Today Google announced it was sunsetting (retiring) the RSS feed reader, Google Reader, a service I use everyday. On the same day that a new pope was announced, this news overtook it as the top trending topic on Twitter.
"Google Reader" is the top trending topic. Worldwide. Ahead of the Pope. COME ON, GOOGLE, READER IS MORE POPULAR THAN THE POPE.—
Stephanie Taylor (@stephctaylor) March 13, 2013
I caught it when it was #2.
Kate Trgovac was like this and so was I:
The Verge aggregated some pretty strong reactions including this gem
Thank God they spared Orkut—
(@Pinboard) March 13, 2013
Along with a small dose of outrage, I also feel a large measure of curiousity. Based on the reaction, on Twitter, of the fervent Google Reader users I’ve got to believe that these are the people that Google wants to be using Google Plus. Remember Google Plus? The non-social network that wil underpin search for the next 100 years and that relies on social signals to apply influence and standing on certain web pages and domains. The one that kind of needs people to, you know, use the network…flood it with interesting and compelling content…to spur engagement and more social signals. The sort of interesting and compelling content that can be shared straight from…Google Reader.
So I’m curious whether Google will end up sunsetting Reader or if it will either have a change of heart or, something which is more likely, sell to someone else…like Yahoo! who definitely needs a cult hit on its hands to get back to relevance. Coincidentally, Marissa Mayer, who green-lit the Reader project at Google is now…CEO at Yahoo!
