If you keep up with your RSS feeds using Google Reader then you might already be aware of Nextgen Reader in the Windows Phone Store. The latest version available for download supports the Mango update to Windows Phone and was released back in July 2012.
I will admit that I was quite happy with the Windows Phone program I was using to read and share from my Google Reader feeds but then I was encouraged by a few followers to try out Nextgen Reader and I am very glad I did.
In its current form I have found it extremely reliable and it easily keeps things in sync so I can move between my phone, Windows 8 desktop and the web version of Google Reader as I need to without having any overlap of unread items, etc.
Now the developer of Nextgen Reader is taking the app to the next level and getting it ready for full compatibility with Windows Phone 8 to take advantage of the updated hardware and features on the phone.
I was invited to be part of the private beta of this upcoming version and I must say the speed increase between the WP 7.5 version and this update is amazing. No longer do I get a resuming notice for 3 or 4 seconds when I go back to the app on the phone – it now appears instantaneously. There are similar speed increases that have also been implemented in dealing with feeds throughout the app.
It is very customizable so you can set things up to work as you prefer.
Here are the new features and updates coming with version 4 which is expected to be released sometime around the 20th of January 2013:
- Support for HD and higher resolutions.
- Fast app resume from start screen.
- Brand new icon and theme for WP8.
- Support for multiple small, medium and wide live tiles.
- Support for notifications on Lock screen.
- Always read complete stories using "full article mode".
- Customizable articles list view.
- New gestures for changing articles.
- New metro style share menu.
- New "show/hide image captions" in article.
- Faster image caching by 2-3x times.
- Improved YouTube support with IE10.
- Fixed: Image resizing in article view.
- Several other UX/design improvements, bug fixes and enhancements.
As a special thanks to users of Nextgen Reader the developer has discounted the current version by 33% so the app will only cost $1.29 (vice normal price of $1.99). This discount will continue until the Windows Phone 8 release hits the Windows Phone Store.
So if you do not own the current version of Nextgen Reader and are already on WP8 or planning to move to WP8 later you can buy at the discounted price and not have to pay the higher amount when the new release comes out. You can find the app here in the Windows Phone Store – http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/643381de-4724-e011-854c-00237de2db9e
If you have already made the move to Windows 8 on your desktop or tablet then you will also want to check out Nextgen Reader in the Windows Store at http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/app/30648d7a-f0b5-4719-8ca9-7ed6ce3b4b9b. I use that app as well on all of my Windows 8 devices and it does not disappoint. The developer tells me that a big update is in the works for this version in the near future.
These are well established apps and have been very popular. The Windows Phone Nextgen Reader has 965 reviews and ratings for 4.5 Stars and the Windows Store App has 358 reviews and ratings for 4.5 Stars as well.
Here are some screenshots of the Windows Phone 8 update of Nextgen Reader:
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