I’m not a technology superstar so I’ve partnered up with someone who is in order to bring you the latest and greatest in the technology world as it relates to organizing and time management. Every couple of weeks Carley Knobloch, a technology lifestyle expert from Digitwirl, visits us to share some fun yet informative videos on various technology products and services that can help you get organized and simplify your busy life.
Today’s Digitwirl:
You know sometimes in this world of blogland, I forget that not everyone reading my blog is a blogger. You simply might be someone who enjoys reading blogs not writing them. That fact was further pointed out to me when I was having a discussion with a friend. She mentioned to me that everyday she faithfully checks out her favorite sites by clicking through each of the bookmarked links in her browser and is always so sad when there isn’t a new post. I explained to her how she could set up all the blogs she follows in a feed reader which would then let her know every time a new post is up and she wouldn’t physically have to go to the actual site each time. It really is a very efficient way to organize your blog reading.
My girlfriend had no idea and it surprised me because I guess I just (mistakenly) assumed everyone knows what feeds and RSS are all about. Silly me. So for my girlfriend and everyone else out there who might not be familiar with this, I’m sharing Carley’s latest video for you today. It takes seconds to set up a reader (I use Google Reader and follow over 300 blogs!) and you will be thrilled at how much time it saves you. In fact, now that I have an iPhone I read my blogs through my feed reader app on my phone (I love G-Whizz) whenever I have a couple of minutes of “wait” time. Love!
To subscribe to my site (and I hope you will!) via a feed reader or via email please visit this post here.
Notes from Carley:
Ever get tired of surfing from website to website? Once you understand what an RSS feed is and how to use a RSS reader, you’ll be able to sit back and have the web’s updated content come right to you.
Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.
If you’re already a feed reader user, how many blogs do you follow??
Hilda says
Great simple explanation!
Amy McCauley says
I L-O-V-E Google Reader but I haven’t found anything close to it’s greatness for iPhone or iPad. Please Please share what reader app you use!!
Laura says
So sorry I totally forgot to say in my post what I use. I love the G-Whizz app and it’s been working great for me.
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/google-apps-browser-by-g-whizz!/id368305725?mt=8
Tina says
LOVE Google Reader….except for the blogs who do allow full content to be viewed within the reader. I unsubscribe to those blogs for that very reason.
Reader now has an option to give you a toolbar button…to click through the original blog websites, unread items…just as you would your reader.
Tina says
*who do not allow full content
…and I also read through my Android app on my phone and Kindle. :o)
Lusule says
I would really love to push Reeder to anyone who uses Apple tech (mac, iPhone, iPad) and hasn’t already heard of it!
It’s a feed reader that works with your Google Reader account, but is much much (in my opinion) nicer and cleaner to use. It also makes it really easy to share articles to most major platforms, repost them to your blog, or forward an interesting article to your Instapaper account to read later (it works with some other read-it-later services too).
I truly believe its the best RSS reader there is right now! No, I’m not affiliated with Reeder or it’s developer in any way, I’m just really enthusiastic! Can you tell?
Linda Stoll says
Thanks for dragging me into the next century!
Spent an hour or so setting up an account with Bloglines last night – EASY! And to have everything in one place instead of endlessly trolling down my favorites list? PRICELESS!
Many thanks for your easy to follow, fun, thorough instructions. SUPER!
Sheila says
I’ve used Google Reader for years. I love that everything is in one place when I’m ready to read it. As someone else mentioned, I also dislike the web pages or blogs that refuse to allow the full post to be read in Reader… it’s usually a money-making opportunity for them to make me (anyone) come to their website, so it’s rare that I follow those.
I think there are a couple of nicer things about Google Reader that weren’t mentioned! One is the fact that you can categorize your reading… this is about organizing right? 😉 I subscribe to 298 blogs or sites and currently have 1000+ unread posts. It would be a nightmare if I didn’t have them organized in some fashion. I have folders set up for Foodie, Canning, Knitting, Quilting, Library (do a search at that site for items you want to know about when they come in, then cut and past the resulting URL into reader!), and other crazy stuff — whatever. When I subscribe, I allocate each new feed to a folder based on its topic.
One of the other best features of Google Reader is the Subscribe button (find it at: gear icon-> Reader settings-> Goodies). It’s on my toolbar and if I’m clicking along and reading other sites that catch my attention and want to follow without having to remember or write it down, I click on the subscribe button. If there’s an RSS feed, the subscribe button takes me directly to Reader (or has me log in, if I’m not already) and lets me subscribe to the feed. If there is no feed, it tells me so.