[App] I-RSS - Beta Closed (Updated 29.7.2011)

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UPDATE 29.7.2011 - The Private Beta is now closed. The first beta version is now entering testing phase.

Let's make some good app for Windows Phone 7! I've decided to make

This page is about the development of new Windows phone 7 RSS Client - I-RSS. It's in the final stage of development and the goal is to create fast, nice, intuitive and competitive RSS Reader - and then push it to Marketplace. The application will probably have free and paid version (which will cost less than $2), making it attractive for users.

Screenshot is truly Work In Progress! Last Update 10.3.2011

And what I'm currently planning for it?

• An intuitive and clean RSS reader with Metro-like interface
  Progress: 95%
• Option to add feeds directly or by choosing from webpage
  Progress: 95% (now only timeouts to handle)
• Import / Export feeds from / to other feed aggregators
  Preparing import from Google Reader, later sync with GR
• Add selected news to Instapaper / Read It Later - to read them later
  Progress: 85%
• Sort the incoming news by date, source
  Progress: 98%
• Flag some news items so you can return to them later
  Progress: 100%
• Search in downloaded news
  Progress: 99% - every time there is something to do better
• Push notifications, toasts and live tiles
  OK, this is unreal for the first versions of the app. I'll need to learn LOT about servers.

Progress of actual coding is currently approx. 85%.

Thanks goes to Captainkrtek, emuneee and mei_liberi_fatali for developing with me!

Stay tuned for news and CONTRIBUTE with your ideas!


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Original post:
Hello folks,

I had an idea recently of writing a RSS application for WP7 which would not be based on Google Reader or anything like that. But I've caught myself into a limiting Microsoft trap.

And that is: How will users add feeds? Typing the whole URL of the feed? Not really good solution, I guess. Hovewer, I came with one solution, at last.

User would type in the address of the website (ie. www.cnn.com) and the application would search for all avaible RSS sources there and let user choose.

So I will need your help. What do you think about that? Do you have any other things you think they are worth trying?
Thanks in advance

I-RSS Reservé

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I think I'll reserve this one, in case I would release the app...

I don't see where the problem is in combining both in the same place.

You need an URL entry field anyway. Once the user hits enter, make a request to the URL. If it's a RSS feed that's returned, add it immediately, if it's HTML, scan for RSS feed links in the meta section and have the user select.

also make sure you have an import export function, something that is universal i think is OMAP?

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

I don't see where the problem is in combining both in the same place.

You need an URL entry field anyway. Once the user hits enter, make a request to the URL. If it's a RSS feed that's returned, add it immediately, if it's HTML, scan for RSS feed links in the meta section and have the user select.

Well, there is no problem with that, actually it was my suggestion. Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

Originally Posted by irdawood

also make sure you have an import export function, something that is universal i think is OMAP?

Be sure I'll do that... but that's another problem, where to load from / save to? We could maybe import feeds from Google Reader, but what would be the point of G:RSS then? (Items sync... I know )
Export... I could send the OPML file (no OMAP!) through email but I have to make sure I can do that using dev tools first.
Or upload to some file sharing server...

Anyways: Stay tuned for news!

Hope you've got more planned for your rss feed reader than automatically finding feeds based on domain name since Google reader already does that.

imho - syncing with an existing rss reader is the best bet. What user would want to have to resubscribe to all their feeds?

I wouldn't want to resubscribe but quite often want to add a feed on my phone as it's my primary device for casual browsing. Lack of copy/paste is a real limiting factor.

You have got here one big problem - no background app running possibility, so when new RSS comes, you won't be able to download it without firing the application first.

The only way how to get notifications is via online notifications, which means you'll have to run server where you'll fire these notifications to phone.

Or that's what I remember from KeyNote...

Of course I'm planning more things for my application! Push notifications will be a pain in the back for a while - let's hope I'll sort that out.

BTW I've updated the first post with some of my progress! Please check periodically to see what I want to have in the app and contribute with anything you find useful! In a while (few days) I'll add some screenshots with my progress.

First screenshots added

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Okay, so I'm releasing first screenshots of the actual I-RSS design. You can find them in the first post, along with some progress changes.

The design can be changed, as well as other things - nothing is final, as there is still lot of work to do. Please write if you don't like it or you have some thoughts. (But also write if you like it ) This way we'll make better app for you and everyone else!

The offer to contribute to development is still valid! It's also in the first post.

Thanks for any response!