I have blog followers (subscribers) on Google Reader, and I also use Google Reader. A LOT.
So it was worth paying attention to the news when Google announced it was discontinuing Google Reader. While I’ve read multiple articles, I must admit my eyes glaze over when techie terms are mentioned. For those who aren’t affected by this announcement, it’s helpful to know that readers are a handy way to organize blogs into categories, allowing their Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds to be gathered up, allowing the reader to save posts, while also making them searchable from within the reader.
So now it’s back to the hunt for easy-to-use products that will allow us to replace Google Reader.
I did a search on RSS feeds for Macintosh and NewsBar (view, above) seems to be top-rated. I’ve been trying it out and I can customize colors, size of font, where I can put the floating feed (and I can make it disappear) among other things. I like that I can group my feeds as before, and that by clicking, it will show the post to the right with an option to open it in my browser. Once the RSS feeds have been uploaded, they are on their own and don’t refer back to Google’s reader.
If NewsBar is open, and I’m reading a website I want to save, I merely click on the small “plus” sign and it will add it. In some cases (I’m still learning), I had to locate a site’s RSS feed icon (above), then copy and paste the feed address into NewsBar. I’ve added an RSS feed icon to my blog now, too.
On my iPad, I use Flipboard, having logged into my Google Reader account and connected the two, but I don’t know if they are independent of Google; I’d have to suppose so. Debbie of A Quilter’s Table said she was trying Bloglovin, but when I tried it, I received this notice:
For the interim, we could start following lots of blogs, via their following service, then use filters in our emails to separate them off. This will work (I use it now for online quilt shops, family emails, and so forth), so if you want to follow me, you know how (fill in your email above; WordPress is a pretty good platform for this sort of thing).
At any rate, we’ll back shortly, with a new post.
(logo borrowed from www.fabshopnet.com)
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
I started using Feedly today; so far I like it.
I tried both Feedly and Bloglovin’ and I prefer Bloglovin’. I used the Google Reader Next bookmarklet to read my blogs and Bloglovin’ has a similar function that allows me to quickly shuffle through all my unread posts via the blog itself, instead of through a reader. I really like to see the posts in their native environments. I guess I’m just old-school like that. LOL.
I’m trying Feedly and like it so far as it syncs between devices.
You’re not a techie?? Ha . . . I’m not a techie. What does all this mean? If I have most of my followers on Google Friends Connect will that now be gone? Afraid I don’t understand. Will need to do more research which I hate the thought of. Ugg!!!
I was going to try Feedly and I am expecting some new replacements before July when reader is gone.
I’ve been using Reeder for months now and it seems to be working well. It initially needed GoogleReader to sync to but they say it will survive the demise of GR. Hopefully, i won’t have to go reader shopping again. The whole thing is so annoying, isn’t it?