iPad RSS Readers

UPS finally came through and delivered an iPad.  I got so tired of waiting for one to fall off the truck, delicately roll up the driveway, knock politely on the door, let itself in and tell charming party jokes, that I bought one.

I have been saving articles on iPad apps for this situation, but one article I missing was a recommendation for an RSS reader.  I use Google Reader for almost all of my desktop/laptop online reading but don't care for its layout, appearance or its user interface in the Google app.

I fired up Twitter and asked; "Does anyone have an iPad aggregator app they really like?"  Here are the results of answers, searching, and playing.

Pulse: Pros - A sexy app with its black background and curvy logo.  A nice absence of glaring colors that would only serve to damage my delicate baby blues.  Easy and quick interface to import feeds from Google Reader.  Cons - Pulse only allows you to import one feed at a time and you're limited to 12 feeds in 5 categories.  That means you're limited to 60 feeds, far short of my needs.

Flud: Another really good looking app... WHEN IT WASN'T CRASHING EVERY MINUTE.  I wish I was kidding or exaggerating.  Fail.

Flipboard: Pros - No limit on the number of feeds.  It imports, not just feeds but entire folders of feeds.   Cons - An off-white background that will tire my eyes after a while.  It has a distinct magazine feel to it, which I'm not crazy about.  The user interface isn't the sleekest, but I'd rather have an app that works than one that looks cool and crashes or limits my usage.

Winner - Flipboard.  It's stable and works and at the end of the day, that's what I'm looking for.  But if Pulse expands the number of feeds and categories, I'll switch in a heartbeat.

Penn and Teller

"Because Teller and I believe it is morally wrong to do things on stage that are really too dangerous.  It makes the audience complicit, in unnecessary human risk."

What's On My iPhone Home Screen

 
Inspired by Tessa's post who was inspired by Jeff's post, this is my version what I have on my iPhone home screen and why.  I'm not as technologically savy as the previous posters so this might seem pedestrian.

iPod: In and out of music and podcasts all day, mainly to drown out the office background noise.
iCal: Synced to 6 Google calendars and my work Outlook calendar to tell me where to be when. Maps: While I can now navigate downtown Atlanta with relative ease, I still use Maps more often than I'd care to admit.
Wikipanion: There's never not a reason to not know the answer.  Easier and faster than opening Safari.
Calculator: Constantly surprised how often I need a calculator.
Settings: Turning on and off wi-fi all the time.
Netflix: The best companion for long stretches on the elliptical.
Cameras: A folder full of different tools; Best Camera, Apple's Camera and photo, Instagram, Gorilla Cam, QR Reader and Red Laser.
Games: Nothing heavy, but simple fun time killers;
Sol Free - Multiple versions of solitaire and as the title suggests, free.
Snood - Until they fix some control and feel issues, I don't recommend it.
Word Wrap - Arrange letters into as many words as you can in an allotted amount of time.
Compression - A Tetris wannabe.
Touchmines - Basic looking and feeling version of Minesweeper.
Phase 10 - Great game for those who like the real life version.
Fragger - You throw grenades to blow up bad guys, physics based.
Monopoly - Got it on sale for $4.99, bonus of playing with people on the same wifi, but no true multiplayer like Words With Friends.
Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons - Totally addicted.
Words with Friends - Fun with 2 person multiplayer.
Tiny Wings - My new addiction.  I can't put it down, but I've also been stuck on the same level for over a week.
Goodreads: On my home screen only to serve as a reminder to read more.
Evernote: My GTD app. I also have the desktop version for Mac.
Travel: Misleading title. It's where the apps for GoWalla, EventBrite, Cardstar, Four Square, SCVNGR, Scoutmob and Yelp live.
Clock: Aside from a morning alarm clock, I'm constantly using alarms during the day as reminders.
Echofon: I use this for my two personal Twitter accounts.
Twitter: I use this for the Fox Theatre Twitter account.  Why two?  To help ensure I don't accidentally post a personal tweet on the work account.  That would be bad.
Facebook: I rarely use this for personal use, but for quick access to the Fox Theatre's Facebook page.
The Dock:
Phone - I hate talking on the phone.  And by hate, I mean equal to my hatred for baked beans hatred.  But I get that's it's a necessary evil.
Mail - Personal email only as iPhones are not supported at work.  Don't get me started on this.
Safari - For surfing or going directly to a source page.
Messages - You can avoid making most phone calls by sending a simple SMS.