Pimp up Google Reader with 15 Firefox hacks
For those who want more out of Google Reader and can’t wait, check out the hacks below; among some, search within Google Reader (yeah!) and read native blog posts.
Specs
Greasemonkey - Allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript, see the list.
I’ve listed a few hacks below, here’s the list.
Hacks
1. Google Reader Preview Enhanced
Read native blog posts within Google Reader, no more limited by excerpt feeds as you can now read the actual page itself from within Google Reader…plus see and make comments right there within Google Reader.
You will see a preview button along the bottom of the RSS item:
eg. Add star, ShareEmail (Updated), Mark as read, Edit tags, Preview
Similar is a link to the Original article instead of having to click on the title.
2. Add a search box to Google Reader
Here’s the script
3. BetterGReader (this doesn’t require Greasemonkey)
Choice of skins (more), smart subscribe and Quick Links (more)
4. Auto-add feed to Google Reader
Bypasses the choice to add a feed Google homepage or Google Reader, directly adding to Google Reader.
5. Gbutts (this doesn’t require Greasemonkey)
Display all of your Google Services as buttons just next to your addressbar or anywhere you like it…not really exclusive to this list of Google Reader hacks, but still handy as a one click icon to launch it.
Adds reader posts to twitter when clicked
7. Google Reader + del.icio.us
Adds reader posts to del.icio.us when clicked
You may already use the right-click deature from the FF del.icio.us add-on
8. Facebook Sharer + Google Reader
websites can be shared with Facebook friends and on a Facebook profile
9. Google Reader’s BlogThis2Me
Blog a current feed’s entry to your blog.
This is meant to enhance the BlogThis action to include other blog types, but I think Google Reader has dropped the BlogThis action feature.
Otherwise use another FF add-on called JustBlogIt.
Script to extract all links from google reader that have been starred
Once you have done this, try the OPMLify bookmarklet to generate code to wrap all these links in an OPML (to see your results, scroll down the page after you have clicked the bookmarklet..then you will have to save this code as a text file and upload it to Grazr to create an OPML URL.
Checks your Google Reader for unread news
Suggests to instead use Google Reader Watcher (this doesn’t require Greasemonkey)
Shows you how many unread items you have in your Google Reader (this doesn’t require Greasemonkey)
13. Google Reader - Read by Mouse
Under the subscription pane you can turn on/off mouse mode - left click is next item and right click is previous item…middle click is a choice of share/star/open in new tab
Also check out the list of Shortcut Keys.
14. Integrate Google Reader with Gmail
Adds a “Feeds” in Gmail. When clicked, Reader’s list view is loaded on the right.
Also part of the Better Gmail FF add-on.
15. Google Reader quick hide message
Quickly hides the message displayed in Google Reader after performing renames, folder changes etc.
Also let’s not forget the handy next/previous bookmarklets, find them in your Google Reader Seeting tab under Goodies.
For those who who use the Google Toolbar, check out this hack that adds a Google Reader button to your toolbar…if the button turns green it means you have new content.
[ADDED 12/07/08: AideRSS - Filter items in Google Reader by social popularity]
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I’m typing this from the Google Reader Enhanced Preview box. Thanks so much for making this list!
Comment by J. D. Harper — July 21, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
The enhanced preview is wonderful. Why haven’t the Googlers come up with this? The ability to view native posts is one of the only reasons to use a desktop reader like Thunderbird.
Comment by Nick — July 21, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Here’s my favorite: Flickr2Big. It replaces the small pictures used in Flickr’s RSS feeds with the medium size so pictures are much easier to see.
Comment by Chris — July 21, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Thanks for featuring my “Auto-add feed to Google Reader” greasemonkey script.
Comment by Anmar Mansur — July 22, 2007 @ 1:00 am
nice article on google reader. you can pimp supercharge your gmail with different interface too! –> http://belacan.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/10-greasemonkey-scripts-to-change-how-gmail-looks-like/
Comment by syahid ali — July 23, 2007 @ 11:58 am
If you read craigslist rss feeds in Google Reader, you’ll want my greasemonkey script. It automatically removes and marks as read posts which have been flagged or removed from craigslist. Check it out!
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/10633
Comment by Sam — July 23, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
Google Reader Hacks
Here is a pretty comprehensive list of Google Reader hacks…
For those who want more out of Google Reader and can’t wait, check out the hacks below; among some, search within Google Reader (yeah!) and read native blog posts.
Specs
FireFox brows…
Trackback by E on the World — July 25, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Brain Cloud Shotgun
Human Brain Cloud (collaboration,networking,game,social,visualization) It’s a game… sorta. It’s a visualization… definitely. It’s a way of linking words together. In collaborative fashion. See the results by looking at th…
Trackback by Aces Full of Links — July 27, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Great tips! Don’t forget about Google Reader Trends. Very useful tool as well! Very powerful in helping to manage the feeds.
Comment by Mark Mathson — August 8, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
Google Reader blijven of terug naar Bloglines?
Sinds enige tijd gebruik ik Google Reader en heb ik er al twee keer een soort van conclusie over het gebruik geschreven (hier en hier). Als absolute fan van Bloglines moest ik erg wennen aan Google Reader maar nu ik het een aantal maanden gebruik ben i…
Trackback by Moqub's bibliotheek van dingen — August 30, 2007 @ 8:34 pm