Tag Archives: Google Reader

ownCloud News app alpha-2 release (guest post by Bernhard Posselt)

In this post I hand over the floor to the co-maintainer of the News app Bernhard Posselt (Raydiation). Bernhard is a software engineering student at University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien. As an intern at ownCloud inc., he is the man behind the new ownCloud appframework. He is also involved in the coding and the design of the Notes app and in lots of user and devs documentation for ownCloud.

This is my first real report on the progress of the News app (I’ve escaped Alessandro’s requests to write a blog post quite a few times already :D). I’ve joined as a co-maintainer back in last August, because I was looking for a replacement of Google Reader. I’m a heavy Google Reader user so this app better becomes a solid replacement! 😉

In this post I am happy to announce the second (and last) alpha release of the News app. It is already usable and the core features are implemented, but there will be some rough edges and bugs and we may add small improvements in order to get it stable. See https://github.com/owncloud/news/issues?milestone=3&state=,open

The development of the News app started as a GSoC project last year and at the end of the last summer we announced the first alpha release of the app. So why such a long time span between two alpha releases and why not yet a beta release? There are multiple reasons for this.

First off, we don’t want people to use an app that is not finished yet: this will only scare away people who want to switch to the app and find little annoying bugs. I speak from personal experience: this is the reason why I don’t use KDE SC (tried it multiple times, always been bitten by tons of minor bugs and annoyances).

Second, I’m used to Test-Driven-Development and to web-frameworks like Django and there was basically nothing in this regard at the time I joined ownCloud. In the course of programming the News app I’ve developed a small framework that helps people with ownCloud app development: https://github.com/owncloud/appframework And of course I also had to write documentation for it 🙂

This means I factored out all the parts of the News app which we could generalize, wrote unit tests for it and restructured the News app with the new code.

Since I’m mostly responsible for the JavaScript and CSS part, I ran into maintainability problems and started to port everything to AngularJS. jQuery is a nice tool but it binds your JavaScript code so heavily to the DOM that changes in the template can break the whole app. In the long run this is not maintainable.

I am quite happy with the result now: the whole News app has basically been rewritten using the App Framework, AngularJS, unit tests and a proper architecture and I feel like we will not have to rewrite anything anytime soon. We even have JavaScript unit tests now!

Third and last, we are both students

From: http://algorithmsforthekitchen.com/blog/?p=549

Bing Windows 8 apps updated, boosting RSS functions

Microsoft is keeping a steady flow of updates to its suite of Windows 8 apps, and this week’s refresh goes to Bing News, Maps, and Finance. Even better, Microsoft added video tutorials for each of the apps, which guide users through the features.

The most interesting update of the bunch is for the Bing News app, which now includes an option that lets you add your favorite RSS feeds to the sources list, as well as place custom feeds on the Start Screen. Its arrival is timely in the wake of Google’s decision to kill Google Reader this summer, leaving a lot of RSS lovers scrambling for alternatives.

The updated Bing News is not a Google Reader replacement yet, though. It doesn’t sync the read items with its Windows Phone 8 counterpart and there is no Web interface to use. A good alternative on Windows 8 is the Nextgen Reader app, but since the app uses Google Reader to sync items, Bing News remains Windows 8 users’ best bet for the future—and Microsoft still has some time until the summer to improve the app.

Maps, Finance refreshed

Next up is the Bing Maps app, which is updated with an improved local search option. This lets you search for nearby amenities, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, or shops. Bing Maps has improved walking and transit directions for several countries, and you can now click on landmarks and also report problems with the map imagery.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034645/bing-windows-8-apps-updated-boosting-rss-functions.html#tk.rss_all

Google Reader's Last Product Manager Calls Its Shutdown a Missed Opportunity

By Alex Kantrowitz, Contributor

Autoblog Podcast Live

When he came to Google as a product manager in 2007, Brian Shih wanted to work on Google Reader more than any other product at the company. A Reader user from nearly the moment it launched, Shih’s passion for the product must have been apparent– Google’s leadership soon assigned him to it. Over the course of nearly the next three years, Shih watched as Reader was first stripped down and then put into maintenance, the hospice care of the Internet world. When he began the role, little did he know he would be the last to hold it. Shih left Google in 2011 but still thinks about the demise of the beloved product. In a phone interview last Friday, he criticized his former employer for shutting down Reader, calling it a missed opportunity. Had Google kept Reader alive, Shih said, the company could have realized two main benefits: The product, he said, could have been used as a testing ground, or mini R&D lab, for Google’s social initiatives. And, had Google let Reader continue to evolve, Shih believes it could have turned into a viable solution to information overload. Solving The Information Overload Problem RIP @googlereader 🙁 …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

What's Google's New Keep All About?

