Trimming in Public is a series where I go through my list of 293 RSS feeds, 10 feeds at a time, give some detail as to why I subscribed to a particular feed, and then decide whether or not to keep on consuming that feed. In Episode 1, I explained what RSS is and how to use it. Please read that if you need a refresher on why RSS is awesome and why you should be using it if you take reading news on the internet seriously. The prefix to Trimming in Public is “Becoming a better blogger, reader and helping me take out the trash.” For the bloggers out there who read IntoMobile, I hope you get a better idea of what I do to keep on top of the news. For the readers who read IntoMobile, I know that this site isn’t the only mobile focused technology publication on the internet, and by sharing which sites I read I’m hoping that you’ll keep on coming back here. Taking out the trash has an obvious explanation, I can’t keep up with my RSS feeds and need to trim my list. For those who want to download my complete list of 293 RSS feeds, feel free to grab my OPML file.
Check out Episode 20 after the jump, and all episodes by clicking on the Trimming in Public tag:
- Seth’s Blog: Seth Godin is a designer, but instead of creating products or pieces or art, he creates bullshit. When I was a marketer at Nokia (technically S60 which was a separate entity of Nokia), his blog was required reading. Sure there are insights here and there about marketing, and doing the right thing as a company, but honestly, unless you’re in marketing and are clueless about the changes occurring in the industry, then there is no reason to read his blog. Decision: Unsubscribe.
- Slashdot: One of the oldest news sites on the planet, Slashdot is still going strong, even when facing new competition from people like Engadget, Gizmodo and Digg. The focus of Slashdot has changed, but the audience has remained the same. Back in the day Slashdot was more focused on hardware, but today they just keep on repeating themselves about open source this and open source that, with an occasional bit of science news sprinkled in. The RSS feed is annoying since while it is a full feed, all the hyperlinks are removed, forcing you to go to the website just to click through the article that was mentioned. I’ve been reading this so long that I can’t imagine not reading it. This is the oldest of the old when it comes to “new media” if you want to call it that. Decision: Keep on reading.
- SlashPhone: Back when IntoMobile offered me a job in 2007, I posed a question to my blog, Ring Nokia, asking what they though of me becoming a full time writer at another publication. One of SlashPhone’s employees, I’m not going to name names, wanted me to join his site instead of IntoMobile. We got to talking, but in the end I chose IntoMobile since their terms were much more attractive, not to mention I prefer how IntoMobile looks compared to SlashPhone. They recently did a redesign, and it is very nice, but when it comes to actual content, to delivering exclusive news before everyone else, they don’t really do a good job. They’re literally just another mobile phone blog. One of SlashPhone’s strengths however is that they produce high quality original content. It seems like everyone on the team has a decent camcorder and they’re always uploading stuff on the internet. That being said, it isn’t worth it for me to keep on reading this blog. Decision: Unsubscribe.
- Smart Mobs: What happens when a lot of people carry a lot of technology with them all the time? That’s the question Smart Mobs tries to answer. It’s also an answer I don’t care about since I’m more of an alpha user always looking to see what is new and exciting, and I’m arrogant enough to think that what I’m doing now, everyone else will be doing in 5 years. Decision: Unsubscribe.
- Smarterware: Gina Trapani was once the star of a famous blog that still exists today known as LifeHacker. The essence of LifeHacker was tips and tricks on how to lead an ultra efficient lifestyle, in addition to personal advice, reworded with some amusing anecdotes, to help you live a better life. Shortly after she published a book, she left LifeHacker and started Smarterware. Was it the stress of working for a Gawker property that made her leave? Did she want to start building her “personal brand” into something she could live off of? I honestly don’t know and the site’s about page doesn’t really help either. She has become far less useful, posting far less frequently, and about things I don’t really care about. Gina gave up the stressful life of a blogger to enjoy her offline life a bit more, and there is nothing wrong with that, I congratulate her, but I’m not going to keep on reading her blog. Decision: Unsubscribe.
- Smartphones and Cell Phones: One of Matthew Miller’s two blogs, actually I think he has three now if you include Nokia Experts. Matt is an awesome guy, a family man, and a devoted Christian always looking for the best bible application for the latest smartphones he tests. He covers the American wireless space wonderfully, and if it wasn’t for him, I would have no idea about what is happening across the pond. His style of writing is easily digestible, and he often includes videos in his blog posts, which I love to watch. Decision: Keep on reading.
- SMS Text News: Technically it is now called “The Mobile Industry Review”, but the RSS feed in my reader is still labeled as SMS Text News. This site is written by Ewan MacLeod, and he is one of the few men I know who are more pissed off about the current state of the mobile industry than I am; that says a lot. Yes, he tends to focus on the UK, and yes, he writes like an Englishman (he is Scottish (I think) so this will piss him off), meaning 1500+ word rants that could have been just as effectively written using only 500 words, and yes, he got rid of the epically good ¡Three Amigos! known as Dan Lane, James Whatley and Ben Smith, but the man knows what’s going on because he networks better than anyone I’ve ever seen. I’m not talking about the type of networking where you try and collect the most business cards in an attempt to make your rolodex weigh more than your laptop, he knows the right people who can get shit done. That alone makes reading his blog worth it. Decision: Keep on reading.
- Social Web Blog: What is Google trying to do to kick Facebook in the balls? This is Google’s official blog to give you that answer. For me, I don’t really care anymore. The battle isn’t being fought with standards, widgets, or data portability discussions, it is being fought in the streets. More and more I’m seeing my peers stop sucking the social networking dick they’ve been gagging on since they joined Facebook. They’re rejecting social networking because they realize spending time in front of a computer to spend time with their friends is just an unnecessary intermediary. The word on the tip of everyone’s tongue these days is “experience”. How can I make a service that will create an awesome user experience? How can I make a product with a fun experience? How can I make my website a memorable experience? Know what an experience actually is? Remembering beer coming out of your friend’s nose because of a joke you told. Remembering the smell of the woman who walked by you on the street. Remembering that face the old lady standing behind you in the supermarket made when you bought extra large extra sensitive condoms. Social networking? Give me a fucking break. Decision: Unsubscribe.
- Software Everywhere: Former Palm employee David Beers talking about what he thinks the future of software development will be like. Web services accessing device APIs, HTML5, smart forward thinking shit like that. He only recently started blogging again after a hiatus of nearly half a year. Can’t wait to read what he has to say. Decision: Keep on reading.
- Spotify: The blog for my favorite music service since Napster, Spotify. They update readers on new tracks being added to their library, new features of their software, and new releases of their software for the PC, and more recently, mobile devices. I love to know what these guys are up to! Decision: Keep on reading.
A little over 1400 words, I hope you could reach the bottom without feeling like this took forever to read. Down to 144 RSS feeds, can’t wait to be in the double digits!