I was just thinking about XML syndication (y’know… all the RSS feed stuff) and how I’ve come to rely upon it. Having initially been baffled as to the point of the whole thing, I then gave NetNewsWire a try, and was instantly amazed by the constant stream of automatically updated news stories and blogs.
After a couple of weeks of that, I realised I don’t need to read the same dreary drivel from multiple news sites, and continued to use NNW purely for blogs. When Apple included RSS functions in their Safari browser, I had no further need for NNW. All of my RSS feeds, neatly stored in a couple of drop-down menus in the bookmarks bar… I’d rather have that sort of thing in a web browser than a separate application.
However, the way RSS feeds worked within the Safari interface was never quite right, so it’s a big “WHOOHOO!” for the new, improved Google Reader. Safari doesn’t normally export RSS bookmarks in the required OPML format, but that was sorted with a little free utility. Initial use of the Google Reader was a little sluggish, but I guess a lot of people must have been migrating the same day; it’s been fine’n'dandy ever since.
Even better… while my phone (SE P900) doesn’t support the full range of Google user account features, it does give me a barebones version of the Reader, which allows me to browse RSS headers with only the *teensiest* amount of GPRS bandwidth. RSS blogs on the move… I like living in the future!