A lot of people started using RSS once again when Reeder for Mac (public beta) came out last week. It is a beautiful app that brings the power of Google Reader to the desktop with a lot of additional functionalities such as support for sharing on multiple social networks and background loading of webpages. But many users are still tied to Google Reader in the browser, that pinned tab that they just can’t close.
If so, take a look at Pure Reader, a browser extension by designer Na Wong.
Available as a Safari Extension on Wong’s website and ported to Google Chrome by Milind Alvares, Pure Reader is described as a “UI haircut for Google Reader” – and indeed, I haven’t seen such a beautiful modification in a while. Pure Reader removes all the clutter from Google Reader and makes it more similar to a desktop application, yes retaining the feeling of a webapp. It feels good.
Google Reader’s standard features have been redesigned to fit into Wong’s mod: there’s a sidebar with tabs that allows you to quickly skim through the websites you’re subscribed to, and you can switch between unread items, starred and shared items.
Pure Reader is simply awesome. Go download it here.
