Feeddler RSS Reader for iPad and iPhone
Description of App
Feeddler is a fast and highly customizable Google Reader client that stays perfect sync with Google and presents RSS stories in an easy-to-ready interface. Feeddler is a universal app that supports iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads. This free version is supported by banner ads.
Features:
* Syncs with Google Reader (account required, free).
* Display true unread counts over 1000.
* Supports multiple accounts.
* Supports feed management - add/delete/rename subscriptions and folders.
* Supports unread item filtering.
* Supports sorting by newest first, or oldest first.
* Caches RSS articles for offline reading
* Able to star/unstar, like/unlike, share/unshare, mark unread any RSS story, even when offline (will sync when launching app with internet connection).
* Able to mark all items as read for any RSS subscription.
* Able to mark only loaded items as read.
* Able to show only feeds/folders with unread items.
* Supports article taggging
* Supports notes and comments.
* Supports pinching to change font size of RSS articles. (iPad or iOS4)
* Saves images by tapping images with two fingers. (iPad or iOS4)
* Supports Facebook sharing.
* Supports in-app e-mail sharing.
* Supports text view using Instapaper Mobilizer
* Copy&Paste titles, links, or full articles.
* Uses built-in, full-screen browser for full articles and web pages.
* Able to open full articles in Safari.
* Supports swiping gestures to navigate RSS stories. (iPad or iOS4)
* Supports fast app switch with iOS4 multitasking. (iOS4 only)
* Lots of UI customization options including summary preview and a night mode.
More features in the Pro version:
+ Supports sync all subscriptions, and sync subscriptions in a folder/tag.
+ Customized batch syncing: sync all feeds or unread items only, sync from last sync, days or weeks. For faster syncing, we suggest "Unread only" + "FromLastSync."
+ Caches images for offline reading.
+ Supports keyword search to find and add feeds.
+ Able to mark items as read based on age.
+ Able to mark items as read or star/unstar by tapping either side of a headline.
+ Able to automatically mark items as read while scrolling headlines.
+ Supports Twitter with automatic URL shortening using Bit.ly.
+ Supports Bit.ly personal account.
+ Supports Evernote to clip any RSS articles, web pages, images, and PDF (without leaving the app).
+ Supports Instapaper, Read It Later, and Tumblr.
+ Supports Delicious and Pinboard.
+ Supports offline saving to Evernote, Instapaper, Read It Later, Tumblr, Delicious and Pinboard.
What's New in Version 1.11
- new option to open articles directly in full text or web (via settings)
- new option to mark all items as read with only one click (via settings)
- accept Google App account login
- many detail improvements
- bug fixes
Version
Free or Paid
Compatibility
Device(s) App Was Tested On
Accessibility Comments
I tried this app after seeing it recommended by another blind user on Twitter. And yes, it appears to be fully accessible.
However, there is one minor criticism that I couldn't personally live with. In the list of feed items there appears to be an unlabelled element directly before each of the item titles. This means that you have to flick twice to move to the next item in the list. Yes, I know it is monor, but it would very quickly drive me crazy!
As I already have both NewsRack and Feeds, this app won't be staying on my iPhone. If for nothing else, it has far few features than either of those two apps (although the Pro version of Feeddler presumably offers more features).
Editorial Team Note: The update has improved the annoying space as mentioned above. Please see below in the comments area for more information.
Comments
#1 Advantages
There are two things I like about Feeddler Pro myself. First, I love the abilities to modify the actual Google Reader Feeds straight from this app. So I don't have to go to the Google Reader site to remove a feed. Second, I like the autopreview of a feed. So each title comes with a autopreview of which feed this came from and the first 4 lines of the article to see if its worth opening the rest to read. I find some feed title to broad and hate to open it to find it not worth reading. However, I must agree it is annoying in having to swipe twice to the right to each feed article. I do have NewsRack as well but it does not offer the autopreview as Feedler does. Both do sync with Goodgle REader which is important because Google Reader will essure you with all the articles. Web Feeds for example will only pull what is available. So lets say MSNBC for example will only pull the last 10 feeds. Google REader will continously pull feeds from MSNBC so you get all the article throughout the day so you don't miss an article. So Web Feed is out of my preferences. So it a toss up in which you want to have and whats important to you. Notice in the Pro version you can select whats loaded to be read instead of marking them all read so you can read the rest later. You can't do that in NewsRack.
#2 Another accessibility issue
I have bought the pro-version of this app, because I like its many features. I often share articles with others, and Feeddler lets me email the full text of an article. It also integrates nicely with Instapaper, which I'm using a lot. I also like that the z-shaped gesture that you can use to get back to the previous screen doesn't work in the website view in this app. Using other rss-reader apps, I would look at the article, then search the link to a single page view so I could read continuously, and then flick down with two fingers so VoiceOver would read the whole article. Sometimes, when I wasn't careful, this would be interpreted as the gesture to get to the previous page. Feeddler has a done button at the top left and right of the screen to close a website.
However, there's another accessibility issue. When you scroll the article list swiping up or down with three fingers and then touch the screen to hear an article heading, VoiceOver will read nothing. You can still hear article headings flicking left and right, but touching one and hear it read doesn't work. I've contacted the developer about this and the other issues that have been mentioned here, but haven't heard back yet.
I like the app a lot and hope it'll be easier to use with VoiceOver after the next update.
#3 Usability Issues with VoiceOver resolved
Using this app with IOS 5, you now longer have to swipe twice to get to the next article. Also the bug that occured when scrolling the article list has been resolved.
#4 That's much better
Thanks for the update. It may seem petty, but the need to flick twice to move through articles in the list view really bugged me. With that gone, I revisited the app and ended up paying for the Pro version. Now makes for a nice user experience when used with VoiceOVer.
#5 Improvements
Indeed. This is much better now. Had been using the EZFeed but now that have broken it I am back with Feedler. The only thing I did like on EZFeed was that you could create folders. So has anyone figure out if you can with this?
#6 Creating new folders
In the Pro version it is certainly possible to create a new folder. I don't know if the same is true for the free version.
If you go to the main screen of the app and double-tap on the last button on the page (I've given the button a custom label, and cannot recall what its original label was). The next page will show a list of all current folders (all my feeds are already in folders, so I don't know if this would also list any feeds that aren't in a folder). Double-tap on a folder, and then double-tap on an existing feed. The next page will give you the option to move the feed to a different folder or add it to a new folder. Double-tapping on the latter will get you your new folder.
#7 speech loss in ios 5 ipod 3g...
Hi have this outstanding bug in ios5 with feeddler free: scroolling feed items suddenly VO speech goes away: i have tu turn it off and on whit triple home a few times to regain speech... it has become unusable now.. anyone confirm this issue? i woul try the pro versione
#8 Try a clean install
I've not encountered this problem on the Pro version. It could be a corrupted installation, so delete the app and then download and install it afresh. Just maybe that might fix things for you.
The last update fixed the one remaining niggle that I had with this app, and it has now become my default RSS reader. It has all the features that I want, and also provides a very good user experience when used with VoiceOver.
#9 No Problems
I haven't had any problems either. I agree with the above comment. Try deleting your app and then re-install it. If this doesn't work I highly suggest contacting the developer for some help and suggestions.
I think I have about 5 different RSS REaders and I have to agree this is now my favorite of them all.
Thanks for helping me out with the folder. Found it and it does work well.