Google launches reader for blog and RSS subscriptions

Google launched a Web based reader this afternoon whereby users can subscribe to blogs as well as keywords and key phrases via RSS and Atom feeds. From the very limited testing I’ve done, it’s an easy to use interface which allows you to go immediately from searching for blog content to subscribing to relevant blogs you identify in such a search.

Here’s the highlights directly from Google.

Why would I want to use Google Reader?

The amount of information on the web is rapidly increasing. Google Reader helps you keep up with it all by organizing and managing all the content you’re interested in. Instead of continuously checking your favorite sites for updates, you can let Google Reader do it for you. From news sites to your friends’ blogs, Google Reader helps you keep up-to-date with all the online information that matters most to you.

How do I search for new content?

You can use the search box at the top of the screen to find new content. Enter a specific publication or author (e.g., New York Times or Dave Barry), or a topic or industry (e.g., gardening or nanotechnology), click “Search for new content” and you’ll get back a list of relevant content from across the web. If you see something that interests you, simply click the “subscribe” button to add it to your reading list.

You can also enter the website address (URL) for a specific RSS or Atom feed. Many websites have links to their feeds in their navigation menus. For example, the feed for the Google Blog is http://googleblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml.

What is my reading list?

When you subscribe to content that you want to read on a regular basis, Google Reader will monitor that site for updates and add them to your reading list, which appears on the left side of the Google Reader screen. You can order your list by date or relevance, which prioritizes the items that seem most relevant to you. You can also choose whether or not you’d like things you’ve already read to stay in the reading list. Note: even if they’re hidden in your reading list, you can always view items you’ve already read by clicking “Read items” at the top of the page.

What are my subscriptions?

When you find content you want to read on a regular basis, you can subscribe to it, and Google Reader will monitor that website for updates and add them to your reading list. You can use the “Your subscriptions” section to edit or add to your subscription list. You can also add labels or view a specific subscription to see all the items from that site.

For more info, just go to Google Reader’s Help page.