While you can actually log into Google Reader on your iPad, and follow all your favourite blogs and sites on the go, there is no shortage of free apps that make it much easier to stay up to date on the latest news, while some will even give you offline access. With a variety of features, from native Google Reader features, to sharing your stories on your social profiles, each app brings something different to the table.
From the simplified app, where the focus lies more on just reading, to the RSS reader on steroids with just about everything you could need to read, share, and save the latest online stories. Here are 6 apps that you should take a look at if you are considering changing your RSS reader on your iPad.
The Feed
The Feed syncs with Google Reader, making it easy to keep up with your subscriptions, but it is not a feature heavy app. More eye candy than options, The Feed is ideal for someone who simply wants to keep up with their feeds on the go.
There is no social integration, but you can pin and star items, as well as read your starred items and stories shared by your friends on Google Reader. If and when more features are added, The Feed could become a real contender for the more heavy duty RSS fans.
Feeddler RSS Reader for iPad
Feeddler RSS Reader is the ideal app for Google Reader fans not only because it syncs with your account, but because the layout itself is practically identical to the web based version.
It includes a few Google Reader extras including sharing and adding stars. You can share your articles on Facebook or via email, but strangely enough not Twitter. Add new feeds directly from Feeddler and it will sync with your Google account.
MobileRSS HD
MobileRSS HD, which has already been covered on MakeUseOf, could not be left off a list covering the best the iTunes app store has to offer for iPad RSS apps. MobileRSS is the ideal app for the RSS and social media junkie.
Flipboard
Flipboard takes a very different approach to following your favorite blogs and sites. There is no syncing option, instead you have to manually add feeds, but the layout more than makes up for that. Reading stories on Flipboard is very much like flipping through a magazine.
Not only can you pull stories from your favourite blogs, you can also pull stories from accounts you follow on Twitter. Social integration in Flipboard is limited to Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to easily share the articles with your friends and followers, or via email.
Flipboard is all about the eye candy so it may be a good way to follow your favourite blogs and Twitter accounts, but it will by no means replace your RSS reader. It also won’t be of any use unless you have an internet connection since only the first few paragraphs of each post is featured in the app, while the rest has to be read in Safari.
News Reader for iPad
If you want all of Google Reader’s features but with a different layout, News Reader for iPad is an interesting option. After you sync with your Google Reader account, you can browse the latest items by category, as well as read the stories shared by the people that you follow. You can also access your starred and shared items.
Social integration on News Reader is extensive with the ability to share items on Twitter, Facebook, Instapaper, Tumblr, and via email amongst many others. One of News Reader’s drawbacks is that you can’t browse feeds individually, but only in their respective categories. News Reader supports offline viewing making it a more appealing app for iPad users who opted for the WiFi models.
ReadSquare
ReadSquare deserves an honourable mention because, although the app has a few kinks, it offers users a different experience. Not only can you add your Google Reader account to read your latest RSS feeds in a clean, minimalist grid, but you can also add your Twitter and Facebook accounts to follow articles shared by people you follow and by friends. ReadSquare also supports offline viewing.
ReadSquare’s weakness is that it takes a while to load articles, and sources. Social integration of course has not been left out, allow you to share stories on Twitter and via email. ReadSquare is free for the time being so snag it while you can.
Also be sure to check out Bakari’s in-depth review of the sleek RSS reader, Pulse, which is now available for free from the iTunes App Store.
The Feed
The Feed syncs with Google Reader, making it easy to keep up with your subscriptions, but it is not a feature heavy app. More eye candy than options, The Feed is ideal for someone who simply wants to keep up with their feeds on the go.
There is no social integration, but you can pin and star items, as well as read your starred items and stories shared by your friends on Google Reader. If and when more features are added, The Feed could become a real contender for the more heavy duty RSS fans.
Feeddler RSS Reader for iPad
Feeddler RSS Reader is the ideal app for Google Reader fans not only because it syncs with your account, but because the layout itself is practically identical to the web based version.
It includes a few Google Reader extras including sharing and adding stars. You can share your articles on Facebook or via email, but strangely enough not Twitter. Add new feeds directly from Feeddler and it will sync with your Google account.
MobileRSS HD
MobileRSS HD, which has already been covered on MakeUseOf, could not be left off a list covering the best the iTunes app store has to offer for iPad RSS apps. MobileRSS is the ideal app for the RSS and social media junkie.
Read it LaterIt has the best social integration we’ve seen from Facebook and Twitter, to Instapaper and. It features all of Google Reader’s native features including sharing and starring items, to reading posts shared by the people you follow. MobileRSS uses the ‘pull to refresh’ method to check to see if any of the blogs you follow have new updates.
Flipboard takes a very different approach to following your favorite blogs and sites. There is no syncing option, instead you have to manually add feeds, but the layout more than makes up for that. Reading stories on Flipboard is very much like flipping through a magazine.
Not only can you pull stories from your favourite blogs, you can also pull stories from accounts you follow on Twitter. Social integration in Flipboard is limited to Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to easily share the articles with your friends and followers, or via email.
Flipboard is all about the eye candy so it may be a good way to follow your favourite blogs and Twitter accounts, but it will by no means replace your RSS reader. It also won’t be of any use unless you have an internet connection since only the first few paragraphs of each post is featured in the app, while the rest has to be read in Safari.
News Reader for iPad
If you want all of Google Reader’s features but with a different layout, News Reader for iPad is an interesting option. After you sync with your Google Reader account, you can browse the latest items by category, as well as read the stories shared by the people that you follow. You can also access your starred and shared items.
Social integration on News Reader is extensive with the ability to share items on Twitter, Facebook, Instapaper, Tumblr, and via email amongst many others. One of News Reader’s drawbacks is that you can’t browse feeds individually, but only in their respective categories. News Reader supports offline viewing making it a more appealing app for iPad users who opted for the WiFi models.
ReadSquare deserves an honourable mention because, although the app has a few kinks, it offers users a different experience. Not only can you add your Google Reader account to read your latest RSS feeds in a clean, minimalist grid, but you can also add your Twitter and Facebook accounts to follow articles shared by people you follow and by friends. ReadSquare also supports offline viewing.
ReadSquare’s weakness is that it takes a while to load articles, and sources. Social integration of course has not been left out, allow you to share stories on Twitter and via email. ReadSquare is free for the time being so snag it while you can.
Also be sure to check out Bakari’s in-depth review of the sleek RSS reader, Pulse, which is now available for free from the iTunes App Store.
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