Web App of the Week: Lazyfeed

Posted 12/11/2009 at 4:15pm | by David Murphy

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Anyone can master the art of an RSS feed.  But what do you do when you're a connoisseur of a ton of different topics?  You might very well have check a list of RSS feeds that numbers in the tens, if not hundreds of items--and those are just the direct links you pull down from sites you've already frequented.  Aside from running through Google News items based on a bunch of topics, or adding yourself to a site like popurls, there's no picture-perfect way to get an up-to-date, scrolling list of news for a ton of different categories at once.

At least, not until now.

This week's top Web App choice combines the usefulness of a site like popurls with the constantly updated environment of a Web app like Twitterfall.  It's an excellent way to quickly customize and scan as many news categories as your screen can fit, featuring constant updates so you don't miss a second of any breaking news on your multitude of beats.  In short, the site Lazyfeed is the perfect reason why you should look into getting a second monitor this holiday season--if you're a news junkie, that is.

Here's how it works.  When you load up Lazyfeed (after signing up for an account, of course), you're free to add a topic to your news grid.  Heck, add as many topics as you want, based on whatever words you want to use.  As you'll see in the screenshot below, I've added my three favorite subjects in the world: benchmarks, freeware, and opensource.

Whenever a news tidbit comes across the 'net that falls within one of these categories, the associated box on your grid blinks and the various news items get bumped down one slot for the new information.  To access a full-sized view of any topic, just double-click on it.  You'll be taken to an expanded, scrolling screen with all the latest information related to said topic at-hand.  Close the window, and back to the grid you go!

I enjoy Lazyfeed both due to its updates and usefulness, but also for its huge swath of recommendations.  When I clicked on my "games" category, the app asked me if I liked videogames.  Yes, I like videogames.  So up went another box, with the app asking me about various specific titles I might enjoy.  I mean, this is the life--I don't even have to think about the categories I want to add.  Lazyfeed, true to its name, does all the work for you.

Every Thursday, Maximum PC picks a new Web App as its favorite of the week. Have a Web App that you can't live without? Twitter David Murphy @acererak with your latest suggestions.