Mozilla Labs announced a new project today called Snowl. Firefox add-on to bring your messages together in one place, whether it is from email, SMS, Twitter or RSS/Atom feeds. The project is still buggy and only supports RSS/Atom feeds and Twitter but you can download it now. The current version shows messages in a three-paned window much like a traditional e-mail client and a river-of-news view. The point of Snowl is specifically to “help you follow and participate in online discussions.” [TechCrunch]

This top-notch feed reader will devour your RSS and Atom feeds, though some users might find it too basic. Snarfer keenly follows the “keep it simple” adage in every function. An uncomplicated, uncluttered interface follows a generic layout of left-side listed entries and a central preview pane. Set your browser to recognize Snarfer as your feed catcher and you’ll find the program has already entered the link from the clipboard into your add-feed dialog.

To save an entry, simply drag it to a Save folder. E-mailing an entry and other basic functions are available in the context menu, while helpful wizards make it a snap to add and save Craigslist or eBay searches. Especially helpful is the prominent Quick Search box, though searches can’t be limited to a single feed. Feed updates and update intervals are easily set, and users can elect to automatically save entries they have read or have them expire after a certain number saved. You can also import feeds from other readers using OPML.

This is a perfect first feed-reader for newbies, although experienced readers will miss customizations like changing fonts and preview pane location. Nevertheless, we recommend this freeware feed reader for its simplicity, small footprint, presentation, and efficiency.

Source: CNet