These days it seems like the whole world has shifted over to web-based RSS aggregators like Google Reader and Bloglines. If you're a holdout and prefer to use a Windows desktop application reader, you might be pleased to note that NewsGator's FeedDemon has recently had an update to version 2.5. FeedDemon is widely accepted as the best Windows-based offline reader, and the only reason that it doesn't kill the competition is that it is a commercial product, whereas it is competing against a host of free alternatives. Anyhow, there are a lot of people that use FeedDemon and those users can now take advantage of the new features that have been added to it, like better support for offline reading and a very well conceptualized Popular Topics report.
The new offline reading functionality gives users the ability to prefetch unread items, which will store not only all images in unread posts, but a configurable number of linked pages. While this process can take awhile, it gives you what is essentially a full-featured feed reading and browsing experience while offline. Good stuff.
The new Popular Topics page lets you see at a glance which topics are being linked to and commented upon often amongst the feeds that you are subscribed to, with a callout that shows what is most popular amongst all of NewsGator Online's users. Great stuff.
For similar functionality on a Mac, check out NetNewsWire, also owned by NewsGator.
FeedDemon and NetNewsWire are undoubtedly top-notch products, and ones that we have used regularly in the past. Unfortunately, they may be some of the best and last in a dying breed of software; with the recent addition of offline browsing functionality to Google Reader, there is one less reason not to simply consume your feeds in a browser. Working in a browser for feed reading adds the advantage of not needing to switch contexts from feed reader to browser, or work with an under-powered built-in browser in an offline reader. Since you're dealing with web content, what better place to do so than in a browser?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-04-2007 @ 8:59AM
Peter said...
FeedDemon is awesome. The main reason I don't use a web-based reader is they are too slow when dealing with lots of feeds.
If you follow 10 or 20 feeds, a web-based reader is great. When you reach 100+ feeds and you want to do keyword searches, web based readers show their limitations.
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6-04-2007 @ 9:51AM
Tal Shafik said...
Is Scoble uses a web based reader on his hundreds of feeds, It's safe to assume it'll work for anyone else. An app just for reading feeds makes absoulutely no sense to me.
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6-04-2007 @ 11:30AM
LordDaMan said...
I think google thinks otherwise about this. They did just buy this compnay, and why would you buy this compnay if not for the software?
Give it 6 months, there will be a branded google version of this that syncs to google reader online
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6-05-2007 @ 10:17PM
Peter said...
LordDaMan - Are you saying Google bought NewsGator?
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6-07-2007 @ 2:37PM
critter42 said...
Uh, LordDaMan, not sure where you think you heard that, but that is incorrect. The only thing recently they've bought (or are attempting to buy) is ad monster DoubleClick
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6-15-2007 @ 4:30PM
Patrick said...
have any of you tried http://www.itsmynews.com. There a new web based RSS aggregator and so far i have not had any problems with them. Very user friendly and lots of feeds. Also you can rate the different feeds and share them with your friends. Anyways you should check them out, and i would be interested in knowing how you think they stack up against the different RSS reader you are using now
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