Looking for RSS software that downloads.

[VegasRook]

Hi all,

I am trying to find RSS software for my PocketPC that will automatically download the article. I got Egress, but it does not seem to do this on it's own.

The goal is to get the latest headlines from my RSS feed in the morning before heading out and read them when I am out and about (with no connectivity).

Know of any software for this?

Thanks

[GSmith]

FeederReader is a full-featured RSS reader that can read feeds (with any type of enclosure/podcast) and download to store the articles within the feeds. With some feeds, the producer only provides "headlines" or short snippets of the article, hoping you'll click on it so they recieve ad revenue. See my post here: http://feederreader.pocketcasting.com/viewtopic.php?p=1119#1119

Which exact URLs are you seeing this with?

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

[hamishmacdonald]

I think what the earlier poster is talking about here isn't a deficiency in downloading the full or truncated articles, but an option to download RSS feeds at a scheduled time.

Personally, I use Egress (which lately I've been noticing can hang and lock up my touchscreen somehow), which doesn't have these features. I don't know of a reader that does.

Not quite the same thing, but Sunnysoft World Off-Line can do this with web pages:
http://www.sunnysoft.cz

[GSmith]

FeederReader can be set to automatically update at a specified period (like every hour or every 27 minutes or every 24 hours), but no one that I recall has ever asked to be able to set a feed to update at a specific time.

Setting for a specific period works well for overnight updating. A good setting is every 2-3 hours to update several times at night. All ready to go in the morning! You set it to "Update Every (minutes)" and "Update Retry (minutes)".

You can do this (optionally) with podcasts or videocasts, too. Just turn ON Tools | Options... | Auto Tab | Enclosure Update.

Original poster, can you clarify?

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

[VegasRook]

Hi,

I am looking for a program that will download the corresponding page to the feed automatically. I used Egress and to get the page/article, I have to click on the headline and then it goes and gets the info. Therefore, if I am out and about with no Internet connection--it's useless.

I want to be able to specify a feed IE Economist.com/rss/ and have the program grab the feed and then grab the corresponding url's (IE stories).

That way, I can be out and click on say "Hammas wins election" and then read the corresponding article.

Is that more clear?

I tried the feederreader but it just gave me exception errors. I made sure .Net was installed and everything. I don't have much time to dissect the issue, but it did not work.

Is there a program that will allow me to specify a url and then it will grab all pages X links deep? That would work too I guess. I could specify feed url and tell it to go one deep.

Thanks

[GSmith]

What "exception issues" did you have with FeederReader. I'd love to know more. Like: what did the exception message say? What did "details" say? At what point did it give you an exception? What exactly were you doing? What device do you have?

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

[VegasRook]

I have a iPaq 4700.

I went to tools add RSS. I entered url and clicked on RSS. It added the URL with a red H in a circle.

Upon clicking show errors, I see:

System.Net.WebException: WebException

I do see a couple entries from one of the preprogrammed urls (just one though).

ADDING:

I got a feed of mine to work. However, I can't get Economist.com feeds to work.

Look for yourself.
http://www.economist.com/rss/

At that url is two feed urls. I type (and tried copying) them in exactly and it won't work, yet when I put the same url in my main RSS reader, it works. Ideas?

The first url I put in was:
http://www.economist.com/rss/printedition/economist_printedition.xml

Thanks

[VegasRook]

one more note.

I am not sure this does what I want to begin with. Right now it just downloads the RSS feed (as does every other program). I am looking for a program that downloads the corresponding article as well so I can read it on the go with no connection.

I downloaded a feed and when I clicked on an item, it tried to connect to get the article.

If I am missing something, let me know.

Thanks

[GSmith]

I get 92 messages in http://www.economist.com/rss/printedition/economist_printedition.xml
and 7 messages in http://www.economist.com/rss/globalAgenda/economist_globalArticle.xml

The "H" means there is a problem connecting to the Web. Usually it's because your device is not connected to the internet. I think there are more words after the Exception that might explain better what the situation is (maybe not, though). First thing to check is: can you download a page using Pocket Internet Explorer when you see the "H"? This will determine if you have internet connectivity to your device.

I think the thing you are looking for is called "Http scraping" or "Web Caching". FeederReader does not yet have this capability. It's in the plans, but only a few people have asked for it. Mostly, I see feed producers figuring this out and adding ads with full feeds. It's a slow process, though.

Let me know if you need more help.

[VegasRook]

Ah ok, I will look for a program that can cache the feeds.

As to connection, I am connected and everything else works fine. Also, I pulled some other feeds down with the program so not sure why these won't work.

Oh well, off to find a web cache program. Thanks for the assistance.

[ATraveler]

Hi VegasRook,

PocketRSS will do what you are looking for. Two caveats, though. First, it isn't free (unlike FeederReader) and second, downloading "extended data" does take additional time.

I hope this helps.

[VegasRook]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I don't mind paying if it does the job right (and flows well).

:D

[VegasRook]

Thanks!

PocketRSS is exactly what I wanted. I am testing it now and it downloaded everything I told it too. The time thing is not important because I can just tell it to update when I get up and it's down way before I leave.

If all goes well over the next two weeks, I will be buying it.

:D

[jlp]

Have you tried NewsRaider? it's free and "distills" or "Raids" the full news from MANY news sites.

It seems to be EXACTLY what you're looking for.

It's MUCH better than RSS!! as it pulls out the REAL news information from prestigious sites including:

The Economist!!
Reuters
BBC News
CNN.com
CNet.com
Hollywood.com
National Geographic
Al Jazeera
The Gadgeteer
The Independent
The Inquirer
The Register
Wired

... and many more.

You can add your own sites too.

It's a Windows app that fetches all the news. You can control and review the news and send the feeds to the famous and very powerful (but not free at $22.50) TomeRaider for PPC ebook reader.

On top of this TomeRaider has 10,000+ free reference books including the entire Wikipedia, IMDB, etc. TR is very fast in searching even huge reference works.

I haven't tried either one (TR or NR) but they seem a very powerful and versatile combo.

NewsRaider User reviews at CNet Download.com (http://www.download.com/NewsRaider/3640-9227_4-10394264.html?v=1&tag=tab_ur)

NewsRaider (http://www.newsraider.com/index.php)

.

[Ratel10mm]

Newsraider sounds good, and I notice that there is a PPC client as well. However, we aren't allowed to have non-company sanctioned software on our PC's. Is there a PPC app. that will do this through Activesync without having anything on my PC?

[jlp]

You might want to have that program approved by your company, it could certainly benefit many others as well, on desktops, notebooks or PPCs or other handhelds since it works with TomeRaider that runs on other platforms...

[hydrashok]

Did you try Skookum? (www.skookummobile.com). It's free, can manage scheduled downloads of RSS feeds and Podcasts, and comes with the Audible Listener Software. Downloads take a little while, but it hasn't hung on me, or done any uhhh... damage to my PPC yet.

I've been looking around for a better alternative though, and wouldn't mind paying for it either, for better functionality. I think I'll check out Pocket RSS too.

[jeremyjoslin]

I've used Avantgo with 'add RSS' feature to do exactly what you want.