Google Reader Play
Google seems to be working overtime on its Reader and has launched the Google Reader Play. This interface opens up when you go to the regular Google Reader.
I don’t quite understand the significance of ‘play’, but this is Google Reader in a bold, new, sprightly interface. The interface seems very similar to an image viewer i.e. as if you are viewing photos on your Picasa software in full screen mode.
As I understand, Reader Play shows you the latest feeds that you have subscribed to. Like the regular reader, you can star, like, or share feed items. Supposedly Reader Play will keep tab of this and will in turn show you related content, the next time you log on, based on what you have marked.
The interface is quite simple with the huge viewing area at the top and a thumbnail view at the bottom which double as a navigation area so that you can jump to any feed item quickly. I however feel the thumbnail area is a waste of space as it doesn’t accurately represent the old and new feed items. Only feeds that have an image in it is represented correctly. Google could reduce this thumbnail size and/or make it text-based where required. The thumbnail viewer can of course be hidden if required.
There is a stream setting option, where you can view all items, new items, liked items, starred items and so on. The interesting thing is that you also have a category option where you can choose what are the broad areas that you are interested in and Google will find feed items from those areas and display them to you. You can also switch layouts between a ‘magic’ layout and an original layout. Essentially in the magic layout a stylesheet is applied that make the text large and headline like for easy reading. I suggest that you turn this magic layout on while using Reader Play, else the entire fun is lost.
Unfortunately, Play shows only the headlines (excerpts) of each feed item and I am not able to find a way to read the entire article. There is an option to ‘Read More’, but this just takes you to the ‘original layout’ and then there is no way to get back to the ‘magic layout’ except by going to the next post. Update: Just found out that clicking the title of the feed item lets you read the full article in the original source. Ok, not bad. Clicking on the source of a feed item takes you to all the feeds from that source.
However Play still has a lot of bug. If the article is too long, then you can never see the scroll bar, and you have to scroll using the scroll button or middle click and drag as the case may be. There are a lot of other glitches and I hope that Google resolves them soon. Noticed that there is absolutely no branding on the Reader Play. What a huge Boo Boo. I wonder how the marketing team let such a product public. I think Google is losing its way here and is becoming very reactive to the IT scene and are trying too hard at bringing out some disruptive innovation.
Overall the reading experience on Reader Play is different and not monotonous like all other readers, but whether it is a practical approach remains to be seen.