RSS Flash g

Update: 7/17/2009 RSS Flash g was recently updated to 1.6.1. There are some minor updates with new theme views, but the biggest change is new services and options for sharing items from the app. The integration of Twitter and Delicious is great and they're beautifully integrated into a little pop-up menu within the article view. It's a good update.

CONTEST
The developer sent me a promo code which I don't need, so I'm going to give it away to one of our great readers. "How do I win this app?" I'm glad you asked… post in the comments your favorite website you read through RSS. The one I find the most interesting and unique wins it. You have until July 25th to submit your favorite. Winner will be announced July 27th.

Overview
RSS Flash g is an RSS reader that syncs with Google’s Reader service. Currently, the app is on sale for $2.99, down from $4.99 until June 30. The stand apart feature of the app is the ‘Slide Show Mode’. This feature scrolls through article titles when you’re viewing your feed folders and flips through articles when you’re viewing the contents of a feed folder.

Pros
RSS Flash g takes a leap with the slideshow ability. This is the stand-apart feature of the app and the animation is pretty slick. Whether the article titles are fading and sliding into focus, or the pages are flipping for a brief review of the next article, the animation is smooth and a little hypnotic. There are a few effects you can choose from and I particularly enjoy the page curl. The main advantage I can see to this is having it scroll through article titles while working on other projects.

There are different syncing options available too. You can set a synchronizing interval, or just let it sync on startup. It seems the developer designed the app with the purpose of running for a long time.

Syncing with Google Reader is a huge plus for me. I’ve tried several RSS apps, desktop and online, and Google has it down to a science. The iPhone interface for Google Reader isn’t bad, but using a native app makes feeds a little easier to read and provides offline features for iPod Touch users. The integration with Google’s sharing features are good; sharing, starred items, and notes are all available, though I could not find the ‘Keep Unread’ option.

Cons
RSS Flash g synced with Google Reader, but slowly. It would load for the main page, then again for each folder. While it synced it let me know about it every step of the way as a small drop down window let me know when each folder was synchronizing with Google’s servers. The integration could be a little tighter and provide a syncing process not quite as visible to the user. I also got a low memory warning with the app, but after restarting it the issue was gone.

The font display of the feeds could use some improvement. It’s not terrible, but I found it difficult to read and just a bit blocky. I think the spacing is a little too broad between the lines and the display is just a little too crunched together when viewing ‘All Items’. Even with fonts set to ‘Large’, things are still pretty small and I don’t find it comfortable to read. And no, I don't use glasses. (editors note - maybe you should!)

Summary
RSS Flash g is not a bad app. It is reliable, works well, and is functional. The slideshow feature is interesting and I’m sure this will appeal to several users. Google syncing is a tremendous feature and something that all developers should look in to when trying to make an iPhone RSS reader. Try out the free version that gives you the ability to sync up to six feeds and if it floats your boat grab it while it’s on sale.