Google to say goodbye to Google Reader by July 1, 2013

According this Google support page, the search giant will be retiring one of its products — Google Reader which is an RSS feed aggregator — come July 1, 2013.

Google Reader will be retired on July 1, 2013. If you’d like to download a copy of all your Reader data before then, you can do so through Google Takeout. You’ll receive your subscription data in an XML file, and the following information will be downloaded as JSON files:

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• List of people that you follow
• List of people that follow you
• Items you have starred
• Items you have liked
• Items you have shared
• Items shared by people you follow
• Notes you have created
• Items with comments

Click here to start downloading your Reader data from Takeout. Once downloaded, your subscription data should be easily transferrable to another product, where you can continue to keep up with your online reading.

I’ve personally been an ardent and loyal user of the RSS reader more than six year, but the rise of other news aggregators that offer a better way of letting users consume information, have squashed and brought Google Readers to its knees. One of these is Pulse, which i wrote about how it was much more superior than Reader in how it was redefining the way that we consume web content not just on PCs, but also on smartphones and tablets. The others are Flipboard and iOS Newstand among others.

About David Okwii

David Okwii is the Editor-in-Chief of Dignited.com and a seasoned tech enthusiast whose journey began in the early 2000s. He started blogging while at university, diving deep into mobile apps, smartphone reviews, and operating systems—from testing Linux distros to tweaking Windows machines. David also explores Chromebooks, experiments with Raspberry Pi projects, and brings hands-on curiosity to every review. With vast experience in Uganda’s tech ecosystem and deep knowledge of Africa’s startup landscape, he offers informed, grounded perspectives on consumer technology. When he's not writing or tinkering, David enjoys connecting with nature and exploring the outdoors.