This article was published on August 11, 2010

NewsBlur is a slick, new RSS reader that intelligently makes sense out of your feeds.


NewsBlur is a slick, new RSS reader that intelligently makes sense out of your feeds.

TNW Quick Hit

NewsBlur is an new, open-source RSS feed reader, offering an intelligent way to find stories you like and those you do not.

Love It: Easy to setup, grand user interface, and forthcoming companion app for the iPhone.

Hate It: Screen may be busy for some, while others may prefer not having to train their reader to aid in them in discovering new, interesting feeds and stories.

Overall: 5/5

The Details:

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NewsBlur, created by Samuel Clay, is a a feed reader with intelligence.  What does that mean to you?  Simply stated, NewsBlur, a recently released, open-source, feed reader allows you to create a new account and add feeds as you wish, or import existing feeds from Google Reader.

Once you decide which option you want, that’s when the true beauty of NewsBlur stands out from my current reader of choice, Feedly.

All of my imported feeds from Google Reader are listed by category on the left hand side of the screen.

Clicking on any of the feeds presents the user with a split screen containing a view of the story from the site itself at the top of your screen, with a listing of all other stories from the same feed at the bottom of your screen.

Both, the feed list and story presentation are top notch, but it is the ability of NewsBlur to assist you in finding new feeds and stories that previously may have gone unnoticed that truly sets this reader apart.

Known as the “Intelligence Trainer,” the feature walks users through a step-by-step process to help determine your likes and dislikes.  What you select will show up in an “intelligence slider, color-coded to assist you in determining the stories you will like, and those you can simply skip over.   

NewsBlur is a grand feed reader, with plans to make the product even better.  To wit, tonight NewsBlur will launch three new features, feed statistics, a streamlined feed intelligence trainer, and an import progress bar, in addition to a forthcoming iPhone app.

Check out NewsBlur, and let us know what you think.  My guess is that you will enjoy as much, if not more than I do.

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