By Caroline Bennett, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Google is no stranger to making headlines. Grabbing attention is par for the course when you’re the Internet’s dominant search engine, not to mention one that’s working on a potentially revolutionary idea (e.g., Google Glass). Even in the wake of all this craziness, Google is still managing to make waves for new reasons.

A few weeks ago, the company underwent its annual spring cleaning process, when it trims the fat and gets rid of apps and programs that aren’t performing well. This year’s most widely mourned deletion was the search engine’s RSS feed, Google Reader. The move had analysts speculating that the end of RSS as we know it is nigh.

Google is giving users plenty of time to grieve Google Reader‘s demise (the device is still usable until July 1), but it’s also keeping its sights set firmly forward. The search engine has plans for a new app, which takes its inspiration from a much different place. With Google Keep, users can bookmark pages and files they like and save them for future use. In short, Google has finally made its own version of Evernote.

Is the birth of Google Keep a savvy step in the right direction, or is Google a little too late to the Evernote party? Speaking of Evernote, should the app be worried, or can the two coexist in harmony? And how will this help the almighty search engine’s already stalwart financial stats? In the following video, Fool contributor Caroline Bennett has a few thoughts and questions on the new move.

As one of the most dominant Internet companies ever, Google has made a habit of driving strong returns for its shareholders. However, like many other Web companies, it’s also struggling to adapt to an increasingly mobile world. Despite gaining an enviable lead with its Android operating system, the market isn’t sold. That’s why it’s more important than ever to understand each piece of Google’s sprawling empire. In The Motley Fool’s new premium research report on Google, we break down the risks and potential rewards for Google investors. Simply click here now to unlock your copy of this invaluable resource.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

2 Reasons Google's Newest Innovation Is Here to Stay

By Steve Symington, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Two weeks ago during its annual bout of “spring cleaning,” Google announced the coming destruction of its popular Google Reader product, which was originally released in 2005.

Of course, as is the case with any established product with a core group of loyal users, droves of annoyed Google Reader fans took to the web to decry the search giant’s decision.

It’s only natural, then, for Google’s official launch last week of Keep — the company’s new aptly named note-taking app — to be met with a certain level of skepticism. After all, why in the world would anyone want to use Google’s products if they can’t be absolutely certain they will exist in another year?

Go ahead and tell that to the more than 1.5 million people who have already downloaded Keep from the Android app market, with more than 11,000 giving it an average rating of 4.4 out of five stars as of this writing.

With that in mind, here are two big reasons Google Keep is here to stay.

Working on products that matter
When Google powered down Reader earlier this month, it provided the following anticlimactic explanation on its official blog:

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.

You can’t blame Google for putting the kibosh on a product with a dwindling user base, can you? In fact, from an investing standpoint, we should be relieved Google is further honing its focus on products which have the greatest long-term potential.

And that, my fellow Fools, is exactly where young applications like Keep come into play. You see, Google isn’t afraid to change for the better, and Keep’s recent introduction makes it appear as if it stands as one of those aforementioned “fewer products” into which Google is pouring its newly focused energy.

Plenty of competition
Through Keep, Android users can effectively keep track of ideas, checklists, and photos, all while simultaneously storing them in the cloud with Google Drive.

So what’s the problem? Keep is entering an already crowded market of note-taking productivity apps; Apple, for one, has long included a simple notes feature in its operating systems, and Microsoft offers its competing OneNote product (though it’s certainly not free) as well as a suite of online tools in Office 365. Most notably, however, is the well-established Evernote, which currently boasts more than 13 million downloads from the Android App market alone.

That, however, is one of the very reasons Google needs Keep so badly, and why the app is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Prior to Keep, Google itself had offered little in the way of task management solutions, and Keep goes a long way toward filling those gaps to make Google’s comprehensive ecosystem that much stickier. 

A few days ago, fellow Fool Tim Beyers also made a great point about Keep:

The trouble with …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Behind the Death of Google Reader

By Caroline Bennett, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

It might be snowing in other parts of the country, but for Google , spring is definitely in the air. This means it’s time for the search engine’s annual “spring cleaning” session, when it makes room in its arsenal by doing away with old products and services.

This year, Google is getting rid of an application that used to be one of its most popular: Reader, which allowed users to scan their favorite RSS feeds. Is this the end of the RSS era, or is Google simply trying to move in a new direction? Fool contributor Caroline Bennett examines the demise of Reader in the video below.

