Improved Sharing Features Push Google Reader Into FriendFeed Territory
When Google added its sharing feature to Reader last year, there were no options to control which people you shared news with. Couple that with the fact that Gmail added anyone who ever e-mailed you to your list of contacts and you had a recipe for sharing disaster.
Luckily, Google has seen the light and now you can selectively pick and choose which of your Gmail and Gtalk friends see the items you share in Google Reader. The next time you log in to Reader, you should be greeted by a small overlay offering a link to change your settings.
The new feature may be somewhat minor, but it moves Google Reader further into FriendFeed territory. Assuming you have all the same content in Google Reader that you have in FriendFeed, by combining sharing and the ability to add notes, you can now use Reader as a FriendFeed replacement.
The only feature you really lose if you decide to go that route is the ability for your friends to comment on what you’ve shared.
Also, bear in mind one big caveat about the new controls: There is still a public URL for shared Google Reader items. Assuming someone knows that URL, they can still see your shared items even if they aren’t in your friends list.
The new features are a welcome change for Reader and they go hand in hand with the recent Gmail contacts overhaul — Gmail no longer automatically adds people to your contact list. Between the two changes you now have a usable way to share news with friends. Whether or not Google Reader proves a real threat to FriendFeed remains to be seen.
See Also:
