Bloglines is a free online RSS reader that allows you to put your favorite web feeds into groups, view them in multiple configurations, and save interesting articles as clips. The interface is currently going through a Web 2.0 make-over and is in beta.
The new Bloglines is a big improvement over the old version. Despite a few issues with web usability and some ommissions in functionality, it is still a great choice as an RSS reader. It is definitely well worth the price -- though that isn't saying much considering it is free.
Pros
- Clean interface makes adding new RSS feeds a breeze
- Drag-and-drop functionality makes organizing your feeds much easier
- The start page is a great place to put your favorite feeds
Cons
- No real way to consolidate multiple feeds into one
- No way to save your preferred way to view feeds
- Still has some usability issues
Features
- Feeds can be arranged into folders
- All the feeds in a folder can be viewed at once, or individually
- Three ways to view a feed: Quick View, Full View, and 3-Pane View
- Save your favorite articles as clips and share them with friends
Bloglines - Whats To Like
The best thing about Bloglines is how easy it is to get started. The signup process is quick and painless, and the overall usability of the website is very good. Within minutes of signing up, you will be adding your favorite blogs to the feed.
The new version, currently in beta, also features Web 2.0 features like the ability to drag and drop your feeds from one folder to the next. This makes organizing your RSS feeds a breeze.
Bloglines features three ways to view the information: Quick View, Full View, and 3-Pane View. The Quick View is similar to using a personalized start page as an RSS viewer. It puts the feeds into modules with five headlines each and then lays the modules out so that you can glance at all of them at once. The Full View will give you a list of headlines and descriptions, and the 3-Pane view lets you preview the actual website the feed comes from. The end result is that you have a lot of options in how you browse through your RSS feeds.
Bloglines - What's Not To Like
The biggest things not to like about the new Bloglines is what is not there. Namely, the ability to consolidate feeds, and the ability to save your preferences.
Many people like to consolidate RSS feeds, which is to say they like to take a group feeds and put them all together. Bloglines allows you to create a folder and group feeds into that folder, and it even allows you to view all folder contents at once. However, you are limited to simply viewing one feed after another. You can't sort this list by date to get the most recent articles -- regardless of feed -- first, so it is really a poor substitute to a truly consolidated feed.
One thing that is annoyingly missing is the ability to save preferences. For example, if you want to see the last weeks worth of articles every time you view a feed -- even if you have read those articles already -- you will need to manually choose to see the last week's articles each time you click on the feed. In short, if you don't like reading it the way Bloglines defaults to reading it, you are going to end up being annoyed on a regular basis.
Another issue is with the new start page, which allows you to add modules of your favorite web feeds to a special page that you can access later. Unfortunately, the way that you navigate to your start page is not very intuitive and is easy to miss. (You get there by clicking "My Library" above the "Add Blog or Feed" button.)
But, this current version of Bloglines is still in beta, so hopefully they will get some of these usability issues cleared up prior to release.
Bloglines - The Bottom Line
Bloglines is a great online RSS reader. It has a simple to use interface, allows you to group feeds into different folders, and displays the feeds three different ways so you can read your favorite blog the way you want to read it. Despite a few usability issues that stick out, it is an excellent choice as an RSS reader. And, best of all, it is free.
