Google Reader Got You Down? Here Are Some Alternatives
By: Cadie Thompson | Technology Editor, CNBC.com
Google's move to shut down its reader application this summer has sparked a social media uproar.
(Read More: Google to Shut Down Reader Web Feed Application )
Users took to Twitter and Facebook to vent their frustrations about Google's move. The words "Google Reader" trended worldwide on Twitter Thursday morning.
The search giant announced Wednesday via a blog post that it was planning to shut down the service because usage has declined.
Google Reader is a content feed that allows users to aggregate news via Really Simple Syndication (RSS). Basically, the tool enables people to follow multiple websites through one destination.
While many people now use social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, to access content these days, the backlash from Google shutting down its reader shows that some people will need a replacement for their news aggregation.
Here's a look at a few alternatives to Google's Reader now that it's on its way out.
Feedly: The RSS reader Feedly is a free tool that allows users to organize the content they want to follow in a magazine-style format. It is available as a mobile app and via an extension on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
Flipboard: The mobile-only magazine-designed application is available on iOS and Android and aggregates news based on your interests, selected RSS feeds and can be linked to you social media accounts so that stories your friends post will appear in your feed. Dubbed the "social magazine," the app is designed to feel like a user is flipping through a digital magazine. It features large images for articles that when tapped, expand into the entire story.
Pulse: Pulse is a customizable content aggregator that features a lot of visuals. It is designed in a tile format and is available on desktop and has iOS and Android apps. It also features a save button at the top of each story, which allows users to save the story to read later or send the save story to other applications like Evernote, where the story can also be accessed.
News Blur: Designed similar to Google Reader, NewsBlur allows users to subscribe to websites so that they can be read on the computer or on an iOS or Android device via its app.
