Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - NewsBreak RSS Feed Reader and Podcasts on PocketPCs

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NewsBreak RSS Feed Reader and Podcasts on PocketPCs

Posted 2007-03-06 04:52 PM in Reviews | Tools.

If you're looking to read feeds on a PocketPC or SmartPhone and listen to podcasts, there's a number of choices. NewsBreak 2.0 just came out, and this site's feed looks pretty decent on it.

While this blog renders pretty nicely on a PocketPC due to DasBlog's mobile support, the site isn't very bandwidth friendly, nor, of course, is it available offline.

The screenshot on the left is the site in PocketIE, and the screenshot next to it (and the one at far right) is my blog's Feed in NewsBreak. Notice that NewsBreak uses ClearType in its reading view - not sure why that's not working in PocketIE or in NewsBreak's view showing list of posts.

It also supports podcasts, which is pretty sweet. I'm still evaluating options, but seems to be that $8 for a piece of software is pretty cheap. It supports PocketPCs and SmartPhones.

For now, NewsBreak is US$7.95 until it's not, then it'll be $19.95. Check it out.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:22:36 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Hi Scott

Pocket PC Central has updated the page you link to (http://pocketpccentral.net/software/podcast.htm) so it no longer contains an entry for Newsbreak. And why didn't you just link to the makers of Newsbreak, Iliumsoft (http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/nw/newsbreak.htm). They also make the excellent Listpro app that is rapidly becoming essential on my PDA.

Ebbe

Ebbe Kristensen

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:25:22 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Addendum: The PocketPCCentral link should have been http://pocketpccentral.net/software/news_rss.htm

Ebbe

Ebbe Kristensen

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 7:59:35 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Sorry, copy paste error...fixed.

Scott Hanselman

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 8:04:23 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Thanks for mentioning NewsBreak Scott -- I'm looking forward to using it to listen to your next Podcast.

Thanks to you too Ebbe for your kind words about ListPro. And you're right, you can find out about NewsBreak directly on our site at www.iliumsoft.com/newsbreak.

Ken Morse
Ilium Software

Ken Morse

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 9:54:52 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Of course you have to pay for the data transfer to keep this updated. :(

Once I get my bluetooth support syncing this update that would eliminate the cost, for the phone at least. What do you know about syncing this sort of RSS data to a phone via bluetooth?

Brennan Stehling

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:30:25 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

NewsBreak supports updating feeds on a Windows Mobile device (Pocket PC and Smartphone) via WiFi, ActiveSync or your cell connection (using whatever data plan you have) Brennan. If you connect to your PC via Bluetooth and ActiveSync then you should be all set. NewsBreak even has an update option called "When ActiveSync available" to restrict how updates are started.

Ken Morse

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 5:14:54 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Google reader does mobile. I need to find a nice blog writer for th mobile pc.

Aaron

Sunday, March 18, 2007 3:20:51 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)

Can anyone recommend a blog reader that will allow you to download your subscriptions and then read them offline(disconnected)? e.g. I'm in LAX about to board a 19hr flight to Taiwan, I want to download all my favorite blogs and read them, disconnected, on the plane.