What is RSS?

[Robb Bates]

OK, so I keep hearing about RSS. I'm seeing RSS everywhere. I think it's some kind of subscription thing that let's you download news stories and stuff.

Is it automatic? Can it be used for various kinds of media? Podcasts? Videos? Audiobooks/audioZines? etc.

What kind of Pocket PC software is out there?

Can someone give me an RSS 101?

Robb

[GSmith]

Is it automatic?Once you've subscribed to multiple RSS feeds, you can Update all of them in one step when you are connected to the internet.

Can it be used for various kinds of media? Podcasts? Videos? Audiobooks/audioZines? etc.Yes!

What kind of Pocket PC software is out there?FeederReader!


An RSS "feed" is a data file format that is easy to publish and easy to read. Generally, a feed consists a series of text "items" with an optional audio or video file called an Enclosure. If the enclosure is an audiofile, then the item and the feed are referred to as a "podcast". To "subscribe" to an RSS feed, you enter the URL of the feed into an "aggregator".

From a user's perspective, you subscribe to some number of feeds, then when you are on an internet connection (such as WiFi or cell phone) you can "Update" your feeds. This process is somewhat similar to "syncing" your Pocket PC (but no one ever calls it that. All of your feeds get updated and you can go offline and read/watch/listen to what you downloaded.

The number of feeds and podcasts and videocasts is expanding every day.

FeederReader is a GREAT! program to use to get RSS feeds/audio/video/podcasts (although I *am* biased). It can handle any type of enclosure that can be played on your Pocket PC. There are lots of "Getting Started" and help pages at FeederReader.com and I am available on the FeederReader Forums to answer questions about FeederReader.

Hope to see you there!


Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcasts
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

[Robb Bates]

I see you have an interest in FeederReader. :wink:

SOoooo, RSS is not much different than a mailing list with attachments. Just that it's a pull distribution and not a push.

Are there any kind of RSS collections, or a list of different kinds of RSS feeds that I can search through to decide which ones I might like to subscribe to?

I'll check it out.

Thanks,
Robb

[applejosh]

http://www.syndic8.com/

I've browsed around it, but usually I look for the little orange RSS tag somewhere on a page if I find a site of interest.

My main problem with RSS feeds is that most websites will include just the headline or a very very brief description and then expect you to visit the website for the full scoop (CNN sucks in this respect). But it is a nice way of breezing through lots of stuff quickly while focusing on only what interests you. While I don't use FeederReader (although I understand GSmith's enthusiasm), I have used/use Egress and PocketRSS on the PPC. (I use Quicknews on my Palm and the integrated Firefox RSS reader on the desktop.)

[buzzard]

I use Skweezer because after reading the "teaser" RSS headline you click to read the details and Skweezer downloads the entire story but it's formatted to fit on a PPC screen. The only problem I have with Newsbreak, etc. is that second click takes you to the normal PC sized webpage including all of the java and whatever else is on it (e.g. CNN) and then the left/right scrolling begins.

[GSmith]

Robb,

You have it right. For the "consumer" it's like mail with attachments as a pull technology. The biggest artifact of this from the users standpoint is the ease of unsubscribing. Many people view podcasting as a genre, but I'm definately of the "podcasting is a technology" camp.

Finding new podcasts is a little difficult right now for all aggregators. There are several directories available (such as ipodder.org, podcastalley.com, and pocketcasting.com) which you can search. But mostly it's as applejosh has mentioned.

Right now, I am subscribed to about 180 feeds, 30 of which are probably podcasts or videocasts. I have subscribed generally one by one as I hear about them either through other podcasts or through the blogs that I read.

FeederReader is viewed as a direct competitor to PocketRSS and Egress. Some people prefer one over the other two. Each has its own style of reading text and listening to podcasts. FeederReader has a slant towards podcast file management and handling all types of enclosures, as well as lots of options for the technical user (View Raw RSS file, show message statistics, list all enclosures, etc.).

<gratuitous plug>
One nice feature of FeederReader, I think, is that you can listen, read, and download all at the same time. When your podcast ends, tap one icon and it deletes the current podcast and begins playing the next one, all while you continue to read the news or blogs or RSS text feeds. At any time, tap on the Enclosure Toolbar to go to the current podcast's text.
</gratuitous plug>

Thanks for understanding my enthusiasm for FeederReader!

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcasts
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road