ReadAir- Google Reader application for the desktop
Posted on June 28, 2008 at 5:19 am
Are you tired of the outdated look of Google Reader? If you’re anything like me, then you have tons of feeds and only a little time to read them all. Your daily routine probably involves reading through your numerous emails, organizing your daily tasks, and browsing through your countless feeds.
Having to look at a boring interface can quickly cause you to lose interest in what you are reading. Although Google Reader has a pretty straightforward and userfriendly interface, sometimes you may crave something a little more aesthetically pleasing. With all of the wonderful applications floating around that offer users good functionality along with an updated look, Google Reader users can get a taste of this as well.
ReadAir is a desktop application that will allow you to access your Google Reader feeds via Adobe Air. It mimics the same features and functionality of Google Reader, but with a much cleaner interface. Users will conveniently have instant access to all of their feeds in one simple desktop application.
You won’t have to needlessly open a brand new browser window each time you want to read a feed. Accessing Google Reader through a web browser is a handy feature mostly when you are using multiple computer systems. Having this convenience is what causes most of us to use it in the first place. The Mac-like appearance may cause some diehard Windows users to go the other way, but after a few minutes they’ll more than likely change their mind.
Immediately after you install the ReadAir application on your computer system, you’ll be prompted to enter your Google login information. If you want to control the time intervals to check for brand new feeds, then just simply select the “general preferences” portion before you fully login.
There is no complicated setup process because your feeds will be automatically populated for you to view. The overall layout of ReadAir is similar to Google Reader, but with a nicer look.
ReadAir is a useful and great looking application, but it does have a few kinks that will prevent it from becoming your primary reader. Adding new feeds via ReadAir is currently impossible to do. Clicking the “+” symbol at the bottom of the application is supposed to allow you to add a new feed. However, after doing this a blank page pops up instead. If you want to add the feed, you’ll have to go directly to Google Reader to do so. Doing this greatly defeats the main purpose of using ReadAir.
ReadAir provides an excellent way to integrate Google Reader into your desktop. Although it is missing some much needed keyboard shortcuts, the capability to add new feeds, and a few other necessary features, it still has potential. To take a testdrive of ReadAir, you’ll definitely need to have Adobe AIR installed on your computer system. Google Reader is still my primary tool for reading feeds, but I still have my eye on ReadAir.
Ms Yokum
Tech Enthusiast & Blogger
» Filed Under Free Software Downloads
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“You won’t have to needlessly open a brand new browser window each time you want to read a feed.”
In this age of tabbed browsing, when does that ever happen anymore? Haha. I’ve got a Google Reader tab open in my browser full-time (and I rarely close my browser except for restarts), and it’s not exactly a hassle! Still, ReadAir looks like a very nice - if unnecessary - app
Hey I just happened to write a post on ReadAir. The main reason which prompted me for it was even I got bored using Google Reader for a long time now. Needed a change. ReadAir is nice. Have you tried FeedDemon or RssBandit?