New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#1

Post by abraham » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:00 PM UTC

New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing
googlereader.blogspot.com

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#2

Post by amjith » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:12 PM UTC

I hope there is enough contrast between unread and read items. It took me a while to get used to the gmail overhaul with their new design.

But integration with plus is definitely a welcome change. More often than not, I've decided against sharing simply because it's inappropriate to everyone following me.

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#3

Post by algorithms » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:15 PM UTC

"A new Android application will follow soon."

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#4

Post by squealingrat » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:18 PM UTC

Sigh. I like the redesign (it's about time!) but I hate that they're turning off sharing. I use that to run my link blog, and now I'll have to figure out another workaround.

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#5

Post by ambirex » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:33 PM UTC

One early criticism (aside from the sharing bugaboo) is the header is larger making the allowable reading area much smaller.

the topmost the feed content can be read is ~193px from the top of the browser. And you can't scroll down because of the way the page it built.

  Here is what firebug told me:
  29px - account bar
  59px - search bar
  73px - feed toolbar
  32px - feed title bar (in the reading pane)

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#6

Post by pieter » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:34 PM UTC

I don't really care anymore about the design of Google Reader. The only thing I use it for is for syncing my read items between my different reader apps (like Reeder for iPad). As long as they keep supporting that I'm fine, but this seems like a service anyone could implement in case they stop the API access.

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#7

Post by zmanian » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:39 PM UTC

Sort by magic seems to be intermittently breaking. Or more accurately the ordering of items seems to be changing dramatically on refresh.

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#8

Post by hosh » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:46 PM UTC

squealingrat wrote: post #4

Sigh. I like the redesign (it's about time!) but I hate that they're turning off sharing. I use that to run my link blog, and now I'll have to figure out another workaround.

Sharing works. Sharing just does not work without publicly +1 the reader item. (This is a big -1 for me).

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#9

Post by oldstrangers » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:46 PM UTC

ambirex wrote: post #5

One early criticism (aside from the sharing bugaboo) is the header is larger making the allowable reading area much smaller. the topmost the feed content can be read is ~193px from the top of the browser. And you can't scroll down because of the way the page it built. Here is what firebug told me: 29px - account bar 59px - search bar 73px - feed toolbar 32px - feed title bar (in the reading pane)

My biggest complaint is they tampered with the scroll bar. It's way too small now and only functions as an aesthetic touch... The regular scroll bar works perfectly fine.

Re: New in Reader: a fresh design, and Google+ sharing

#10

Post by GBKS » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 9:47 PM UTC

The new design is definitely cleaner and consistent with other Google products, but it is not a design focused on providing a great reading experience (as the product name "Reader" suggests). It is basically the Gmail layout and interaction model, just different content. I wish Google had taken an approach that deeply focused on the content first (as Flipboard does).