Google Reader to be integrated with Google+

Google Reader will soon undergo a metamorphosis and be reborn with Google’s new, more refined design aesthetic and Google+ sharing features.

Google Reader will soon undergo a metamorphosis and be reborn with Google's new, more refined design aesthetic and Google+ sharing features.

The change will realign the popular RSS (Really Simple Syndication) reader with Google's social network Google+ "so you can share the best of your feeds with just the right circles," explained Google Software Engineer Alan Green in a post on the company's Google Reader Blog.

"As a result of these changes, we also think it's important to clean things up a bit. Many of Reader's social features will soon be available via Google+, so in a week's time we'll be retiring things like friending, following and shared link blogs inside of Reader," Green added.

Google is predicting that some of its regular users won't like the Google+ social integration and is making it easier for anyone who doesn't like the new changes to export their RSS feeds.

"We recognize, however, that some of you may feel like the product is no longer for you," wrote Green. "That's why we will also be extending Reader's subscription export feature to include the following items. Your data belongs to you, after all, and we want to make sure you can take it with you." Green listed subscriptions, shared items, friends, likes, and starred items as the data included in the subscription export feature.

If Google Reader no longer lives up to your feed-reading expectations, technology blog ExtremeTech suggests you try Netvibes, iGoogle, Feedly, NewsBlur, FeedDemon or NetNews Wire to keep up to speed with your collection of frequently updated websites.

Google Reader's new interface will be revealed next week.