RSS Readers Reviewed

[Stinsonddog]

I have made an interesting comparison of two products, FreeNews and Newsclip. They both do something Really Simple but in different ways, and they are both working on exciting new builds which in a way converge with each other.

I have also posted this in the general forum but you know my loyalty here too.

[tfaz1]

So where is this review, Stinson?

P.S. Are you near to the beach that is referenced in your name? I'm in Oakland.

[Stinsonddog]

and the name of my oldest dog. Used to have a dog name Tamalpais that passed away this past Father's Day.

Go to my tips site (link in my signature), and then hit the link for RSS readers.



So where is this review, Stinson?

P.S. Are you near to the beach that is referenced in your name? I'm in Oakland.

[tfaz1]

Awesome. Thanks.

By the way, have you tried the Bloglines BB client? It's free and will pull from any feeds you've already setup on Bloglines...

[Stinsonddog]

I'll do a quick update.


Awesome. Thanks.

By the way, have you tried the Bloglines BB client? It's free and will pull from any feeds you've already setup on Bloglines...

[gdpmumin]

I've been using NewsClip (http://www.virtualreach.com/) and FreeNews (http://www.freerangeinc.com/) interchangeably for the last couple of weeks on my 7130e, and both have excellent features. Of course, both have some usability issues that could be improved, too.

I use NewsGator (http://www.newsgator.com/) Outlook edition as my desktop RSS aggregator. One of the optional account upgrades includes a mobile edition. You can set NewsGator to be viewed on mobile phone browsers (uses HTML--not WML yet). By setting up a mobile URL, you can bookmark the site and your feeds are right there in your browser, up-to-date when you're ready for them.

Like any other application, this method does have its drawbacks. The mobile edition shows only new feeds, so you don't have the option of going back and reading older posts, and you can't rename or otherwise manipulate the feeds. But for simple reading, it works well. Links in the post show up as intended (which is different from NewsClip of FreeNews).

You can also set up an e-mail edition and have your BIS pull the latest posts and send them to your BB as an e-mail message.

Editions are synchronized, so when you read a post in one edition (mobile, for example) it's marked as read in your other editions (Outlook and web, for example). Using the BlackBerry browser, I don't notice that it's any slower than any of the downloadable RSS readers.

NewsGator has a free consumer version, but to get the mobile edition you have to sign up for at least the Consumer Gold, which is $29.95/year. A NewsGator FeedDemon desktop edition is coming soon.

This may not be for everyone, but it is another option for BB users to stay updated with their news/blog reading.

[jmkissel]

Bloglines is by far the best RSS reader. It offer desktop and mobile editions FREE. And they all syncronize, so if you view your feeds on your BlackBerry it will appear as "read" on your desktop and vice versa.

[tfaz1]

I can't get the Bloglines reader to work on my 8700c. I launch it and when prompted for email/password, I enter in both. But every time, it takes me back to the email/password request page. I've tried reinstalling the app but no luck.

[DocGo]

Did you go online on your PC and register an account first? I am using an 8700r and Bloglines works fine.

[That70sGAdawg]

If you have time, add the RSS reader from Pocket Day also. That's what I use since it was included. They also added a fast web search from the main page in the latest version.

[go2duke]

Thanks StinsonDog... nice info. I have been meaning to tinker with the RSS feed programs.. now I have a place to start.

-G2d

[gdpmumin]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7130e/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I like Bloglines, too. I like the fact that it makes use of Google's mobile screen rendering. NewsGator mobile doesn't. But Bloglines (and therefore Berry Bloglines) seems a bit slow to update. NewsGator in Outlook gets the feeds several minutes earlier (as much as 20 minutes one time). Is it just me?

[jophes49087]

:bb: If any of y'all are using Newsclip, I would like to know if you have run into the issue of the thing locking up when it updates. "A problem occurred when trying to access your account. Please visit" dahhhtadatada..... I even deleted the Google talk app, deleted the web service books, then resent the service books. What up? Anybody? Anybody?:-o

[jophes49087]

Good afternoon:
I contacted Newsclip (Virtual Reach) who said I should have Nextel reset my TCP. Well, Nextel said they were having a nationwide problem with those connections. I HAD intended to send a service book to my phone, but BB Webclient was off the air, too!! Turns out if I had just waited 24hrs, the problem would have taken care of itself. (Hmm, maybe Nextel could have put that on their site that they were having problems.) I guess I am just learning not to jump the gun and start deleting and reinstalling. Guess Nextel gets enough of people like me calling at the first little thing, eh?