NewsSquares Final Update

We were aware that Google Feed API service has stopped working and NewsSquares will no longer be functioning. We have switched to this service when Google Reader was shut down in 2013, but unfortunately it seems the age of feeds is past us, or at least the Internet giants are not supporting it anymore. For the die hard feed users, you may need to switch to other feed readers like Feedly.

Thank you for your long-time support. It has been an honor serving your news feed reading needs. :)

*** Latest Update, the feed API is working now( 4 Dec), but as the API is already deprecated by Google, please be aware that when feed API discontinues, NewsSquares will stop functioning as well.***

Rocket-in-Bottle Team

New updates on unread counts

Thanks for using NewsSquares. We hope the transition from Google Reader is smooth for you. In this update (1.5.2), unread counts are added for normal squares. Note that this feature will be turned off for users with more feeds. To turn it on please go to the options page.

After importing your feeds to NewsSquares, please remember to check out the new management page that allows you add, remove, or label feeds easily.

Enjoy!

Important changes in NewsSquares 1.5

Thanks for your support! As many of you may know Google Reader will be gone on July 1st.

For those of you who have no idea what Google Reader is - relax! In previous versions of NewsSquares, we have depended on Google Reader, a news service from Google, to store your preferences and readings. Google will now retire the service, so we will have to migrate your data from their servers.

In the past few months, we have made a lot of effort in making sure that NewsSquares will continue to be the news reading app we love. We have come up with this new version that retains the overall NewsSquares experience and letting go the "Reader" features.

Once you have upgraded to this version (1.5), you will be asked to migrate your subscriptions. If you have less than 60 feeds, your subscriptions will be migrated automatically (before July 1st). Otherwise, you will be asked to either import feeds from your existing account (before July 1st) or from an OPML file. Once the import is completed, your subscriptions will no longer be linked to Google Reader. It will be a good time to have a clean up of your feeds!

The overall NewsSquares experience is retained with some of the following major changes:

• Subscriptions are stored locally at this moment. In the next version, we will enable Chrome native cloud storage.
• A maximum of 50 items will be fetched for each feed, historical items might not be available
• For users with multiple Reader account, please use separate Chrome profile to use NewsSquares as only one profile is supported now
• Share/like/tag/comment actions on an item will be replaced by sharing to Google+, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
• Most keyboard shortcuts will work as before, while some Google Reader specific shortcut will be gone
• Unread counts are loaded when NewsSquares is launched, the counts will be default to OFF for users with lots of feeds 

Suggestions on migration:

• For users with substantial number of feeds (100+), we suggest you to import feeds that are most frequently visited. Use other full-feature reader replacements to handle your complete subscription list;
• Please remember to export your Google Reader data via Google takeout at this page. The downloads contain your subscriptions in a OPML file (subscriptions.xml), which can be imported into many popular feed readers;
• If you had multiple Reader accounts, you might need to adjust your NewsSquares settings if they are not migrated properly.

Please feel free to send us your suggestions and hope you enjoy using NewsSquares!

About import and OPML file

An OPML file contains the URLs of the feeds in your subscriptions. Most feed readers will allow export and import of OPML file.

For Google Reader, please go to Google Takeout to export all Google Reader Data. The downloaded files contain your subscriptions in an OPML file (subscriptions.xml), which can be imported to many popular feed readers. For other reader applications, please check out their export settings on how to export your subscriptions to an OPML file.

Export your data via Google Takeout

When your OPML file is ready, please go to NewsSquares Options page. Click on the the import page link, then select the file and your subscriptions will be loaded. Please select the feeds you would like to import into NewsSquares. We suggest that you only keep your most frequently visited feeds for NewsSquares.

If you are importing before July 1st and have a Google Reader Account, please use "Import from Google Reader" or "Migrate from Previous Version" to import your subscriptions directly. There is no need to use the OPML method. Yet we still advise you to use Google Takeout to export your Reader data as backup. Hope it helps.

Update on FeedSquares and Google Reader

Many users should already know that Google Reader will not be available after 1 July 2013. Due to this change, FeedSquares will no longer be available after 1 July 2013 as well.

Please consider to use our Chrome Web App NewsSquares. Though it currently syncs with Google Reader as well, an update will be made to NewsSquares in the near future. Some Google Reader specific features may have to go, but our core NewsSquares experience will remain.

For those who prefer a light and visual way to read feed and share them. NewsSquares will be your choice. If you prefer more intensive reading, with FULL existing Google Reader features, we believe there are many alternatives on the market.

If you migrate to NewsSquares now (before 1 June 2013, but we will recommend you do it much earlier) your subscriptions will be immediately available to NewsSquares. No automatic migration is possible after 1 June.