It’s more important than ever to understand each piece of Google’s sprawling empire. In The Motley Fool’s new premium research report on Google, we break down the risks and potential rewards for Google investors. Simply click here now to unlock your copy of this invaluable resource.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, contentByline: “Caroline Bennett“, contentId: “cms.27037”, contentTickers: “NASDAQ:GOOG”, contentTitle: “Behind the Death of Google Reader“, hasVideo: “True”, pitchId: “119”, pitchTickers: “NASDAQ:GOOG”, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Google Tightens Its Focus As It Moves Closer to Glass Launch

By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Google is known to have its hand in a lot of pots. The company has transformed all autonomous cars, email, mobile OS, Internet search, and advertising. But in the past month, we’ve seen Google home in on few new offerings and weed a big one out. All of this may point to new focus at Google — its upcoming Google Glass product.

Out with the old
Google has been known to start new products and then abruptly shut them down. Back when smartphones were less prevalent, mobile users could call Goog-411 and look up phone numbers and addresses or just about anything from your phone. But that one bit the dust. Most recently, Google shut down its famed Google Reader, prompting online petitions to bring the service back and resulting in 500,000 new customers for RSS service Feedly.

Google’s experiments are more than just tinkering, though. The company pursues many tech avenues because technology moves quickly and consumer interests are constantly evolving. But its recent release of two new apps, Google Now and Google Keep, point to a more focused company — one where Google is looking straight into the future.

Building in the present, but looking ahead
Even the name of the new apps indicate a focus on the present state of mind. Google Now is built around the idea of giving users information about their world when they need it most. Whether it’s changes to flights, traffic updates, or simple reminders, Google Now wants to be the service that works with you as your life is happening in real time.

Google Keep is, well, another note-taking app — but by the end of the year it could be so much more. Google Keep features are pretty standard as far as note-taking apps go: audio notes, voice-transcribed notes, the ability to take photos and add text to them, all stored in the cloud and synced to other devices. But if this type of technology is paired with a set of Google Glasses, then it becomes truly revolutionary. Google Glass users could tell their glasses to take a picture of their car, add a speech-to-text note to remind them to get the oil changed, and then have the note pop up as a reminder when they leave the office.

Source: Google.

Google Keep and Google Now aren’t just productivity apps; they’re another step in the wearable-computing direction. They’re Google’s way of creating apps that work alongside users in real time, with minimal interaction with a device.

Keeping it all in focus
Google may not always get the same attention as Apple or Samsung get for its products, but Google Glass and its interactive offerings may propel technology into a new stage of interaction for the average consumer. Google Glass will cost about $1,500 when it becomes available, but that high price tag shouldn’t deter investors from seeing Google’s vision. In …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

And That, Google, Is How You Lose The Influencers

By Ewan Spence, Contributor

The launch of Google Keep has provoked a number of interesting reactions online. The service will allow you to create short notes and checklists, snap pictures for later, dictate voice notes, and have these all stored on Google Drive for later use. The similarity to Evernote has been pointed out by many, but I’m more interested in the reaction to Keep in the wake of Google’s decision to sunset their RSS client Google Reader. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Google’s RSS Chrome extension returns to Chrome Web Store but Reader-less

Google may have upset a small, yet vocal minority, over the impending closure of Google Reader on July 1, but the company hasn’t given up entirely on RSS.

The search giant’s RSS Subscription Extension has reappeared on the Chrome Web Store after it disappeared a few days after the Google Reader shutdown announcement. It turns out that the RSS extension removal was not intentional, according to the author of the Chrome add-on.

“My RSS extension was removed by mistake, but it is now up again on the webstore,” Google software engineer Finnur Thorarinsson said Tuesday on a Google Code forum thread. A Google spokesperson was unavailable as of this writing to comment on the return of its Chrome RSS extension.

Google’s Chrome RSS Subscription Extension

is a convenient way to add an RSS feed to an online feed reader in just a few clicks. The new version of Google’s RSS extension removes the options to add feeds to Google Reader and iGoogle, the search giant’s personalized home page service that will shut down on November 1.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

How to migrate RSS feeds from Google Reader

Google announced last week that Google Reader is closing down. The Web-based RSS feed reader will be history on July 1, 2013, which means you’ve got a little more than three months to move those Google Reader subscriptions to a new RSS reader.

In this video, I’ll show you exactly how to do that, using Takeout, Google’s way of providing your information in a format you can take with you to other programs. I’ll turn my Google Reader subscriptions into a file that I can then use with different RSS readers. And I’ll show you how to get your information into other services like Feedly and The Old Reader.

