Pocket RSS vs. Avantgo

[Squid]

Hello all,

I am looking for some help. I am new to the RSS scene, and have never used the software before.

Recently after upgrading my Avantgo software I found that I couldn't keep my content on a storage card like in the past. After talking with their support folks I got the word that they offered that ability with Palm but not with the Pocket PC side. As a result, I started looking at RSS feeds as an alternative.

I currently have a trial version of Pocket RSS on my iPaq 5455. My questions are:
a) What are alternative RSS programs to run on my iPaq?
b) How do you find real "feeds"? I like Reuters, CNN, that sort of thing. When I have gone to sites in the past it was like "Bob's thoughts on the news". There doesn't seem like a simple coherent place exists to find legitimate feeds.
c) Do all of the "feeds" truncate the news? Can you set the software to download the entire story, including pictures? Everything I have seen so far seems to get cut...

That is all I can think of now. Thanks an awful lot.

Regards,

Squid

[isomaniac]

Hi, I started to use RSS since last week and am using Egress for PPC, Sharp Reader for PC and Rocket Info for web based PC RSS readers.

I wish there is an "integrated" RSS solution so that user can easily transfer the subscribed feeds from one device to another.

Also I hope there I can "tag" my interested "headlines" which the RSS Reader will auto download its full article when an Internet connection is found.

[jimski]

I am not advocating AvantGo (takes so loooong to sync), but I believe that Tweaks2K2 will allow you to move the content to a storage card. I moved my AvantGo content to my iPAQ File Store last night.

I tried RSS a few months back and it seemed to tie you all of my devices resources whenever I established an Internet connection (ActiveSync, WiFi or GPRS 8O ). Took it off in less than 3 days. May try it again some time in the future.

[Jorgen]

I would also look at iSilo and iSiloX. iSiloX is a desktop application that can crunch a web-site into an ebook. You can get the web-sites from http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=513.

iSiloX is free, but you have to pay for iSilo to use hypertext links. Since it is also the best ebook reader around, it is well worth the money.

Alternatively, you can use the totally free Plucker (there is now a PPC version which may be called something else) which is free (there should be a link to a Plucker version of file with sites at mobileread). I haven't tried Plucker on a PPC.

UPDATE: the PPC Plucker is called Vademecum and can be had here http://vade-mecum.sourceforge.net/.

Jorgen

[GSmith]

You may want to consider FeederReader for reading RSS Feeds. It is a stand-alone application that runs on the Pocket PC. It has quite a few features. Details, downloads, and a link to the message board can be found at www.FeederReader.com .

It is still "Alpha" software, so signing up for the message board and getting help there is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader

[Zoot]

The first thing I did when I put the new Avantgo client onto my device recently was to use a registry editor to locate the local content to my SD card. www.PHM.lu has a nice freeware registry editor....the key you seek is:

Hive= HKCU\Software\AvantGo\
Key= DatabaseLocation

I actually have my mobilerss.net account within my Avantgo sync grouping.

This seems to function well and suits my needs perfectly :)

[applejosh]

With the newest version of AvantGo (5.7 I think), I installed it to my SD card, and the data files end up there as well. Nothing in main memory that I can find. (Of course, it is a tad bit slower to sync, but I save myself 2MB of RAM.)

[SofaTater]

With the newest version of AvantGo (5.7 I think), I installed it to my SD card, and the data files end up there as well. Nothing in main memory that I can find. (Of course, it is a tad bit slower to sync, but I save myself 2MB of RAM.)

That's what I did, too. However, if I shut down my PPC while AvantGo 5.7 is open, when I power it up again, I get a message that says, basically, that the storage card was removed or turned off. When I click OK, AvantGo shuts down and I have to restart it.

[Jereboam]

I can highly recommend NewsBreak (http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/nw/newsbreak.htm) as an RSS reader on the Pocket PC. For a taste of it, head to Jenneth's post (http://WWW.jenneth.info/archives/2005/01/newsbreak.html) on it.

It updates in the background and I have no problems multi-tasking when it is doing its thing.

RSS vs Avantgo? Absolutely no contest. The content provided by RSS is vastly superior. Not to mention completely free, after you have bought the RSS reader of course...

J'bm

[Stephen Beesley]

I am not sure if I really get RSS on the pocket pc and I would love somebody to tell me just how wrong I am :D

As far as I can see from reading various postings on the forums and from trying a couple of demo versions, RSS seems to pretty much take a permanent all ways on connection to the net for granted. The client down loads the headings and maybe a quick summery but if you want the complete story you have to tell it to download it - which of course it can only do if you have an internet connection at the time. This is fine on a desktop with allways on internet or maybe even on a Pocket PC phone edition or smartphone, but, if I am correct in this, seems a bt pointless if, for example, you want to catch up with things during your commute to work - basically all you have is a bunch of headlines you can mark to downlowd next time you connect, but not much good there and then.

Please please tell me I am missing something here. I really want to like RSS and to be able to give up Avantgo, but so far I just cannot see how that can happen.

[GSmith]

Some RSS feeds are summaries, but others have a complete article. Some are in between, basically summarizing another post, linking to it, and commenting on it.

Usually it's enough to understand the main points. It all depends on the Feed.

I suggest you give it a try (of course I would!).

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - The Pocket PC RSS reader and podcatcher
www.FeederReader.com

[Squid]

Thanks for all of the replies! I am trying to get this down. In the short term I was able to move the 5.7 version of Avantgo over to a storage card. I have only had the same issues as SofaTater mentioned.

I think that my main issue with RSS feeds right now is that they are just headlines that you need to then download the entire story later if you have a internet connection at the time. I think that my long-time interest in Avantgo has been simply because they provide the entire story. I have everything already on my PPC ready to read at my choosing when I have "downtime". :roll: The obvious downfall is a 9 MB program that was in my main storage.

Anyway, I will keep looking and playing with the RSS programs. Thanks again for all of the assistance. If anyone has any additional sage advice, I would be glad to hear it!

Regards,

Squid

[terrypin]

The first thing I did when I put the new Avantgo client onto my device recently was to use a registry editor to locate the local content to my SD card. www.PHM.lu has a nice freeware registry editor....the key you seek is:

Hive= HKCU\Software\AvantGo\
Key= DatabaseLocation

I actually have my mobilerss.net account within my Avantgo sync grouping.

This seems to function well and suits my needs perfectly :)

That's what I've been wanting to know how to do, so thanks for the pointer. But I just tried it and was unsuccessful. I changed the key from
\Program Files\AvantGo\Databases
to
\SD Card\AvantGo\Databases

After a soft reset, AS failed to sync AvantGo, giving message 'Please update your AvantGo software by visiting...'

On reverting back to the previous key, it's OK again.

Was my mistake not to create that folder on my SD card first? I had assumed the registry change would point AG at that location for downloading content.

Or maybe I have to manually move the present contents across?

Could you amplify a bit please?

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK
Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.

[Phillip Dyson]

As for sharing subscriptions, you need only copy the OPML file from device to another. This will copy the subscriptions, but not the data that you may have already downloaded.


As to only downloading only parts of the RSS feed, the PPC app will download whatever the publisher puts out there. Anyone who subscribes to Groklaw will no that. 8O