Note that, however, we cannot preserve all of your data from Google Reader, like your starred items, sharing history, notes etc. So we would strongly suggest you to use Google Takeout to export your data, e.g. subscriptions, starred articles etc. The exported format aren't quite human readable though. They are meant to be imported by other RSS reader programs.

So other than the above mechanical way of preserving your data, please go to Google Reader and we have the following suggestions on your migration

• For starred items, re-share it to other social sites like Google+, Facebook or Twitter etc.
• For items shared by you, re-share it to other social sites like Google+, Facebook or Twitter etc.

Anyway give NewsSquares a try and happy reading!

The announcement from Google:
http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2013/03/powering-down-google-reader.html
http://googleblog.blogspot.hk/2013/03/a-second-spring-of-cleaning.html

Concerning Google Reader

Hey we got your emails. Google Reader is closing down and many of us are sad to see her go. In a future update, we will introduce a new way for NewsSquares to store your preferences and readings. Some of the more Google Reader specific features may have to go, but our core NewsSquares experience will remain.

NewsSquares will continue to offer you the most stylish reading experience on Chrome. We will update you when the new changes arrive.

NewsSquares has been updated (1.4)

Thank you for using NewsSquares! It's been some time since the last update. In this update, a lot of pending bugs have been fixed.

• New locales (French & Turkish) added
• "Cannot mark item as read" bug is fixed
• Glitch in keyboard shortcuts navigation is fixed
• NewsSquares is now compatible with latest Chrome Web Store requirement
• Improved link sharing to Google+, Twitter and Facebook

Please feel free to give us suggestions on improving NewsSquares. Just use our new feedback form in the Chrome Web Store. Enjoy!

By the way, fancy having your own Mobile App for your fansite, but don't want to spend thousands to hire a developer? Come check out our Publish5 App on Chrome Web Store. We now support both Android and iOS App creation!

Beta Testers Wanted! Publish5 - Fast & Simple DIY Mobile Publishing

Hello users of FeedSquares and NewsSquares (and friends)! We need your help!

We are working on a cool new product called Publish5.com, which allows ANYONE to publish mobile apps for their content with SUPER-EASY DIY. Do you have a blog, or a Twitter account, or a Youtube channel with active audiences? If so, please, click on the sign up button below and help us in the beta test. Or got friends and family that do? Please share this post with them!

Publish5 is a web app - all you need is a Chrome browser, and with it you can create Apps for Android devices, ChromeOS devices and Chrome browsers, plus iOS devices in future. It's gonna be fun so help spread our call for testers!

Signup here now!

Update to NewsSquares - Vertical Mode! We have released NewsSquares 1.3.0!  The latest version allows you to view your items vertically. You may go to Options page and enable "Show items vertically" now.

Enjoy!

Call for NewsSquares Localization

We have released NewsSquares 1.2.0. If you prefer to mark items as read when you click through them in Big Squares, you can go to options and enable it now. Enjoy!

We are looking for help on localization of NewsSquares especially for the following locales Brazil (pt_BR), Japan (ja) and Mexico (es).

The localization is very simple. Please go to http://code.google.com/p/rocketinbottle/
There are two files that require localization, description.txt and message.json.

• Select which locale you would help to translate, e.g. ja
• To translate the description
• Go to NewsSquares in the gallery, it contains the description of NewsSquares in English
• Select the description.txt in the corresponding locale
• Please do not translate the Keywords section
• To translate the messages
• Select the messages.json in 'en' locale as reference
• Open the messages.json of the locale (in a new window for easy reference) you would like to help translating

• After you select the file (description.txt or messages.json), click "edit file", then begin to edit the file directly inside the browser. For each message, please translate the "message" section, you can contribute partial translation

• Finally click "Submit Patch" (you will need to login with a Google Account), a new issue will be created include a patch file
• After we receive the issues, we will include the translation in NewsSquares
• We will link to the translation credits in the gallery. Thank you.

NewsSquares (1.1.2) and FeedSquares (1.3.0) are updated!

New options in latest versions of NewsSquares & FeedSquares:

• Want to view older articles first? You can now check the 'Show older items first' option.
• If you have a very wide and very narrow screen, you may change the width of the item view for better viewing pleasure.

NewsSquares only:

• Notifications are disabled for new users by default. It seems many users have disabled NewsSquares accidentally by clicking disable when the notifications pop up. To enable NewsSquares again, please go to chrome://extensions, find NewsSquares and click 'Enable'.

