Applications

Google Reader on the Desktop

By Steven Coburn ⋅ June 23, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

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Like some people, I prefer having the control and flexibility of a desktop RSS aggregator (although some people would say these are reasons to go with an online reader). All of this is opinion of course, but the best general solution I’ve found is to use desktop applications that somehow synchronize with online services for the added convenience. NetNewsWire, one of the most popular desktop RSS readers, uses this as one of its main selling points (even though its free).

But more and more people now are migrating toward their web browser for media consumption. RSS is no exception. For good reason, Google Reader has emerged as one of the leading online RSS readers with its appealing looks, tight integration with other Google Apps that you might/probably use, and simplicity that makes it possible for anyone to use it. The only thing that keeps me from using it (I currently use Vienna) is the lack of a desktop application. There are certain things with desktop applications that I, like most people, find advantages. But with the convenience and accessibility of an online reader, I find myself in an interesting position. This is why i was very happy to come across an Adobe Air application called ReadAir. So far, its just about the closest thing to Google Reader on the desktop that I’ve been able to find. Although it lacks some basic features, such as a badge on the dock icon to tell you the number of unread articles and keyboard support to name a few, there are plenty of advantages. If you are used to using Google Reader from  your browser, you will find things like the ability to star things from ReadAir useful.

ReadAir does have some minor bugs, but its still in active development, and you can see the list of things to check off on the app’s Google Code page. But if you are an avid user of Google Reader, I’m sure that this will be a neat and convent way to more easily access your RSS feeds, especially as it develops into a more robust and mature application.

Tags: Adobe Air, google, Google Reader, ReadAir, Reader, rss