Google Reader Hacks

While there are desktop applications that collect your syndicated content, reading RSS feeds is one task that justifies the buzz around “Web 2.0″. For reading news, keeping up with blogs, even tracking packages, little can compare with Google Reader — its easy to add feeds, easy to read them, and easy to organize them.

How to Get Started with Google Reader

Add feeds manually.

Use Firefox’s auto-detection.

Click the link to the RSS feed, however it is indicated on the page.

Look for an “Add to Google” button.

Use Google’s “subscribe” bookmarklet.

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Get More Out of Google Reader

Get Organized

Foldering

Tagging

Share and Star

Take Shortcuts

Go to next item: j
Go to previous item: k
Down one page: space (will go to next post if current post is less than one page)
Star: s
Share: shift-s
Mark as read/unread: m
Mark all in feed as read: shift-a
Add tags to an item: t
View all items for a tag: gt
Go to “all items” view: ga
Go to “starred items” view: gs

Go Further

Add your shared items to your own website.
Read your feeds on your phone or web-enabled PDA.
See what’s playing at a theater near you.
Create Google search feeds.
Create feeds from sites that don’t have them.
Track packages. Go offline. Get All Zen and Stuff

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Quick Tips for Google Reader Power Users

1. Increase vertical screen reading area

2. Increase horizontal reading area

3. Switch to Read All Items

4. Switch to Expanded View

5. Start Browsing fast

6. Star it, Share it, Tag it, Read it

7. Refresh

8. Check your Starred Items

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7 more Google Reader Tips and Tricks

Use the bookmarklet With the Google Reader iconWhen you save the bookmarklet to your bookmark bar, it doesn’t by default have an icon, because the source url is javascript. There’s a simple workaround:
Save a bookmark to Google Reader homepage.
Click the bookmark once to make Firefox load the icon
Edit the bookmark, and copy/paste the javascript from the Location field in the bookmarklet into the new bookmark.
Start Tagging Items For Later
Share Items With FriendsGoogle reader lets you mark items to share with your friends. You get your own custom URL and your own RSS feed of shared items.
Share Items With Your Blog Readers