially. taptu was another.

RSS was handy. But compared to pulse, it's like comparing and iphone/android to WAP.

K-9

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Curiosity: what exactly does Google Reader do that other RSS aggregators don't? I have always used desktop applications or (more recently) a sidebar gadget, which is always there without the need to go to or keep a browser open.

Tbh nothing, as I mentioned I use Feedly, it's quicker and more intuitive, I found GR slow, Feedly just was a better version of GR.

Morag wrote: »

Netvibes.com FTW

Tried it and a couple of others a few months back, didn't like it. Too Microsoft Metro for me.

Dyr

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Feck it. I really like Google Reader app for Android. I get all my news from it. Best thing is that I can have it display only news with specific keywords, so I only get stuff that interests me.

Yeah I use it on android, its way better than the web version or android apps like pulse