Google Reader is shutting down, but these seven alternatives can help you stay up to date with your favorite feeds.

The Google Reader shut down is a complete drag, but there are plenty of alternatives to Google Reader if you want to stay up to date on all the blogs you love to read. Many options even allow you to import your feeds straight from Google Reader, so it’s easy to make the switch before Google Reader shuts down on July 1, 2013.

Here are my favorite options:

Feedly

When Google first announced they were sending their feed reader our to pasture, the most common advice I saw was to switch to Feedly. Many people were already using this feed reader and for good reason: Feedly offers easy content sharing on social networks, several layout options, and apps/extensions to fit whatever browser or device you use. It takes a little time to get used to Feedly if you’re currently a Google Reader user, but once you get the hang of things, it’s pretty sweet.

NewsBlur

NewsBlur is like Google Reader with a shot of espresso. It has a similar interface, so it’s an easy switch for Google Reader users, but it also has some extra features, like the ability to create a “blurblog” of the content you like best and want to share. The downside? The amount of feeds you can subscribe to is capped for free users and you can only see 10 new stories at a time. To get unlimited access, you’ll need to upgrade to premium, which costs $24 per year.

The Old Reader

Built specifically to replace Google Reader, The Old Reader is a great option if you want something as close to Google Reader as possible. On the downside, there are currently no mobile apps yet, but The Old Reader looks and functions so much like Google Reader that you might not care. You can even use many of the same keyboard shortcuts and it brings back the Google Reader function of allowing you to follow other users and subscribe to their feeds.

NetNewsWire

NetNewsWire has been around since 2002, and it’s still a favorite among Mac users. I’m a PC user myself, but from what I’ve heard from Mac fans, NetNewsWire is great if you want a really simple reader option, but it’s a little outdated if you’re looking for more bells and whistles.

Leaf

Leaf is another option for Mac users. This isn’t a good feed reader for those of you who want something extremely similar to Google Reader, but it is a good choice if you’re looking for something a little different! Leaf displays feeds in an almost Twitter-stream way. Leaf also allows you to save to Readability, Instapaper or Pocket.

NetVibes

If you’re looking for lots of function and want a more professional feed reader that includes data, tracking, and brand monitoring options, check out NetVibes. This reader offers both free and premium services, and even if you’re a free user, there are lots of options to make this reader your own. Upgrade to premium and you have a complete tool for monitoring what’s happening online.

Twitter

If you just have a handful of blogs you like to follow, don’t overlook Twitter as an option! You have to manually add feeds with this option, but I find it works really well to keep track of the 10-20 blogs I read most often. Here are my directions for turning Twitter into a feed reader.

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Allison Boyer is the Online Education Coordinator for NMX University, where you can learn more about blogging, podcasting, web TV, and social business. She also runs the food blog The PinterTest Kitchen with her mom and sister.

SheSource.org (@SheSource) welcomes Renee Schmidt as a member (view Renee’s Profile).

Promoting women in the media, SheSource is an online braintrust of female experts on diverse topics designed to serve journalists, producers and bookers who need female guests and sources. Established by Women’s Media Center, the SheSource database of women experts is the go-to resource for journalists, bookers, and producers seeking women experts to appear on TV and to quote in print and online media. SheSource features leading experts from every field. Renee joins as an expert in the area of Technology.

Why do we need SheSource?

‘The sad fact is, gender inequality is so deeply ingrained in our culture, most people don’t realize there’s a problem….No major (issue) can be approached effectively without including the needs, views, and talents of the other half of the population …. We are all responsible for changing the conversation.  Not tomorrow, but right now.’
- Jane Fonda, Women’s Media Center co-founder

Click on these links to learn more about SheSource and Women’s Media Center.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZELyYnfQC_U

Fox News LIVE (live.foxnews.com) with Adam Housley (@AdamHousley)

SheBytes founder Renee Schmidt on Fox News LIVE. Tech Take on SCOTUS and Obamacare trending on Twitter. Discussion on the Facebook email conundrum, subscribe feature. Has Facebook gone too far? Tech headlines making news this week (read more here).

June 28th, 2012 – 2:15PM EST Segment

Featured on the Fox News SciTech homepage at http://foxnews.com/scitech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W22Gqd-TCxI

Fox News LIVE (live.foxnews.com) with Jonathan Hunt (@JonathanHuntFNC)

SheBytes founder Renee Schmidt on Fox News LIVE discussing Facebook, the uncontested king of social –right? A slew of smaller social networks are now nibbling at its heels — and the one worrying Facebook execs the most is Path. Discussion on the app for Couples: Pair, Crowdfunding and other tech headlines this week (read more here).

June 21st, 2012 – 12:30PM Segment

Featured on the Fox News homepage http://foxnews.com

Also featured on the Fox News under SciTech: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0FXc8RlGSA

Fox News LIVE (live.foxnews.com) with Adam Housley (@adamhousley)

SheBytes founder Renee Schmidt on Fox News LIVE discussing the Facebook debacle and IPO troubles, mobile advertising challenges, Microsoft So.cl, Windows 8, and what a Silicon Valley VC lawsuit may mean for women in technology (read more here).

