This review originally appeared within iLounge’s iOS Gems series within the compilation article, iPhone Gems: Every RSS Reader, Reviewed. Additional details may be found in the original article.
With a name that should be familiar to any long-time Mac user, NetNewsWire (Free) is the mobile version of the venerable Mac OS RSS reader. Unlike some of the other RSS readers we’ve reviewed, NetNewsWire is meant as more of an accompaniment to NewsGator’s desktop-based RSS readers, NetNewsWire for Mac and FeedDemon for Windows, than a standalone reader. As such, it doesn’t offer the ability to add feeds from the app itself, although users can tap the edit button on the main feeds screen to delete feeds — either from just the iPhone version, or from the entire account. Each feed is listed in its group (if applicable) with the favicon to the left and the unread count to the right. A refresh button can be found at the lower right of this screen, and tapping on a feed brings the user into the entry view.
On the entry view, each is listed by title only, unread in blue and read in grey, with a mark all as read button at the bottom. The individual entry view shows the title in a blue bar at the top, with the summary underneath, a next unread button at the bottom, and an action button to email a link or add the story to clippings, which is NewsGator’s version of flagging. Tapping the title opens the story in the app’s built-in browser, or users can tap the “Open in Safari” button to view the entry outside the app. The app’s developer has said that new features are coming in future versions of NetNewsWire, and with a proven track record, we have every reason to believe this app will continue to improve. As it stands, it’s the only iPhone RSS app that offers NewsGator integration, and while it’s not overflowing with features, it is free. We’d like to see it gain offline browsing support, the ability to add feeds on the go, and more, but it still does what it sets out to do well, sports a well-designed interface, and is worthy of our general recommendation. iLounge Rating: B.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: NewsGator Technologies
Website: www.newsgator.com
Title: NetNewsWire
Price: Free
Compatible: iPhones, iPod touches
