For a news junkie like me there is only one application that I use more than my gmail and that’s my RSS reader. RSS is a very simple way that sites (like this one) allow users to read the latest posts as soon as they are published .  If you have never tried RSS- head over to Netvibes, Google Reader or download a program like FeedDemon (Windows) or Netnewswire( Mac) to see the real power of syndicated web news. 

For people like me who take the Train and Tube to get to work, commuting to work everyday is probably one of the most boring things to do.  Finally, instead of reading about what Peaches Geldof did yesterday , I have my trusty RSS reader on my phone to give me exactly the news that I am after, wherever I am.

NewsRob syncs directly with Google Reader, downloading both the post from the website and if needed, the page it links to.  Its simple to setup, just requiring your Google Account username and password and you are working. 

The interface for this application is the definition of simplicity and is thus really easy to use.  It clearly shows which feeds have posts and users can filter down to the exact feed they want.   As you read through your news items, it will automatically mark them as read and will sync this information to the Google Reader service.  It also offers the ability to “Star” a post and even to share the post via google reader or via email.  Anytime you want to refresh your posts you just hit menu and the sync button.

When you click on a post it brings up a web browser page which allows you to zoom around the page, and to click on any links which are loaded provided you have an internet connection. 

Customizability also seems to win out here, with the app offering a plethora of features including number of posts to sync, notifications and where to store the cache. 

One of the only drawbacks of the application was that I found news stories were disappearing off the phone after I read them, however after discovering the “unhide read articles” option in the menu button soon sorted this out.

The only other drawback is the inability to subscribe to new feeds from within the application itself.  I personally prefer to use Firefox’s handy one touch feature click feature to subscribe to RSS. 

Overall I recommend this application highly and look forward to seeing what else the News Rob developer  can deliver to further extend the program.

NewsRob is currently and amazingly available FREE from the android market and feel free to visit the NewsRob developer’s page to find out more about the application

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