GeekSugar

Google Reader Has a New Special Surprise Hidden Inside It

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:05:17 -0700

Google recently just announced the "Like" feature for Google Reader. But did you know that there is a ninja mode with a secret konami code? This code not only makes ninjas appear in the left-hand sidebar, but it also turns your Like button heart into bursting hearts when you click on it (and into a broken heart with the unlike button). Watch below to find out how!

Daily Tech: Steve Jobs Sighting at Apple HQ Yesterday

GeekSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:10:30 -0700

A frail-looking Steve Jobs was spotted at Apple yesterday, wearing his usual attire - TMZ
Oh boy, stayed tuned for The Bachelor and The Bachelorette video games, coming to a console near you - Kotaku
Is it just me who finds it funny that Twitter tweets are taking over Facebook? - Mashable
Samsung unveils its first set of LED-backlit LCDs which start at $3,600 - Gizmodo
Google Reader gets some new fancy features like mobile-format links - Lifehacker
It's true! We're still giving away Amazon Kindles! Log in for a chance to win one - geeksugar

Geek Tip: A Whole Slew of Google Reader Shortcuts

GeekSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:23:01 -0700

As a devoted Google Reader user, I relish any tips I can use to make it even more useful - so imagine my delight the other day when I let my laptop slip (I told you I was a klutz) and grabbed for it, panicked - and accidentally had hit a key combo that brought up a key of Google Reader keyboard shortcuts.

Don't worry, I replicated it - it's shift + ? - and you can also open it as a separate page.

All this time I've only known about J and K to go up and down through stories, but there's a whole world of keyboard shortcuts! Somehow these always end up being faster than using my mouse for me - not unlike my other new beloved shortcut to shut down my Mac!

Scope Out Your Hippest Friends With Google Reader

GeekSugar — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:33:12 -0700

I've given you plenty of reasons to sign up for an RSS reader, but in case you need one more here it goes: Google Reader has released a new version with a more comprehensive friend feature that allows you to keep a close watch on your friends' activity. Wondering how much Internet ground your pals cover? Now you can check the stats to find out.

The improvements add a new set of tabs to the trends page called "Friends trends." You can see which friends share the most content, and who has shared items you actually want to read.

Want more tips to get your reader organized? Check out my top 10 RSS tips.

Geek Tip: Follow Someone on Twitter Without Them Knowing

GeekSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:00:34 -0700

Do you want to follow someone's updates on Twitter, but don't necessarily want them to see that you're following them? Or maybe you're reluctant to join Twitter, but still would like to see what someone is tweeting. You can actually add someone's Twitter feed to your RSS reader.

Just go to the page of the person you want to invisibly follow, and you'll see the RSS feed symbol underneath the people they're following (alternatively, if you're using Firefox, you can just click the blue RSS symbol in the nav bar). Just click that and you'll add their updates to your reader, just like any other blog's posts!

Invisibility cloak achieved.

Daily Tech: Google Reader Gets a Mini Makeover

GeekSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:01:23 -0800

Yay! Google Reader received a much needed facelift which includes a much cleaner, softer interface with more space and a collapsible navigation. - Lifehacker
Apple's new $79 in-ear headphones get taken for a test drive. See how well they did when put to the sound test. - CNET Crave
For the past few years, cell phone text numbers were noted to be higher in Europe than the US. Well now my friends, the US has finally surpassed Europe in texting. - Switched
Flickr has just unveiled their new mobile site which offers features like video playback, the ability to add new contacts, and favorite images. - Mashable
Last Day! It's giveaway time on geeksugar! Be sure to log in and enter our laptop giveaway for your chances to win a Windows Vista powered Sony VAIO CS laptop or a Windows Vista powered Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue Notebook. - geeksugar

How to Share Anything on the Internet in Google Reader

GeekSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:00:42 -0800

You know I'm a freak about Google Reader, and one of the reasons I love it is the Share function. I have a few buddies with whom I exchange interesting posts - for those unfamiliar with it, you can share posts from the feeds that you subscribe to with people on your shared list on Reader. I love sharing so much that I was shocked when my friend told me I could share anything, from any site, whether or not you're subscribing to that feed (or if they don't offer a feed to subscribe to).

Say you run across a video on YouTube, and want all your buddies to see. From this Notes page, drag the "Note in Reader" bookmark to your browser, and then when you find that amazing kitten-in-a-box video, just click that Note in Reader bookmark, and the sharing box pops up as if you're on your Reader page.

To your friends, it will appear exactly the same as the posts from your feeds do.

Download of the Day: Read It Later

GeekSugar — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:09:00 -0700

My devotion to Google Reader has been well-documented here, and I relish any new opportunity to get more of it (though I'd have to be a superhuman to read everything in my reader daily).

Read It Later is a free Firefox extension that just adds little empty check marks to stories in your feeds, and when you come to a post you want to read but don't have time to, simply click the check marks.

All checked stories are then saved in a separate reading list - either from Read It Later's site, in your RSS Reader, or for reading offline later!

Source

Geek Tip: Export Your Feeds From One RSS Reader to Another

GeekSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:00:59 -0700

Change can be hard. Maybe, for instance, you committed to an RSS Reader early on and then decided to switch to a different RSS Reader later on. I'm not here to judge - just to guide.

If you happen to be dying to make the switch to Google Reader from another RSS (maybe you heard how fan-freaking-tastic Better GReader makes it), then I bet you're also saying, "yes, I would love to switch, but what about all my feeds?!" That's a valid complaint, especially if you have upwards of 100 feeds, as so many of you do.

To see the tip, just read more.

Thankfully, Google Reader allows you to import all of your feeds from other readers, including Bloglines, NetVibes, and even Safari or Firefox bookmarks. All you need to do is export your subscriptions as an OPML file; refer to Google's handy list of links to learn how to do it from each reader.

Once you have the OPML file, you can upload it to Google Reader from the Settings page and the Import/Export tab. I would love to tell you how to do this from Bloglines site, but it's down right now.

Jinkies, another reason to switch?