Dear NetNewsWire for iPhone – Can We Have Missing Google Reader Sync Features Please?
I know it ‘s considered terribly bad form to demand, or sometimes even request, non-urgent (critical bug fixes etc) updates for iPhone apps. Even so, I ‘d like to throw up a request to the folks at NewsGator for their NetNewsWire app for the iPhone.
My request is for some key missing features relating to Google Reader sync to be added, namely the ability to share items (Google Reader share that is, not via email or Facebook etc), and an option to show only feeds that have unread items in them (i.e not have the list views littered with feeds that contain zero new items).
I have seen user requests for new features greeted at times with cries of protest from developers “ reminders that their workload in supporting an app (or multiple apps) is heavy and that they are often very stretched in juggling maintenance and enhancements to existing apps alongside new development efforts and so forth.
I ‘m not a developer and never have been “ and I have the utmost respect for those who are, especially those who bring us great iPhone apps.
Having said that, I would respectfully point out that it has been four months now since NetNewsWire 2.0 “ the headline feature of which was Google Reader sync “ was released.
The two missing features I ‘d like to see added were not included in the 2.0 release, even though they are nicely implemented in several other good iPhone RSS reader apps that sync with Google Reader. At the time I first looked at NetNewsWire 2.0, I noted the absence of these features, but could get by without them.
After a few months though, and knowing of and having used other apps that have these features, they become a bit of a dealbreaker for me. So I haven ‘t been using NetNewsWire for some time now. Newsstand, which is feature-rich and has a very nice interface, is my current joint favorite, along with the superb Google Reader web app.
It seems reasonable to me that after four months “ a third of a year “ we should expect a ‘leading ‘ RSS app that touts its Google Reader sync capabilities to be fully up to scratch on features like these missing ones.
I was aware that NetNewsWire for iPhone – in its 1.x days “ had a poor reputation among at least some users, specifically for its lack of regular updates. I got the impression leading up to and at the launch of 2.0 that the app had some sort of newfound momentum, and hoped the updates reputation was either inaccurate or would be improved in the new 2.x era.
That doesn ‘t seem to be happening though, at least so far.
So anyway, that ‘s my request / wish list for NetNewsWire. What do you all think? Do my ‘missing ‘ features matter to you at all?
Lost cause in my view… They seem to have given up on development. I've switched to MobileRSS.
NetNewsWire is great, I swear by it on my Mac. But my Google Reader app of choice for the iPhone is Reeder. I've tried NNW and Newsstand but found them a little meh. Reeder is pretty, generally syncs quickly, and has all the basics (share, star, mail, notes, Twitter, Instapaper, Read It Later, Delicious, and Pinboard).
Thanks for the post. I MISS the old NetNewsWire so much I could cry.
It was perfect – it synced only unread and showed my ALL unread items – even if it was more than 200! Sigh.
Not sure "demanding" is the right word or way to go but a request will perhaps go a long way.
Agree – Reeder is by far a better option. I gave up with NNW after their lame attempt at an iPhone client in V 2.0 came out.
One word. Bylinge
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