I have been using Google Reader since it was released in 2005. I find it an excellent way to find, organise and share articles from my favourite websites. However Google has announced that on July 1st 2013, the service will be shut down.
‘We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.’
Here are the steps you need to take in order to ‘liberate your data’ from Google Reader:
Once you have your data saved, you might need to find another feed reader. Bloglovin’ makes it extremely easy, and they have posted an article which shows you how to move your feeds over to their service in one simple step.
Other Useful Feed Reader Apps and Services:
Read more about the Google Reader Shut-down on Reuters: Google to shut Reader web feed application, users vent.