Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Blog Reader Conundrum

Ok ....so I'm a blogger. Not the epic blogger like Ree, or Sophie or Meg or any of the other hundreds of bloggers I follow.  Yes, I said HUNDREDS but I am in fact a blogger and a fan of blogs.  How do you find time to read 100's of blogs everyday you may ask?  Well until recently it has been through the glorious efforts of Google Reader.  Yes, another amazing google product BUT it's going away!!! WTH??!!!!  
So along with all those other ah-maze-ing supercalifragilistic bloggers I follow I'm frantically searching for a new blog reader.   I've tried a few but so far I'm "settling" for 2 replacements.  I'm ok with two options because 1 is on my Ipad and 1 for my laptop.  I'm happier with my iPad app more so than the laptop app.   Let's elaborate shall we?

My favorite iPad app:   Newsify
It gets its feed from Google reader so my question is, Are they going to pull it together before July 1 and find a way to keep the app running?  I hope so because I like the way it functions on my iPad.
They are searching for options and this is directly from their website and somehow I'm not finding that information very comforting.


FAQ > General > What will happen when Google Reader shuts down?

Search the FAQ for entries containing:
 
We're still investigating options, but our desire is to keep Newsify working after Google Reader shuts down. Follow us on Twitter for updates.


I've used Feedler as well.  Feedler is the most popular iPad app for a reader but I found it crashed on me...like a LOT.  So I've been using newsify and I'm liking it very well.  Making it the most likely choice for me but just in case I have both apps installed on my iPad and I've got my imports from Google already set up so come July 1 I won't be scrambling to remember what blogs I was following. 

Mac Laptop Alternatives
I'm not sure that being Mac or PC really factors into this but it is definitely something to remember to take into consideration.  The worst part is by every review I find Google Reader is hands down the favorite and most widely used Reader.  WTH Google??   It's like saying you aren't supporting google search anymore!!!    I'm sure you have your reasons, however invalid they are, so we must select a worthy replacement. 

1) At this time I'm using FEEDLY and I'm ok with it.  It has a nice look but I'm not completely happy with it just yet.  That's just yet, not saying I won't grow to love it but at this time it is definitely in the lead.  It also relies on a google reader feed but they are promising that the new backend server "Normandy" will be completely ready on July 1 to take over.  I will give them this....the switch could not have been easier.  I mean really, could not have been easier which makes me think this will be my replacement. You know because I've already imported all my blogs and I know I won't miss any updates when reader shuts down.

2) I've just learned of this reader and it seems to be a favorite in the geeky tech world so I might have to give it a whirl before making the final call.  I mean I have until July 1 you know and I tend to thrive on the geeky tech side.   (Yes, it's true I was an IT nerd long before a blogger-bet that's something you didn't know about me-which is something some of my children fail to recognize.  They will call "dad" for computer problems completely forgetting that I used to get paid to resolve computer problems, teach classes, manage networks, perform upgrades and such.  We live in such a biased world thinking boys are better than girls at computer stuff.  Silly society, girls are geeks too!)  Ok back up the bus and return to reader replacements.  It's called NetVibes.   It will have to be easy to switch otherwise it will most certainly lose out to Feedly.  

3) Another new one to me is relative newcomer NewsBlur. I'm excited to give this one a try because I don't have to actually create an account to see what it looks like and how it works.  That's a bonus for sure.  I have enough extraneous accounts flying around out there on the internets.

4) I also intend to try this one out there strictly for Mac, NetNewsWire.  They are making big promises to have the issues resolved to pick up where google stops come July 1.  Not as comforting as Feedly but something to try out.  You never know until you try, right?  And the fact it is a Mac solution gives me hope that it will be a good option. 

5) One that seems to be very popular in Blog Land is BlogLovin.  One downside of this is you must create an account before seeing how it works.   Is it worth one  more account floating around out there that I don't use anymore worth trying out? Yes, I think so.  

6) I've also read that hotmail's replacement Outlook can function as a reader. Sorry guys, not interested as I'm not really that pleased with what Outlook did to my Hotmail email account so I'm not interested in using you more.  In the words of the Donald...you're fired.

7) Digg has announced that it is going to build a new reader and have it ready by July 1.  The people have spoken and asked Digg to 1) Keep it simple 2) Make it fast 3) Synchronize across devices 4) Make the import from Google reader super easy.  To this I say Amen, Amen, Amen and Amen.  Unfortunately it also feels the need to sync in my other social media...thanks but no thanks.  Do one thing and do one thing well Digg.   Google didn't include that in the Reader because we didn't want it.  I don't want my friends dog pictures from Instagram, to know who has been to the gym today and why someone is passing judgement on another persons actions, political views, religious beliefs into my reader.  I can go to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on my own just fine thankyouverymuch.

So there are my top contenders, some possibilities and some definite no's.  What about you?  Do you already use one of these?  Are you sitting in your chair going What the Heck is she even talking about?  Isn't she supposed to be cooking?  Did I click on the wrong website?  Are you like me and wanting to call Google and BEG BEG BEG them to reconsider this discontinuation?  Just wondering what I'm having for dinner?  Talk to me peeps!!!

Peace, Love & Readers


p.s.  Ghoulash, we're having ghoulash for dinner.  That's a question I can answer.  We had Chicken Cobbler last night and you'll get that recipe tomorrow!


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