Provide a 'cut-down' mobile interface for smart phones / tablets
Google Reader provides a 'touch' [ https://www.google.com/reader/i/ ] and 'minimal' [ https://www.google.com/reader/m/ ] interface for smart phones / tablets.
It might be nice if an equivalent minimal interface for OldReader is also available to make browsing and reading feeds on such devices (with limited screen space) easier.
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Anonymous commented
I agree. I would like a mobile-friendly site rather than an app!
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Boris Shapiro commented
Can't believe more people are camouring for an Android app that a mobile Web interface! Who needs an app, really? Most of your clicks will end up in a browser anyway, so why switch back and forth between the two apps when you can (could, in GR) simply open you links in another tab?
P.S. I would settle for a *really* cut-down mobile version without the whole navigation thing. Just a list and a "mark all as read" button/link. Don't use no folders anyhow.
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Sebastian Krzyszkowiak commented
+1 from me. I've been using Google Reader from Kindle Paperwhite, and their touch interface worked pretty well with it. Unfortunately, The Old Reader is almost unusable.
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Gnorn commented
Is there any way to stop the feed list from showing up at the top of the page on mobile? This is a dealbreaker for me. Using iPhone/Safari, I have to scroll down through 20 screens of feed listings before I actually get to any posts.
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Briana commented
After testing out 8 different Google Reader replacements, I was all set to switch to TOR... until I thought to try it out on my nook. TOR is nearly nonfunctional for me -- I don't get the folders that normally show up on the left sidebar, and the buttons (list view, reverse, etc) are tiny and don't work properly even when I do manage to push them. I think I'll ending up going with Feedspot or AOL reader at this point...
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ibilln commented
No.
To be a contender, a reader has to have at least a useable thing for mobile. TOR: No swipe-out; -tiny- fonts; click on a feed and the articles list shows up -under- the total feed list. Going back to the feed list works sometimes. No actual mobile apps. etc.
I get that there are only ~3 people working on it. But reality is reality.
TOR does, agree, have one of the best interfaces for web.
After trying every one I could find I hate to say I've settled on Feedly. They've un-weirded it a lot from their first attempts. Still can't drag and drop feeds - fail. But the mobile apps are there, and actually work without too much aggravation.
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Anonymous commented
I strongly support the idea of web version optimized for smaller displays. Don't put too much effort in developing native clients for all platforms (iOS, Android, WP8, BB, Firefox mobile, Ubuntu mobile...), just make sure that the web version works well on smaller displays.
One of the major advantage of native applications is off-line support; but when reading RSS feeds, one has to be on-line...
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Robert Eden commented
I find the current mobile web site works very will with Dolphin on my Galaxy S-II. Some folks do seem to have problems, so maybe an "undo last action" button?
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Jen commented
Like some of the commenters above I'm having problems with the mobile web view. It is very easy to accidentally hit the wrong feed header and I've more than once mistakenly marked all my feeds as read (gritted teeth). The Nokia browser and opera don't show the list of subscriptions and some of the button labels dont work. Opera also wraps the text on the home screen in an infuriating way unless i fiddle extensively with my zoom settings. The android browser shows the list and buttons but I've had problems with the login functionality (I couldn't get the login in pop up to pop and had to use the facebook login which didn't look like it had worked until l i refreshed the page).
I'd be very pleased if either TOR team could look into a cut down interface like google reader had as otherwise it seems like a very good programme that does just what I want from an RSS reader. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it, but lack of mobile usability is a sticking point for me.
Thanks
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Aaron B commented
When I log into TOR on my somewhat older iPod (mobile Safari) I don't see a list of subscribed feeds. I just get the header with a menu button, "add a new subscription" button, the Home, All items, ... Trending links, and then "You have N unread posts" with 3 posts displayed. I *wish* I had to scroll past a list of subscriptions, folders, etc., because then I could actually use them.
Is there a trick for showing the list of subscribed feeds?
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Anonymous commented
+1 for simple mobile page that would work in Opera MINI.
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Steve ROECKEL commented
Hello,
I definitely miss the simplicity and efficiency of the mobile version of Google Reader (http://www.google.fr/reader/i) that I was using every day on my tablet (iPad), my professional smartphone (iPhone), my personal smartphone (Windows Phone 8), in parallel of my personal and professional PC's where I use the desktop version, allowing me to be synchronized easily on any platform, without any crappy platform specific app. The current mobile version of TOR isn't as simple and efficient, and doesn't work on Windows Phone. All these issues are a major obstacle for definitely switching !
Regards.
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Chris M commented
I've used https://www.google.com/reader/i/ nearly every day for years. It does exactly what I want:
* entire headline is legible, with source website in smaller text
* can touch headline to expand
* can touch near headline to mark to read later (would want Like in TOR, unless stars come back)
* can scan a small number of headlines quickly and mark them read, so that I don't lose my place due to all the distractions that come up when using a mobile app -
Filippo commented
I'm often traveling abroad: being able to use TOR with Opera Mini would help cutting immensely my roaming data costs.
I'd pay monthly/yearly fees for such a feature.
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ibilln commented
Ok, persons. Time to get a (mobile) life. See my post one below. I've tried TOR, and, a, b, c... The only thing that actually works is (gack) feedly (shudder). Terrible behavior, settings hell, intrusive for no reason whatsoever, blah, blah. But, you can get it to WORK: On desktop (!) AND mobile (well...). Lez call a spade a spade: TOR has no real mobile capability. Sigh.
Nothing to see here - move right along...
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Mike Castle commented
I was just comparing GReader with TOR on my stock Galaxy Nexus, using FF. I typically run in List view, showing only new posts.
From a readability point of view, I hadn't had much issue with the fonts TOR uses, but I suspect I might in a couple more years (I definitely need to get bifocals). But tapping is a HUGE issue.
If I go into a folder with only 1 unread post, that post is at the bottom of the screen, and it's damned near impossible to select that post to open it up and read it. I am constantly hitting the row of buttons above the single post.
What's worse, every once in a while, at post will get marked read (like it tried to open it and failed, perhaps a FF issue). And then I hit one of those buttons, refreshes the list, and suddenly no posts to read at all!
Actually, I occasionally have the problem on the desktop UI as well, though less often now that I always use keystrokes.
Something that GReader does that TOR does not is it delays marking a post read until the last line is displayed. If TOR could wait until the [Share][Mark as unread][Like] buttons were definitely in view, this would help a lot (for both mobile and desktop). Imagine the case where a post is several pages long and you find out you don't have time to read it. GReader leaves it unread by default; TOR marks it read as default (just opening it).
There is another post point out that the [No posts below this line.] doesn't show up on mobile. Maybe if it did, it's make it easier to click that single post and open it.
Then again, maybe bigger fonts would be all that's needed.
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ibilln commented
Maybe the "recent UI refresh" has some stuff for mobile, but I can't use TOR at all without fonts big enough on mobile to actually read and tap.
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Mike Castle commented
With the recent UI fresh, I think most, though not all, of the issues raised in this thread have been addressed.
Personally, on my phone, I find myself still hitting the [Like] button on the post above rather than opening the next post I want to read. I don't recall having issues as much with GReader.
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Anonymous commented
I'm the same a Nicklas - I use Opera Mini on a non-smart phone. Google reader worked fine in that way, including scrolling, marking as a read and marking with a star for future reference. This would be hugely helpful in The Old Reader. Sam
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Stephanie Taylor commented
Not only do I have to scroll past the subscriptions list to get to the new posts, but I always accidentally rearrange subscriptions when I'm trying to scroll or open subscription categories. The subscriptions list should be locked in the mobile version.