NewsSquares has been Updated! (1.1.0)

In this new version we have reworked the rendering to resolve a graphics issue that crashes the Chrome browser. Please notice that at the time of writing Chrome Dev is still a bit unstable so any intensive HTML5 graphics may still crashes in certain specific machines and settings. Please mail us at rocketinbottle AT gmail DOT com with your OS and version if your NS still crashes. Thank you for your contribution to the beta test!

If you have tried to disable notifications via NewsSquares' notification window - it won't work properly (sorry Chrome bug! haha). Please go to our options page to disable notifications instead. If in some cases NewsSquares get disabled instead, please go to "chrome://extensions" then find "NewsSquares" and click "Enable". It should be back on the new tab page. It's kind of funny, we know, but please forgive Google - Chrome's App functionality is new!

You can actually manage your subscriptions in a one screen interface. Just click on the manage button in the Add dialog. :P

Thanks again. Enjoy!

NewsSquares for Chrome - Come and Try!

Hello fans of FeedSquares! Today we proudly introduce NewsSquares, our latest incarnation of news reader for Google Chrome! It's our latest creation that caters to the news and blog reading needs of casuals and power users alike. It has everything that FeedSquares offers, with a bunch of new features and every part as beautiful. Come and try it out!

Everyone who wishes to get updated with news and blogs will find NewsSquares helpful. NewsSquares syncs with your Google Reader like FeedSquares does, but it doesn't require existing Reader subscriptions to work. So if you have friends and family members who likes to read from the web but never tried Google Reader before, do us a favor and ask them to check out this beauty! You can click here to go to our Chrome Web App page. Enjoy!

Yay! Show me the App Now!


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Thank You for Installing NewsSquares for Chrome!

Congratulations! Click on your NewsSquares icon any time to start reading your news in style. Or check out this very short intro video and help us spread the news by sharing it to your friends!



You can also click here to get an FAQ or here to get an update history, or here to get back to Chrome Web App page. Enjoy!



Other Apps and Extensions from our friends!

FreshStart

Need simple session management? Several users on the same Chrome? FreshStart is a simple cross browser session manager. Now supports synchronization through bookmarks, and crash recovery!

Download

Incredible Startpage

Bored with the default start page? Incredible Startpage is a new, customizable start page for Chrome. Easily find your favorite bookmarks and closed tabs. Take notes as you browse.

Download

Using NewsSquares FAQ

(Last Updated: 7 Jun 2013)

Q: Concerning Google Reader

A: Since version 1.5, NewSquares will no longer depend on Google Reader (which will be discontinued on 1st July 2013). Currently subscriptions will be stored locally, please check out this post for more details. FeedSquares users please install NewsSquares as it will be discontinued on 1st July also.

Q: How to import my subscriptions to NewsSquares?

A: Once NewsSquares is installed, you will be asked to import your subscriptions using a OPML file, or from Google Reader (before July 1st 2013). Or you can just start with some demo feeds and gradually build up your subscriptions. For details on how to get a OPML file, please check out this post.

Q: How do I start reading?

A: Just click on any squares and click whatever that interests you! NewsSquares is a very visual news reading experience.

Q: How to edit my subscriptions, folders?

A: Click on the "Add" button, that will show the dialog that allows to add/remove subscriptions. Click the "Manage" button on the top right corner to organize your feeds in different folders.

Q: Why are some Squares larger than the others?


A: Large squares allow previews and notify you when there are updates. You can enlarge and shrink Squares according to how important they are to you. They consume more network resources though (to fetch previews for you), so please don't make 100s of them.

Q: I need more Squares on my News Wall!

A: Click on the Add button and type in your favorites. Or when you are browsing blogs and news sites, right click and choose "Add to NewsSquares"!

Q: Can I order or sort my Squares?

A: NewsSquares learn your reading preferences and order them automatically. Trust us, NewsSquares do a good job on that. If some subscriptions are especially important to you, enlarge it. Or start typing a particular subscription name anytime and our filter and bring it to you.

Q: I am a power user - what's in it for me?

A: NewsSquares is great tool for keeping track with small number of blogs with its notifications on new items. It is ideal to use in conjunction with a full "Google-Reader" replacement. If you have difficullty finding feeds on your wall, just start typing anytime in NewsSquares to filter by name. Did I tell you we have shortcut keys similar to Google Reader? Try spacebar or '?'. :P

Q: Why can't NewsSquares be launched like FeedSquares with an extension button?

A: NewsSquares is a Chrome Web App (or packaged app to be exact). Currently Chrome does not allow web apps to have a launch button on toolbar like extensions. To launch a web app, you will have to go to the New Tab Page and click the app icon there.

In case you are using New Tab extensions that do not support web app listing yet. You can try this extension called AppJump which allows you to launch any web app directly from its popup.

Q: I love NewsSquares! How can I help?

