Google Reader service to the dismay of all of us who use it to follow our news. Even worse, the service is used as backend by some of the most popular iOS news apps, such as Reeder, Mr. Reader and other Google Reader clients . Due to these news, several online news sites are already promising to replace Google Reader with their own services. But this begs the question: Is it really necessary to replace Google Reader? Or is it time to move on and approach the news we consume in a different way? Thankfully, if this is what you’ve been thinking about, the App Store offers a series of news aggregator apps that are all of great quality and that are completely self-contained, which means they don’t require any other service as their backend and which offer a more casual, twitter-like approach to news. Let’s take a look at some of the best of them that cost nothing to download.
Pulse
Easily one of the most popular news aggregators on the App Store, Pulse offers a fresh approach to news with an interface that sets the app apart from similar ones. Instead of a list of news, the app shows you a vertically scrolling list of sources that you select beforehand. This approach allows for up to nine article previews in one view, with each list able to scroll infinitely to the side. In addition to that, you are not required to sign up for an account when using the app, and you can also share articles via the most important social networks out there.
Summly
Characterized by its flat and minimal UI, Summly offers a new spin to news aggregator apps. It’s main premise is that all the news offered are already summarized, and you can choose to either read those summaries or to expand the news to their original size. The app’s controls are simple to master and respond smoothly to input, whether it is sliding a news panel to the right to refresh it or double tapping or pinching an article to expand it. Just like other aggregators, Summly also separates news in different main categories, which you can edit and even color-code, allowing you to easily browse between them and get to the news you want fast.
News360
Perhaps the simplest one to use of the apps in this list, News360 offers a more streamlined interface that, while not as nice-looking as it should be, still gets things done effectively. To begin with, the app allows you to choose your main news categories right from the start instead of bombarding you with random ones. Once you do, all categories are easily accessible from the left menu, where you can add more and also manage you favorite ones. Instead of showing you a list of news though, News360 shows you each news article one at a time, which can make it a pain to navigate across more than a few. Other than that, if you just want to know about the most important news, this app is definitely worth downloading. Does any of these app looks like it could calm your crave for news in the post-Google Reader world? Let us know in the comments below. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
