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Safari extensions highlight: A good-looking Google Reader

by Dave Caolo Aug 11th 2010 at 1:00PM

With the addition of the Safari Extensions Gallery to Apple's website, TUAW will be highlighting extensions that we think are special, useful, or just plain fun.

Many of Google's Web apps have been long on functionality but short on looks. Google Reader, the Web-based RSS reader, is a good example of this. Fortunately, Google Reader Mac OS X Snow Leopard + Delicious is a Safari extension that makes Reader look good.

Once installed, this extension makes Google Reader resemble a Snow Leopard application (like iTunes). The sidebar is that same faint blue, and the rest is white and gray. Additionally, dialog boxes are the same nearly-transparent black that we've come to expect from Snow Leopard.

This extension is simply a new set of clothes for Google Reader, so its functioning is unchanged. There, now doesn't that look better?

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With the addition of the Safari Extensions Gallery to Apple's website, TUAW will be highlighting extensions that we think are special,...
 

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Daniel

Ohh snap just what I wanted

August 11 2010 at 11:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kevincampbell247

I wish I knew how to turn reader OFF in Safari. It never stops loading on some pages.

August 11 2010 at 4:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matthew

Great. Now can they make GMail look like that? PLEEEASE?

August 11 2010 at 3:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Raffael Erhart

I prefer Helvetireader or the slightly modified Lucidica, which is also available as an extension.

August 11 2010 at 3:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

Been using this one a while on my Mac at home and windows at work. I like it except for two issues.
Clicking the disclosure arrows, its very easy to hide the sidebar by clicking near the lef edge of the window pane.
On my Mac, there's a weird black dot going off of the top center edge of the page.
Other than that, pretty cool.

August 11 2010 at 1:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Joe's comment
Vidal van Bergen

You might need to manually update to v1.2, I think I've removed that black dot bug a long time ago, if that's not it, send me an email at vidal.vanbergen@gmail.com, and I'll try to sort it out!

And I will also keep looking into the annoying sidebar collapser and see if there's a better way to do it ;)

With kind regards,
Vidal van Bergen

August 11 2010 at 5:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jonmaron

I really, really like Feedly! http://www.feedly.com/

August 11 2010 at 1:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tauw

I wish Google themselves would fix this from the server side. Reader is functional but fugly, but I hate messing with extensions for these things.

August 11 2010 at 1:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
no name

Or if you don't use Safari, you can just go and install

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/53810
and
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/63802

Works great in Chrome.

August 11 2010 at 1:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jdechko

I still like Helvetireader better as it gets rid of the clutter I seldom use (including the social features).

In other words: nice, but it's not for me.

August 11 2010 at 1:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
evan

There's also one called "Google Reader Styles" that lets you choose from a handful of great Reader skins on the fly, including a Snow Leopard theme. Check it out:

http://www.fabianpimminger.com/playground/google-reader-styles/

August 11 2010 at 1:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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