One to watch: Gruml
When it comes to free newsreaders for the Mac, there are really only two that matter: the ad-supported NetNewsWire and Vienna. But these days it’s becoming common for people to access the news from several devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, laptop, computer at home, computer at work — and on it goes.
That’s why the ability to sync with Google Reader gives NetNewsWire a distinct advantage. Vienna is a great app that equals NetNewsWire in many ways, but its inability to sync between devices is a serious shortcoming.
One solution would be to use one of half-a-dozen Safari extensions available to enhance Google Reader, and be done with the desktop. I can’t quite bring myself to go this route — it just seems awkward — so I was pleased to find that development of Gruml continues apace.
This Google Reader for the Mac has been in beta for at least a year, and as such has been free for some time. The interface is similar to what you’re likely used to in NetNewsWire or Vienna. Feeds are listed on a sidebar to the left, headlines are in a top panel to the right, and articles are shown below right. (In fact, some of the widgets used in Gruml are identical to those used in Vienna.)
While still rough around the edges, Gruml makes a valiant attempt to outdo its competitors. In addition to starring or flagging an item, you can also “like” it, although the difference may be too nuanced for some users. Much more interesting is the ability to tweet an article. Just click the tweet button and you can post to Twitter with a headline that can be edited.
You can also send articles to a host of other social sites ranging from Buzz to Tumblr, or dash it off in an email. In my testing, all of these services appeared to work fine. You can also post to your blog with helper apps such as MarsEdit.
NetNewsWire offers some of these abilities, but the lack of a Twitter function is a glaring omission if you consider its popularity.
Documentation for Gruml is skimpy at this point, so it’s not clear how some features work. For example, I’m not sure what to make of sections for “People you follow” and “Recommended items.”
Gruml holds much promise, and I look forward to the day when all the bugs are worked out. Meanwhile, it’s quite usable as-is if you’re attracted to the extra features and you’re willing to overlook its flaws. Also, and this is a big one for some people, there are no ads.
Posted Tuesday, August 31, 2010 in Reviews
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