Mobile RSS Free Google Reader for iPhone App Review

MobileRSS is a full featured Google Reader client for your iPhone & iPod touch. All you need to use MobileRSS is a free google reader account. We have built a great offline integration that you will find using MobileRSS is a wonderful experience. Two-way sync will help you to keep track of your favorite contents in a simple and elegant way. MobileRSS is designed in a way as the mail app comes with iPhone, very simple to use.

Stay in sync with Google Reader about everything. (Subscriptions. Folders, Tags, All items, Read items, Starred items, Shared items, Notes, Unread count)
View up to 200 items from each list when you’re offline, including embedded images.
One tap to download all items and archive all embedded images.
Save images into Photos Album.
Star and share items.
Mark all items as read
Create and share notes.
Share items by email (without leaving app).
Share items by Twitter.
Recover screen to last usage

A common conversation among iPhone users is what RSS reader is the best.  I have used iNews for some time and have great luck with it.  Recently Gear Diary’s own Clinton asked for recommendations for an RSS reader used by the writers.  Several options were presented; some free, some paid.  Several writers expressed their preference to sync with their Google Reader account.  I came across Mobile RSS Free Google Reader and thought the recent interest warranted a look.

Syncing to the Google Reader account is simple.  The app asks for your email and password first time you open and instantly syncs with any feeds in the Google account.  The appearance is similar to many RSS readers and similar to the Google Reader on the web.  Home options include All Items, Read Items, Starred Items, Shared Items and Notes.  As seen in later screen shots, each article has a button to add the item to these categories.

Once a feed is chosen, the list of articles open.  This view includes the feed name, article title, time of publication and an icon that signifies a picture in the story.  Stories with a blue bullet have not been open.  Simply click on the article to open and read.  The article opens and includes any pictures and about two full paragraphs of text.  I found this to be plenty for me to decide my interest level in the articles.  Like most readers a link is supplied to visit the site to read more.  One thing I like is the See Original button at the bottom.  The full article opens within the app.  I love this.  iNews, for example, opens in Safari which brings the need to close an app and reopen another when finished.

The above picture displays several options for the article.  The first option enables notes to be taken and saved for the article.  This can be great for students or anyone finding stories needing the current thoughts to be saved.  The second button opens the article in Safari.  The star just highlights so the article can be saved for later.  The RSS symbol adds the article to the shared folder and the last button is my favorite.  Email, send to Twitter, Instapaper or ReaditLater the article.  I easily shared Judie’s Rosetta Stone post on Twitter and it included a bit.ly link.

I find this to be a nice Google Reader app, and the options available are quite extensive for a free app.  Mobile RSS Free Google Reader is free because of the small ad bar.  Anyone who uses Google Reader and likes to sync on the iPhone should take a look.  You can never lose with a free app!  Check it our here in the app store.

What I like: Seamlessly sync my Google Reader with the ability to share, save, and make notes on the feed.

What can be improved: I have not found it yet.