Computer Overhauls

Come July, Google Reader Is No More.

Google's RSS Reader webapp is shutting down. Starting July 1, the service will no longer be available to users. Google claims it is due to low numbers of users and activity, but it seemed to be one of the more popular RSS feed readers out there. Broken hearts all over the internet are gearing up to switch to something new; Google is allowing favorites and feeds to be exported using Google Takeout.

Google killed Reader' sharing/following feature a few years back, and is now doing away with the whole thing. Some users are petitioning Google to keep Reader alive, or at least release the source code. 

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Updated Facebook News Feed Coming

Facebook announced a new look for your news feed. Much more modern looking, there's a big emphasis on photos, and it will be more consistent from web to mobile.

The new look will roll out to users over time.  Early adopters can sign up on Facebook to get the new look first. Prepare for the plethora of incoming 'OMG they changed Facebook again!' status updates. 

Pandora Limits Free Use

Popular streaming music site Pandora is changing the amount of time listeners can use the service for free. 40 hours a month is now the maximum a free Pandora account can stream, before being asked to upgrade. 

$0.99 will cover a month of unlimited streaming, while $3.99 a month is unlimited across devices, and is ad free. 

Do you stream lots of music at home, work, or on your phone? Does the limit force you to upgrade, or look into competiting services like Songza or Spotify? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.

 

Google Stores Coming Soon?

Like Apple, and Microsoft before them, Google is planning on opening brick-and-mortar retail stores. With a physical space, they can showcase their hardware and hope to sell more of their phones, tablets, and laptops. 

Apple retail stores have become a destination in some cities, and Microsoft's retail plan is eerily similar. Will Google having a physical location prove as beneficial for their hardware sales?  Like Apple stores, it provides the company the power to control user experience when shopping, especially when the Android market is flooded with competing providers. 

The first wave of Google stores are set to open this year.

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New Xbox Console Saying No To Used Games?

While there isn't any official news yet on either Microsoft nor Sony's new consoles, announcements should be coming soon, and rumors are beginning to leak. A big one causing quite a stir is that the follow up to the Xbox 360 will ban used games, by requiring consoles to be connected to the internet and using activation codes.

This process already exists in some games online play. Codes come with new versions of the game that allow players access to online multiplayer. If someone buys that game used, they have to pay a fee in order to access the same content. If this were to happen with entire games, retailers like GameStop, or rental stores, would be out of luck. 

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