RSSvp News Reader

There are many RSS feed readers in the world, and we find it hard to rev up enthusiasm for another newsreader that's based its look and feel on the typical e-mail client interface, as if Outlook were the epitome of user-friendly design.

RSSvp News Reader offers nothing new or unusual to throw experienced users for a loop, although the podcasting capabilities are handy for grabbing audiocasts and tunes. On the other hand, this free tool is a great introduction to reading RSS feeds for novices, simply because of its familiar design and ease of use. Navigating the three-paned interface is simple, with a directory tree of feed names in the vertical left pane, hyperlinked headlines from the specified feed in the upper-left pane, and the headlined story displayed in the bottom-left pane. Setting up preferences and adding feeds was easily accomplished from the File menu in our tests, and RSSvp News Reader performed with no glitches during our assessments.

This newsreader offered no real surprises or delights, but novices will find it handy to use and easy to master. Experienced users will want something more robust, however, and we suggest they search elsewhere.