My 2 ¢ worth about losing Google Reader

The  news is old already about Google shutting down Google Reader.

There have been many relevant and much better and more insightful posts about losing this wonderful service like Chris Betcher and Vicki Davis to name a few.

I feel compelled to voice my concerns.

I am mad. I am very frustrated and don't know what action to take next.

I will be honest and tell you that Google and Apple are my two favorite companies. I use them 24/7 all day long for everything. I have valued Google because they offer so many great services that meet the needs of anyone no matter their situation, job, or interests.

Google Reader is the cornerstone of my connective learning. This is my go to place to read and search the people that influence me the most. I use all tools, devices, and sites, but Reader is one that is part of my daily life. I always leave about 30 minutes a day to just relax and sift through my Reader to see what my favorite bloggers, sites, and people have to share.

Can I do this with other sites? Yes, I have to begin to search for new ways and tools to give me the same system I am use to. Will it be better? No!

Here is why......My Google Reader flows seamlessly with my Gmail, my YouTube, My G+, etc. All I have to do is simply click one button and there it is. It syncs with everything. So easy. So simple. All in one place.

Now I have to find another system. Another website. Another tool. And leave another tab open to use. Maybe not a big deal to most, but this is huge for me. I don't want that.

Google Reader is free. Google owns Reader. So, therefore it has complete rights to do whatever. But this leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

They are shutting down iGoogle. I was not happy with that. I was able to move on, but not happy. I could cope because I still had everything in one place. Now this.

Now I begin to wonder if Google is becoming too money hungry. Does it really hurt them enough to just leave it alone and offer it as a service? Really? It makes people happy. Many people use it. At what point do they shut down other services? Do they take away blogger? Maybe not, but how do we know? I never thought Reader would leave.

I feel betrayed. It sounds stupid, but true.

Will I move on? Yes, I have no choice. I am looking at other feeders like Feedly to name one that I will probably move to, but I feel burned. I do. Maybe I am taking it too personal, but you know what..... my Google Reader was personal. It represented who I was and what I wanted to read. It was my escape. It was my life outside of my real life. It connected to my life with triathlon blogs, eating blogs, education sites, jokes, etc. It was an extension of me. That has been taken away and I must adapt. I will. I will move on. But for now I will be bitter until July.

Some other posts about this issue

New Yorker

USA Today