Google pulling the plug on Reader

[evilfantasy]

This is the first service Google has deemed dead weight that actually bothers me. July 1, 2013 is the cut off date.

So. Anyone have a good alternative? I looked at the Firefox add-ons and none impressed me much.

Full story: Powering Down Google Reader

There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we’re pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience.

In other words, nobody is clicking on the Sponsored Links.

[evilfantasy]

Update: with Google Reader's demise, FeedDemon's developer has announced FeedDemon's death as well.

http://lifehacker.com/rss-reader/

[evilfantasy]

Digg has announced they are building a Google Reader replacement. They could use the traffic, it seems they lost a lot of readers to the once wildly popular link farm after a redesign and has had trouble getting them back. Digg isn’t the only one trying to build a reader but we would put our money on them. Since Google is closing the service due to lack of interest, I am not sure this will help anyone in the long run anyway but more power to them.

Full story: Digg building a Google Reader replacement

Google Reader countdown timer.
Email list for the Digg reader.
http://www.digg.com/reader

...until Google Reader shuts down.

Digg is building a reader and we need your help. Read more on our blog.

Want updates on our progress? Interested in helping us build and test the new reader? Please share your email below. As always, we promise not to spam you. http://www.digg.com/reader

[patio]

5 Alternatives...

[evilfantasy]

I have a feeling I'm going to be installing/uninstalling multiple readers until I find one I like.

[patio]

Here's a few that run inside Firefox...

          Here ya go...

[soybean]

We're talking RSS readers, right?  I've found Opera browser to work well for this.  Opera has a built-in email client.  RSS feeds come into the email client, a small alert panel appears in the lower right, and you can view the list of RSS feeds in the email messages, which appear in a separate browser tab.  Opening an RSS item from there opens it in another tab.

[evilfantasy]

I need a new feed reader, not browser

I'm thinking about going to a desktop application instead of a browser based one this time.

[patio]

Seems the page for the Firefox readers locks up Firefox on this end...let me know if it's happening on your end ...if so i'll pull it down.

[evilfantasy]

Working fine here.

[patio]

OK...thanx bud...
Hope you find a workable alternative outta those.

[evilfantasy]

Hopefully the grumblings from everyone get loud enough for Google to re-think it.

[patio]

Inside sources say too late...
As you stated they were not generating any revenue for it.

[evilfantasy]

Both self driving cars and magic glasses nobody can afford are much more important...

[patio]

Their business model is going the way of past failures...
Tons of loose cash...fragmented dept's that don't communicate...and unpopular public choices...
It's like Sun all over again...

[evilfantasy]

I'm surprised that they didn't attempt to integrate it into Google Plus. Makes me wonder if Google Plus will be in the next round of spring cleaning.

[patio]

Google Plus is gone this year...forget where i read it...most likely TechSpot.

[evilfantasy]

Sounds good to me. Never liked it to start with.

[evilfantasy]

Looks like a favorite is emerging. Feedly adds bandwidth, picks up over 500,000 Google Reader users in 48 hours

To keep the service up, we 10x our bandwidth and added new servers.

I checked out Feedly before starting this topic and it was slooow, maybe due to the Google announcement. I might have to revisit it now that they are beefing up the servers.

[techsupport]

I am really missing the Google Reader. Even though i have other options.

[evilfantasy]

After running RSSOwl along with Google Reader for a few weeks I have come to an uncomfortable realization. I should have dumped it long ago. Some feeds never even show up in Google Reader. It may be 1% or even far less but that's still too many.

I'm thinking about going to a desktop application instead of a browser based one this time.

I think I'll stick with RSSOwl. Too many of the others are not really feed readers. They are bloated applications or web pages with features having nothing to do with RSS.

[patio]

Feed Demon and Sharp Reader are worth a looksee...

[evilfantasy]

FeedDemon's main function is to synchronize with Google Reader so when GR is gone so is FeedDemon.

[patio]

The more i dig...the more confusing it becomes...

RSS alive in Chrome...

Go figure.

[evilfantasy]

Revisiting this for a moment.

Update: with Google Reader's demise, FeedDemon's developer has announced FeedDemon's death as well.

FeedDemon was given a final update and the release was actually the Pro version but is now free including no ads. The FeedDemon Support pages are still active...

I think I'll stick with RSSOwl...

Ultimately the bugs and stability issues got to be too much and I removed RSSOwl from my computer earlier in the week. I've been running FeedDemon for 4 or 5 days now and while I like the RSSOwl features a little more, FeedDemon is much more stable.