Reading news is still one of the daily essential activities, and some say, Google is quitting on its reader app too soon.
Reading news is still one of the daily essential activities, and some say, Google is quitting on its reader app too soon.
Reading news is still one of the daily essential activities, and some say, Google is quitting on its reader app too soon.

[GIGAOM]

I have been baffled by Google’s decision in March to euthanize the Google Reader instead of trying to reinvent it for the mobile/tablet age and use its strong (if small) community of users to build a new news reading experience. It is ironic because everyone seems to be getting into the reader business. Digg. Feedly. AOL. Even Facebook thinks it can be a player in the news reader game. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that this rumored reader is:

  • A year old and centered on mobile reading experience.
  • An attempt by Facebook to go after Flipboard experience.
  • The work of Michael Matas, a well known designer who previously worked for Apple and Nest Labs and is project lead.

I wonder if this is yet another proof of Facebook’s Twitter envy! Jokes aside, as far as I am concerned, unless Facebook can figure out a way to work with Twitter and generally embrace RSS, any Facebook reader experience is going to be fairly limited.

Read more about the future of reader apps at Gigaom.

Freddie Allen is the National News Editor for the NNPA News Wire and BlackPressUSA.com. 200-plus Black newspapers. 20 million readers. You should follow Freddie on Twitter and Instagram @freddieallenjr.