A: Follow us! Tell your friends about us! 

Q: There's bug! How can I help?

A: Please mail to rocketinbottle AT gmail.com. Sometimes Chrome has its own share of bugs in development and beta channels, so sometimes we can only transfer your report to them.

Questions Not-So-Related to Using NewsSquares

Q: What's the Inspiration for NewsSquares?

A: NewsSquares (and prequel FeedsSquares) came from an art experiment. It was about creating a dynamic artwork that visualizes a person's information inflow. It's then developed to become a Web App that everyone can use. Explains why it looks so gorgeous, doesn't that? :P

Q: What do you think about Flipboard/Pulse/etc.? Did you/they copy them/you?

A: LOL. Funny it's not an uncommon question. Prequel of NewsSquares, a RSS client called FeedSquares, was created and released April 2010 - months before the recent revival of RSS readers. Plus NewsSquares is not about touch interfaces - it's about power of HTML5 and the cloud. So it's Apples and Oranges.

FeedSquares for Chrome is updated! (1.1.7)

With the latest version, we have made several major bug fixes. In addition, you can now:

• Add comments to Friends' Shared Items
• Read your Stared or Shared items even you have selected "Show Unread Items Only" in options

We will be making a big move for feed lovers out there before Christmas. Stay tuned and thanks for the support so far!

FeedSquares for Chrome is updated! (1.1.0)

You can post comments on your shared items in FeedSquares now. When you share an item, a comment box will appear and you can click "Add Your Comment" to add a comment.

The box will show comments posted by people you follow and yourself:

We have also added "Your Shared Items" and "Your Starred Items" to the wall. You can access them by a single click or with the keyboard shortcuts "g then shift+s" and "g then s" respectively.

Update (Version 1.1.1): You can customize whether to show the special squares such as Friend's Shared Items. The settings are available in the option page:

By default only the Friend's shared items are shown. You can add more squares for quick access. Hope you like it!

FeedSquares for Chrome is updated! (1.0.2)

FeedSquares now have built-in podcast support! When you view an article with attached podcast, we will notify you:

You can save the podcast by right clicking on "Original Link", then choose "Save Link As":

Even better, you can click "Play" and play the podcast directly in FeedSquare's built-in player!

You can hide the player and navigate to other feeds. The podcast will keep playing in the background. Very handy, isn't it?

FeedSquares for Chrome is updated! (1.0)

FeedSquares have reached 1.0, and we have keyboard shortcuts now! The keys used in FeedSquares are similar to Google Reader's built in shortcuts, you can see a complete list below:

Navigation

•  j/k: next/previous item
• n/p: next/previous item
• space: next item or page
• shift+space: previous item or page
• shift+n/p: next/previous subscription (will go through all feeds instead of feeds in current folder)

Item actions

• s: star item
• l: like item
• t: tag item
• shift+s: share item
• shift+d: share item with note
• v: view original
• m: mark item as read/unread
• shift+a: mark all as read

Jumping

• g then h: go home
• g then a: go to all items
• g then s: go to starred items
• g then shift+s: go to shared items
• g then shift+f: go to friends' shared items
• g then shift+t: open trends page in a new tab
• g then c: open comments page in a new tab 
• g then d: open discovery page in a new tab 

FeedSquares for Chrome - Supercharge your Google Reader!

Want a refreshing way to use Google Reader? Check out FeedSquares for Chrome now and begin to read your favorite feeds in style! It's beautiful, it's easy to use, and Google agrees - we have just been picked by Google Chrome team as a top extension! If you are not using Google Chrome as your browser, come see one more reason why you should.

Google has definitely done a great job on Google Reader's default interface. But after sticking with the same interface for years, you might be itchy for something new. If you are a visual person, or you just love to see what "HTML5" can really do, or you just want to try new, beautiful things, you should check out FeedSquares!

FeedSquares fully synchronizes your subscriptions and items' read/star statuses from and to Google Reader. It gives you a visual, personalized lightweight listing of feed items with image previews. It also provides easy sharing to your Reader stream, twitter and such.

Make no mistake about it, despite the ease of use, we also provide a full arsenal for the feed warriors out there to battle their unread counts. Shortcut keys is coming up in the next version.

So, news and feed lovers of the world, please do give us comments and your feedback! And hope FeedSquares will be an enjoyable experience for you all. Here's a big download button for the Chrome version:

Download Links:
FeedSquares in Google Chrome Gallery (screenshots/link to download)

FeedSquares for Chrome is updated! (0.9.0)

Good news to the "hardcore" reader users, you can now:

• Click the unread count on the feed square to mark feed as read!

• Scroll items to mark as read, please enable the feature in "personalize!" section