Google Reader Adds Search; Bloglines Playing Catch-up in Features
Just yesterday some R/WW readers were bitterly complaining in our comments about Google Reader's lack of search. "I'm a loyal Google Reader user," remarked R/WW reader Stephen Glauser, "but if they don't hurry up and implement a search feature very soon, the first company who does will win my service."
Perhaps the Google Reader team noted those comments, because today they've announced that Google Reader has search. What's more, it allows search for keywords (a very useful feature) and if you subscribe to someone's shared items, it'll search across those as well. Note: I had to log out and then in again to see the new Search box in GReader.
Beta Bloglines also has search, however it is not an integrated search within the beta RSS Reader. Rather, when you search for something using the Beta Bloglines search box, you are taken to a new browser window in the old Bloglines.
Now to a feature that I've been complaining is missing from Beta Bloglines - a 'View All' option. Probably my main use case for an RSS Reader is to view a list of the latest items, just titles and arranged in date order. This is really a "power blogger" feature, so possibly not something a lot of Bloglines users are requesting. However Bloglines told me today that this feature is coming, although not till later in their beta cycle.
Probably due to all the work Google Reader has done over 2007, they are in the lead regarding features. Bloglines is playing catch-up, even if they still hold the lead in users.
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Oh so that's why Google Reader refuses to load on Opera from this morning :(
Bummer.
@zameer: You're right, even with the new Opera 9.5 Aplpha-Version Google Reader doesn't load.
The search bar is way overdue and very welcome, but it would be better yet if you could search unread items only, or by date.
@Markus: I tried it on alpha too, and got the same result.
Maybe, I'm a bit paranoid. But, it seems like Google keeps breaking Opera compatibility every so often. I have had similar trouble with GMail as well. Today, I'm running Firefox just to read my RSS. Google might like Firefox better with Gears and all. But they seriously ought to stop trying to dictate what browser I use (I'm not saying that's what they do, but sometimes it sure feels like it). I'd rather switch my RSS reader than switch my browser. If they push too hard I'll import all my GMail mails to Yahoo! :)
(I hope somebody at Google take note of this as well :D)
Oops! left the wrong email id. Just so that you know it wasn't somebody else spoofing me id and posting the 2nd comment.
Aaaargh!
:)
The search feature of Bloglines is really painful: you better bookmark an interesting post that counting on the search feature of Bloglines.
Screaming FINALLY!! is an understatement. Next stop, making better Trends statistics for Starred Items.
Why? If Google knows what I'd loved to read in past then so do I. (No, the currents Trends stats don't suffice.)
This could not be more awesome. This is going to make my feed-reading life so much easier. Woo!
Google Reader working on Opera 9.21 again :D