flipboard

Sorry news junkies, but Google has an update you won't like: the company's beloved Google Reader has fallen victim to Spring cleaning. As of July 1, 2013, the RSS feed aggregator, which has maintained a devoted following since 2005, will power down so that Google can "focus — otherwise we spread ourselves too thin and lack impact," the company said on its official blog.

A petition to keep the service has already collected over 50,000 signatures, but the truth of the matter is, Google has no plans to replace Reader.

Headline grazers, we've got your web browsing back. To find out how to export your Google Reader subscriptions and what the best RSS aggregating alternatives are, keep calm and read on.

Congratulations on your iPhone 5 purchase! Want to make the most of that taller screen and ready-to-go iOS 6? Download the following iPhone 5-optimized apps for gorgeous photos, easy social sharing, and your ticket to the best dining in town.

• Tumblr (Free) — Hate using Tumblr on your phone? The company heard your cries and improved the mobile experience. Hold down "reblog" to share content instantly, track tags of interest, and hold down the "like" button to share finds with friends.
• Facebook (Free) — It's no secret that the Facebook iOS app wasn't the most popular product of the social network. Return to the mobile app with updates like photos that open quickly with a swipe and a News Feed that populates more stories with a tap— no refresh wait time required.
• Flipboard (Free) — The prettiest way to digitally read news, Flipboard's update is perfect for that bigger iPhone 5 screen, giving you more stories and photos at once.
• Open Table (Free) — Treat yourself with a night at that new neighborhood restaurant. The "Great Tables" update for iPhone 5 shows which popular hot spots have a table available tonight. Or, just ask Siri to find a place to eat, since it's now integrated into iOS 6. 
• How to Cook Everything ($10) — Speaking of food, for a night in, open the app version of New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman's bestselling cookbook. With over 2,000 recipes, 400 illustrations, and a built-in timer, the only thing this app doesn't do is the cook the food for you.

Flipboard was a hot ticket item in 2010, acting as the iPad's first social magazine. Tonight, Flipboard adds even more personal features with the addition of Instagram and a social search function.

In addition to your Facebook, Twitter, photo albums, and favorite blogs, your Instagram feed will now be added to the Flipboard lineup, while the social search function allows you to search keywords and phrases from across the app, bringing you all the results in one place.

Alongside new features, the latest update makes Flipboard even faster — twice as fast to be exact — so you can browse images, websites, and feeds in a flash. Plus, it's coming with an even more crisp, clean, and refined layout. It's a beautiful app, and this update only fuels the flames of love.

Before, during, and after the iPad's launch, supporters and critics alike wondered how it would affect the magazine and content industry. Now, a new app is taking advantage of the popularity of social media and the innovative display and capabilities of the iPad. Flipboard is a free iPad app that bills itself as a social magazine. The app scours your social networks to find content shared by your friends and contacts. Then, it aggregates the links, articles, and photos from your friends and displays them in a gorgeous, magazine-inspired format.

For more on this amazing app (and to see it in action), just keep reading.