I'll admit, coming from mostly a BlackBerry background I struggled when hopping onto Android in finding some apps that fit my needs. Not due to lack of apps, but mostly due to the fact there were so many to choose from. RSS readers, for example, was one genre in particular that stuck out as having plenty of options, but none that seemingly fulfilled my needs.
Luckily, I came across GoodNews Google Reader, which fit nicely into what I was looking for. Given that I maintain a lot of RSS feeds, GoodNews handles them and the sharing aspect of RSS feeds quite nicely. The ability to listen to and play podcasts from with the app itself was an added bonus. While in beta the app did have some rough edges but for the most part they are now a thing of the past. Jump on past the break for a full list of features built into the app.
Basic Features:
- Local Synchronization with Google Reader
- Innovative immediate push synchronization
- Locale and Tasker integration via add-on
- 30+ settings for perfect customization
- Introduction tips for quick start
- Supports Android 1.5 and higher
- Supports all screen sizes
- English and German language
News Reading:
- Read list for later reading
- Edit article tags
- Quick buttons in list for - read state, starred state, read list
- Volume key navigation
Audio Podcasts:
- Play list
- Stop and resume downloads
- Download complete play list
- Adaptive live streaming
Each app always has a "Good, the bad and the ugly" section -- for GoodNews those sections break down like this for me personally.
The Good: The UI is nice and fluid, easy to navigate and everything is laid out nicely and intuitively. The app just works so well and is so customizable to your tastes that it really does cater to your needs when it comes to being a go to RSS reader.
The Bad: It costs money to remove the ads, if you decide as though you want to. I'm not saying developers shouldn't be paid for their apps by any means but GoodNews still has some bugs. The ad-free license costs around $2, depending on your locale.
The Ugly: I've been using GoodNews for a while now and with each and every update, something new gets fixed -- a previous bug, a complaint with the UI-- something always gets fixed. These fixes however often cause something else to break, not a deal breaker by any means but you should be aware of it.
Overall, the minor bugs and beta feel to it all is easily overlooked during use. There is tons of potential here and out of the box so to speak GoodNews is a great app. When they get around to adding video podcasts to the mix I can see it becoming my go to app for that as well. If you're needing a new RSS reader and want to step out of the norm, give GoodNews a look. It's free to download and cheap to remove the ads if you find them to be intrusive.
