---
title: "New-look Google Reader Is Stunning!"
date: 2006-09-28
author: "Richard MacManus"
categories:
  - name: "ReadWriteWeb"
    url: "/category/readwriteweb.md"
tags:
  - name: "2006"
    url: "/tag/2006.md"
---

# New-look Google Reader Is Stunning!

![google reader](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135im_/http://static.flickr.com/89/255233954_02bf725bd8_m.jpg)[Google Reader](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://reader.google.com/), Google’s web-based RSS Aggregator, has had a re-design and I am impressed. It now has a look n’ feel very much like Gmail, which I believe is a pointer to this product being prepped for mainstream promotion – and/or merged with Gmail. Probably a bit of both, as a standalone RSS Reader is always going to be needed. [You’ll recall](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/yahoo_mail_beta_interview_ethan_diamond.php) that the new Yahoo Mail Beta has RSS integrated into its email experience – and the reason for that is quite simply to reach the 250 Million odd people that have a Yahoo Mail account. What better way to make RSS a mainstream experience than to integrate it into the web email platform. So I expect Google to follow suit.

![](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135im_/http://static.flickr.com/89/255232793_f17e49d4b0.jpg?v=0)*Google Reader List view*

You probably know that I am a huge fan of Gmail, so this new Google Reader interface was immediately a pleasure to use. I love that it automatically marks items as ‘read’ as you scroll. I also like the List view (very much like email), for quick scrolling, and the ‘Expanded’ view feels much more natural to use now. The ‘sharing’ functionality is excellent too – a shared clippings blog similar to Bloglines; and ability to share via email.

The new features:

- Expanded view and list view
- Simplified sharing functionality
- Improved read-state management
- Infinite scrolling
- Unread counts
- Mark all as read

I remember trying out Google Reader back in the Web 2.0 Conference last year, when it was launched. I was [underwhelmed](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_rss_read.php) at that time, but this new design – with its Gmail-like interface, features, and speed to match – is much more impressive. [Like Niall Kennedy](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/09/google-reader-gmail.html), I hope they also integrate blog search into the Reader at some point – as well as tie into other Google services. But otherwise, Google has upped the ante in the online RSS Reader space. And also gone a long way towards matching Yahoo’s email/RSS integration.

![](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135im_/http://static.flickr.com/120/255232885_53d5bac945.jpg?v=0)*Expanded View*

**Update:** Marshall Kirkpatrick at Techcrunch [points out](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/09/28/google-reader-steps-it-up-with-new-version/) that Google is emphasizing [the email tie-in](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713105135/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/your-inbox-for-web.html): “Think of Google Reader as your inbox for the web.”

*Originally published on ReadWriteWeb ([archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040018/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_reader_redesign.php))*