5 best RSS readers for the iPad, according to YOU!

This article, the first in a new experiment, highlights what YOU think are the best applications in a particular genre. We asked over twitter, and then counted the replies we got from you, our faithful readers. There’s wisdom in the masses, and we thought it would be smart to start listing off the overwhelming favourites so others can benefit from the collective wisdom of our readers.

Here’s the top 5 RSS readers for the iPad (in no particular order), as submitted by you.

Early Edition

If you’re looking for an RSS reader that looks and feels like a traditional newspaper, then Early Edition is right up your alley. Content is front and center in a way that’s both familiar and innovative at the same time. This application also lets you import Google Reader or OPML feeds directly into the application, which is a must these days. Also included in this application, which is missing from the rest of the RSS readers, is the ability to collect news from Twitter. The application does not currently support many social features, and it only gives you access to Instapaper.

Reeder

Reeder is about functionality, minimalism, and ease of use. The application, while not universal, is built for people who consume a lot of information quickly. If you’re the type of person who likes to share news stories socially, then this application might be for you. It includes a host of services that makes sharing news a simple two click process. You can use the built-in email features, Twitter, Facebook, Pinboard, Instapaper, ReadItLater, and Delicious to share your articles with others, and save articles for consumption at a later date.

The iPad version of Reeder is currently available on the App Store for $4.99. Since Reeder is not a universal application, there is also an iPhone version available for $2.99.

There has been mention of the application having difficulty truely syncing with Google Reader —some articles are not marked as read after a sync with the web service. So, you might want to keep that in mind as you contemplate purchasing this RSS reader.

Byline

Byline is a little unorthodox when compared to the rest of the applications on this list. It’s not listed as universal application on the App Store, but it does say that it supports the iPad. Considering the amount of suggestions we got from the Twitter gang, we had to include it, despite it actually being an iPhone application. If people love this application enough to actually use it on the iPad then it’s worth an inclusion in our list.

As a point of note, the Phantom Fish team is currently working on a native iPad application, and they expect that it will be released as a universal application, meaning buying this app for your iPhone will also get you access to the iPad application. Again, this is an iPhone application that’s being used on the iPad by a lot of people, so don’t say we didn’t warn you when you buy it and find that it’s not a shiny fullscreen application.

Byline includes Twitter support, Instapaper support, and ReadItLater support, so sharing articles with your friends shouldn’t really be a problem. You can also sync the application with Google Reader, so that’s pretty great. The iPhone app is available on the App Store for $4.99.

Newsrack

This is the only application that made our list that had previously been unnoticed by us. It alone validated the idea for this post. Finding new and interesting apps isn’t as easy as it should be these days. There seems to be some discontent amongst the users of this app, and the negativity seems to stem from the latest update and the slow syncing times. Newsrack includes Google Reader synchronization, an integrated mini browser, Instapaper, and ReadItLater support, as well as Delicious, Twitter, and Facebook support. It’s currently $4.99 on the App Store. Newsrack is also a universal application, meaning that purchasing it will give you access to the application on both your iPhone and iPad.

FLUD News

This news reader takes the news and makes it sexy again. FLUD News has spent time in Apple’s top listing sections, and users often praise its approach to presenting the news. It’s immersive, and it places a large emphasis on user experience. It includes Google Reader support, a must amongst RSS readers these days, as well as social features such as Facebook and Twitter integration, but it does not include Instapaper or ReadItLater support. FLUD is currently $3.99 on the App Store.

What do I use?

I have a pretty unique approach to my RSS reader usage. In an attempt to separate work and leisure reading materials, I actually use two applications. I use Reeder for my day to day Apple consumption, because it makes scanning articles for Macgasm a breeze. Everything’s laid out in a giant list. That’s priceless when it comes to writing in a news cycle. But, when I’m passively reading my favourite websites, I prefer something a little bit nicer to look at, and this is where FLUD News comes in for me. I keep all the websites that I don’t associate with Macgasm in there, and it helps me create some separation between work time and down time.

So, what do you use? Sound off in the comments. We’d love to discover more new apps! Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter so you can participate in upcoming articles. :)

Note: These are not reviews, just a list of your recommendations.