Google Finishes Off Wounded Google Reader

Well this just sucks. 

We have just announced on the Official Google Blog that we will soon retire Google Reader (the actual date is July 1, 2013). We know Reader has a devoted following who will be very sad to see it go. We're sad too.

There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we're pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience.

An unpleasant reminder of just how dependent I've grown on Google's free services: Gmail, Blogger, Calendar, Contacts . . . I was deeply saddened when they gutted  G Reader in 2011, but at least it was still a feed, and I remained aloyal user.  I literally use Google Reader more than any other service on the web, except possibly GMail.

LifeHacker has a roundup of alternative readers that the Google Reader diaspora may scatter to . . . as well as instructiuons for importing your G-Reader settings.