Handpicked Software

When it comes to newsreaders, I’m fickle. The list of available options is long and I think I’ve probably tried almost all of them at one time or another, including NetNewsWire, NewsFire and Safari 2.0 (which has a long way to go as an aggregator). But I’ve found a new favorite: NewsMac Pro. It needs a little tightening here and there, but NewsMac Pro is slick, flexible and a pleasure to use.

NewsMac Pro sports a polished interface that makes it easy to manage an abundant library of feeds. The main window is divided into four panes. Channels are saved to the Source List, where you can arrange them into folders (including Smart Folders), bookmark individual items, and save searches. Click on a folder or library in the Source List, and the contents are displayed in the Channel List. You can rate channels (similar to iTunes), and the list also indicates the number of unread items. Click on a channel and its headlines are displayed in the Headline List pane below. Click a headline and the contents are displayed in the Headline Viewer pane, which has multiple tabs. You can display just the selected story (either summary or full entry, depending on the feed), all unread stories, or all flagged stories (headlines that match keywords you specify). Select the Browser tab and you can view the selected story on the source site. A Details tab displays information about the selected channel.

So far, so good. But NewsMac Pro doesn’t stop with a user-friendly multi-paned interface and built-in web browser that makes windsurfing a deluge of channels a breeze. You can sort channels into folders with custom icons (a number of icons are included and you can add your own) and specify a refresh period for individual folders ranging from every 30 minutes to once a day. Flagged items are highlighted so you can spot them at a glance, and Smart Folders can automatically grab headlines that match your specified criteria. Channels are displayed in the Dock icon menu for quick access. You can download podcasts, add them to iTunes, and synchronize them with your iPod. You can also synchronize headlines and stories with your iPod or Palm OS PDA.

Migrating to NewsMac Pro couldn’t be easier. If your current newsreader can export OPML files, you can import channels manually. NewsMac Pro can also automatically load channels from NetNewsWire 2, NewsFire and Safari. If you’re just starting out, NewsMac Pro gives you the option of loading a default library of hundreds of channels, including news sources and popular blogs. When you select NewsMac Pro as your default newsreader, adding a new channel is as easy as clicking on an RSS link in your browser. NewsMac Pro supports four versions of RSS, as well as Atom.

NewsMac Pro isn’t without its problems. For example, the browser doesn’t block popups. Surf to a site with popups and NewsMac Pro’s window shrinks to the popup size’s (ThinkMac is working on the issue; in the meantime, you can disable JavaScript to avoid this problem). You can’t download files within NewsMac Pro’s browser; you have to Control-click on the link to open it in your default browser to download. If you resize the panes, they are reset to the default sizes when you relaunch.

Still, this version of NewsMac Pro is solid. I think all browsers are destined to integrate browsing and newsreading seamlessly someday. Until then, tighten a few screws here and there, let me import my Safari bookmarks and use my Safari add-ons, and I’ll ditch my browser and live inside NewsMac Pro.

Bottom Line: If you subscribe to a handful of feeds, Safari is fine. But if you want a more refined way to manage a library chock full of channels, try NewsMac Pro.
From: ThinkMac Software
Price: $24.99 (a free version of NewsMac is also available)
Platform: Macintosh