Looking for more information about Google Reader’s impending shutdown? You can read about three alternatives to Google Reader and find out how other developers are looking to fill the gap left by Google.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Aaron Toponce: Tiny Tiny RSS – The Google Reader Replacement

With all the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth about Google killing Reader, I figured I’d blog something productive. Rather than piss and moan, here is a valid solution you can build for at most two bucks, using entirely Free Software, running on your own server, under your control. The solution is to install Tiny Tiny RSS on your own server, and if you have an Android smartphone, the official Tiny Tiny RSS app ($2 for the unlock key (support the developer- this stuff rocks)). Here are the step-by-step installation directions that should get you an up-and-running Reader replacement in less than 30 minutes.

First, create a directory on your webserver where you will install Tiny Tiny RSS. You will need Apache, lighttpd, Cherokee, or some other web server, PHP with the necessary modules as well as the PHP CLI interpreter, and either MySQL or PostgreSQL as prerequisites.:

# mkdir /var/www/rss
# wget https://github.com/gothfox/Tiny-Tiny-RSS/archive/1.7.4.tar.gz
# tar -xf 1.7.4.tar.gz -C /var/www/rss/
# chown -R root.www-data /var/www/rss/
# chmod -R g+w,o+ /var/www/rss/

Pull up the web interface by navigating to http://example.com/rss/ (replace “example.com” with your domain name). The default login credentials are “admin” and “password”. Make sure to change the default password. Also, Tiny Tiny RSS uses a multiuser setup by default. You can add additional users, including one for yourself that isn’t “admin”, or you can change it to single user mode in the preferences.

After the setup is the way you want it, you’ll want to get your Google Reader feeds into Tiny Tiny RSS. Navigate to Reader, and export your data. This will take you to Google Takeout, and you’ll download a massive ZIP archive, that contains an OPML file, as well as a ton of other data. Grab your “subscriptions.xml” from that ZIP file, and import them into your Tiny Tiny RSS installation.

One awesome benefit of Tiny Tiny RSS, is that it has a built-in mobile version, if browsing the install from a mobile browser. It looks good too.

The only thing left to do, is navigate to the preferences, and enable the external API. There are additional 3rd party desktop-based readers that have Tiny Tiny RSS support, such as Liferea and Newsbeuter. Even the official Android app will need the option enabled. This will give you full synchronization between the web interface, your Android app, and your desktop RSS reader.

Unfortunately, Tiny Tiny RSS doesn’t update the feeds by default. You need to setup a script that manages this for you. The best solution is to write a proper init script that starts and stops the updating daemon. I didn’t do this. Instead, I did the next best thing. I put the following into my /etc/rc.local configuration file:

#!/bin/sh -e
#
# rc.local
#
# This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
# Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
# value on error.
#
# In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
# bits.
#
# By default this script does nothing.

sudo -u www-data php /var/www/rss/update_daemon2.php > /dev/null&
exit 0

A couple …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Planet Ubuntu

Feedly picking up where Google Reader leaves off

Feedly is cleaning Google Reader’s plate.

The RSS feed reader app says it has picked more than 500,000 Google Reader users since Google announced it will be killing Reader on July 1.

The reason? Feedly has made it simple for Google users to switch and retain all their Reader feeds and categories. You just sign into Feedly with your Google account credentials.

The blogosphere went wild after Google’s announcement. Seemingly everyone was chiming in on the subject to complain about the news, tell others to sign apetition to get Google to change its mind or give advice as to which RSS services could replace it.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Mobile computing and social media innovation can mean less user control

The Internet freaked out this week after Google announced the closure of its cloud-based RSS reader, Google Reader.

RSS fans begged Google to change its mind, signed a petition and scrambled to come up with alternatives. Although Google Reader is just one reader among many (probably the best one), many expressed fear that the RSS format itself is threatened by Google’s action.

Despite the thousands of articles and blog posts lamenting the loss, few wondered why so many people think RSS is worth saving.

The conventional wisdom, which is conventional but not wisdom, says that RSS is obsolete because now we have Twitter and other social things. Techcrunch even said ” In essence, Twitter is a big RSS reader.”

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Why Google Reader Had To Die

By Forrester Research, Contributor

This week, Google announced that it will shut down Google Reader on July 1, 2013. In its announcement, Google states that it’s doing this because the usage of Google Reader has declined and it wants to concentrate on fewer products. There was a lot of buzz online about this decision, and some fanatical Google Reader fans put together a petition to keep the RSS reader alive. They garnered more than 50,000 signatures in just a few hours. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest