Google Reader Gets More Social: Now With Notes
Google has added support for Notes to Google Reader, allowing users to share notes or add notes to shared stories.
The add a note feature is located in the “Your Stuff” menu at the top of the Google Reader sidebar. Tumblr style, the feature allows users to share with friends “whatever pops into your head (for better or for worse) by typing anything into the text box at the top of the Notes page,” according to Google.
The share items with a note gives users the ability to add a note with any shared Reader item. Google explains:
If you are like me, you might want to share something in Reader, but think your friends might not “get” why you are sharing it. Use the “Share with note” button on the item toolbar to create a copy of that item with your own note attached to it. Now your friends won’t have to wonder if the B-movie about an evil floor lamp you shared was intended to be funny, sarcastic, ironic or the real motivation behind your next movie night.
Users can also add notes from the browser with a Reader Notes bookmarklet. Minor changes include the choice of new styles from the shared items page, and the Google Reader list view will now highlight when an item is being shared by a friend.
The new additions will provide additional appeal to Google Reader’s sharing feature, which has slowly grown in popularity over the last 12 months (least I see more and more friends sharing this way). The ability to have a discussion around shared feeds is still missing, but as we noted back in September is being developed by Google.
thanks to Bowrd for the tip
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Tracking Web 2.0
There’s been much discussion lately around ways to follow and keep up with friends and the latest news in the tech world. There are plenty of new startups looking to make life easier; many have merit, but here’s a few tips to help you know what’s going on.
A Good FeedReader
Many consider that understanding and subscribing to feeds is a given, but the reality is that terms like RSS, Atom, and even Feeds are foreign to most people. The starting point is always a good feedreader. My personal choice is Google Reader, but I was a Bloglines fan for many years and they’ve been implementing a lot of extra features, so ultimately pick between the two. Once you’ve picked a FeedReader you should naturally subscribe to TechCrunch here. One source is never enough, so subscribe to ReadWriteWeb, GigaOm and VentureBeat as well.
A Start Page
After TechCrunch naturally, I start my mornings on TechMeme. Gabe Rivera’s site is a favorite and despite some criticism elsewhere continues to accurately track the big stories in the tech blogosphere, and that includes general tech away from the stuff we cover on TechCrunch.
Twitter
Twitter I’m told is still an acquired taste, but I’m finding more and more that I pick up breaking stories first on Twitter. Twitter is only as good as the network you link in to; so it can be a bit hard (or barren) at first. The key is to give it time, and add friends.
Overall
If you want a full picture of our industry and space there are existing tools that allow you to do it well, complete with interaction. There’s a lot of noise out there, at times too much noise, but the tools listed can help you keep on top of it.
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