May 24th, 2012 – 2:00PM Segment

Featured on Fox News http://foxnews.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa5xHdRl2Q0

Philip Bloch (@phillip_bloch) for Take The Interview (taketheinterview.com)

Renee Schmidt, Editor of SheBytes.com is interviewed at the co-launch party of two new technology startups.“Tech Streaming the Industry: Take the Interview and Candex Launch” event at NYC’s hotspot Yotel.

November 3rd, 2011 – Yotel with Philip Bloch - Segment begins at 2:36

Take the Interview

Take the Interview (or just TTI) is a technology-based service that lets you interview via video. Rather than having candidates come in to the office for a physical interview, you post job listings with a specific list of interview questions, and request applicant to answer those questions via video.  It saves time and money!

Candex

Candex is a spin on HR operations; it provides a centralized network for companies to post and managing job listings.With customizable options, clients can specify exactly how they’d like to go about hiring employees.

Read more about both companies here.

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Cloud Tweaks (cloudtweaks.com) feature on Renee Schmidt (@CloudTweaks)

Cloud Tweaks is a a leading online publication and authority on Cloud Computing providing news and analysis from some of the most respected cloud computing industry experts worldwide. I am featured on Cloud Tweaks in a story titled Women and Cloud Computing, Part II: Four Leading Ladies in the Cloud Conversation.

February 3, 2012 – Cloud Tweaks

Featured as a Cloud Computing leader at http://cloudtweaks.com 

Fox Business News (foxbusiness.com) feature (@FoxBusiness)

SheBytes and Madison Technology were featured today on the homepage of Fox Business News in an article titled: Cloud à la Carte: 6 Ways to Order Off the Cloud.  In the article, I address the misconception that cloud computing is a one-size-fits-all service that’s more aptly suited to Fortune 500s with big IT budgets as compared to smaller shops with limited means. There are a smorgasbord of cloud options for businesses of any size and budget who want to capitalize on cloud services in their own unique way. Cloud doesn’t refer to one large umbrella service, it can be sliced up into smaller pieces to fit any business. 

December 20th, 2011 – Fox Business News

Featured on the Fox Business News Homepage at http://foxbusiness.com

The article lists the six most common cloud-based services that companies of any size can subscribe to.  When it comes to the ‘cool’ factor of cloud computing, cloud desktops are definitely where it’s at.  To read about the remaining top five most common cloud-based services, click here.   

Every small business, regardless of industry, can benefit from at least some of the many cloud service offerings now available. It’s important to do due diligence on any cloud provider before purchasing service – make sure the company has a strong track record, has U.S.-based servers, pricing is in line with average costs and is willing to provide detailed answers to any questions you have.

IBM Business Agility (businessagility.com) feature (@IBMBizAgility)

If data security frustrates you, you’re not alone! With mobile device usage and cloud adaptation on the rise, people are accessing more and more data on the fly.  And with so much sensitive information dispersed and accessed across the internet, security has never been a more critical subject. I was quoted on the subject in a recent article title Protecting Data Through BPM, authored on BusinessAgility.com by my friend Pierre DeBois, Founder of Zimana, a consulting company that specializes in digital marketing.

December 15th, 2011 – Business Agility

Feature quote for Business Agility at http://businessagility.com 

The article is insightful; going on to highlight an interesting Gartner study noting the increase of mobile devices as one of the top strategic trends for 2012: “the era of PC dominance with Windows as the single platform will be replaced with a post-PC era where Windows is one of a variety of environments IT will need to support.”

Over the summer, I noted the same perspective when explaining cloud computing benefits in a presentation with Rackspace CTO John Engates for Small Business Technology’s 12 Hours of Tech seminar, as part of NY Internet Week.

As we move away from traditional desktop and server infrastructure, the increase in cloud adaptation will correlate to an increase in mobile device usage; inclusive of mobile phones, laptops, and in particular, tablets… for example, Cloud Desktops now let you run a Windows 7 desktop using your Apple iPad, or any other Internet-connected device. The flexibility is impressive and becoming increasingly more so.

To learn more about Cloud Desktops, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jczs4CBfAg

Fox News LIVE (live.foxnews.com) with Gregg Jarrett (@GreggJarrett)

TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington (@Arrington) is under fire for comments he made about women and minorities in the technology industry. According to Arrington, there aren’t many minority or female entrepreneurs in tech. SheBytes founder Renee Schmidt says Arrington’s opinions weren’t very PC, but he’s right (read more here).

November 9th, 2011- 11:05AM Segment

Featured on the Fox News Homepage at http://foxnews.com

Also featured on the Fox News Homepage under SciTech: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech

Styling by http://jenniferevestyle.com/