Whether I like or not, technology is part of my life, and part of that is helping others use technology to make their lives simpler, efficient, and organized. In order to share that passion, I am going to start to post a tip or resource every other Tuesday. This might be a tool, a concept, or something I just really think I need to share.
The web is filled with a ton of content – some of it’s awesome, a lot of it not so much. The problem is that sifting through all the good content everyday can be cumbersome. So I’ve been telling every one I can about Google Reader.
What is Google Reader?
Google Reader is a what many call a “feed reader”. There are many feed readers out there, but Google’s is just my favorite. A feed reader consumes RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, which is a standard for how content can be passed into a reader. Outlook and even some web browsers have built in feed readers that you can use.
Isn’t RSS just for blogs?
No, RSS is being used all over. You can consume many types of content such as news sites like CNN, FOX, and most newspapers. But you can also use it to look at Twitter feeds and other social media information. But yes, blogs use RSS too.
To determine if a site has a RSS feed, look for the orange icon like the one shown here either on the page, or in the browser toolbar. By clicking that link, you can get the web address of the feed that can be pasted in Google Reader.
Here are some notable blogs to follow:
How to get started:
- Go to the Google Reader website.
- Sign in or create a Google account
- Click the “Add Subscription” button to add the URL of the RSS feed.
Advanced Tip:
One of the things that sets Google Reader apart for me is the keyboard shortcuts it has available. Take a minute to learn the shortcuts. It helps me browse through 50+ feeds quickly everyday.
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