• Newsgator: Newsgator also has a Web-based newsreader. Offering programs ranging from $19.95 per year to $89.95 per year, they claim to give you your feeds any way you want them.
• Bloglines: One of the most popular Web-based newsreaders is Bloglines. The service is free. They were recently acquired by Ask Jeeves, Inc.
• My Yahoo! The My Yahoo! service offers newsreading capabilities, but it's quite limited. While you can set My Yahoo up as your home page and see some of your favorite feeds, you're limited to seeing only feed headlines. But, hey, it's free!
• Google Reader: Google also offers a newsreader. Using a more dynamic page interface, if you're looking for a free service, you might like this reader. On the other hand, it's Google, so you can be sure they're making a list of your every move, gonna find out if you've been naughty or nice.

Browser-based newsreaders
Browser-based newsreaders are different from Web-based newsreaders in that you're reading the news within an extension of the browser's own interface, and your newsreading data is stored locally, not on a Web-based service. Browser-based newsreaders often have a more application-centric user interface, rather than one constructed mostly as a Web page.

Internet Explorer 6 does not yet have native RSS-reading capabilities, but IE7 is expected to add these capabilities. In the meantime, you can download plug-ins that'll do the job for you.

• Pluck: The Pluck RSS Reader embeds itself into either Internet Explorer or Firefox. It's free.
• Wizz RSS News Reader:This is a free Firefox extension. What can we say? We love the name.
• Fizzle: Another free extension for Firefox. It's still in the early stages of development. More than anything, we recommend you visit the developer's home page at AndyFrank.com. Now, here's a dude secure in his masculinity!
• Sage: Yet another free extension for Firefox, this one has some promise.

Macintosh-based newsreaders
By far, the most well-known and best respected newsreader for the Mac is NetNewsWire, which was recently acquired by Newsgator. Apple's Safari browser also has limited newsreading capabilities, but has (for reasons known only to Apple), changed the little orange XML/RSS indicators to blue. That's Apple for ya!

• NetNewsWire: Built by Brent Simmons, this is reputed to be the best choice if you use a Mac. Brent's a heck of a programmer, so we don't doubt it. It's available for $24.95.
• Safari: Safari is Apple's browser, and it has it's own slightly Apple-funky RSS reader. But hey, if you're a Mac user and you paid to upgrade to Mac OS X Tiger, it's free. Our Mac experts tell us you'll most likely want to buy NetNewsWire anyway.

Over the next few months, we'll be covering RSS in detail. We'll be offering reviews of RSS readers, covering some of the technology behind RSS, and integrating it more completely into all the ZATZ offerings.

Go forth and read feeds!

Product information and resources For more information on Madicon Reader, visit http://www.madicon.de/content/category/4/71/52. For more information on PAVONE NewsReader, visit http://www.pavone.com/newsreader_en. For more information on FeedDemon, visit http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon. For more information on Radio Userland, visit http://radio.userland.com. For more information on RssReader, visit http://www.rssreader.com. For more information on Attensa for Outlook, visit http://www.attensa.com. For more information on Newsgator, visit http://www.newsgator.com. For more information on Bloglines, visit http://www.bloglines.com. For more information on My Yahoo!, visit http://my.yahoo.com. For more information on Google Reader, visit http://reader.google.com. For more information on Firefox, visit http://www.mozilla.com/firefox. For more information on Pluck, visit http://www.pluck.com/products/rss-reader.html. For more information on Wizz RSS News Reader, visit http://www.wizzcomputers.com/WizzRss.php. For more information on Fizzle, visit http://www.andyfrank.com/projects/fizzle.php. For more information on Sage, visit http://sage.mozdev.org. For more information on NetNewsWire, visit http://ranchero.com/netnewswire. For more information on Safari, visit http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/safari.

Jeff Chilton is a Contributing Editor for DominoPower and WebSpherePower magazines, and in his spare time serves as Vice President of Fulfillment for Echo Technology Group, Inc., an IT consulting firm that specializes in enterprise-focused best practices. Visit http://www.teametg.com for more information or email him at jchilton@teametg.com.