For years now I’ve been a steadfast Google Reader user. At any given time I’ll maintain a reading list of three or four hundred blogs and feeds, which keep me up to date with what’s going on in the technology and UX world.

I have a problem with Google Reader though. It’s that it hasn’t really changed in years – not in any meaningful way. The interface is largely unchanged, and the way I interact with the site is the same as it has always been. Sure, Google have jammed some new features in like discovery and analytical tools, but this hasn’t done anything to improve the overall experience or fluidity of consuming content.

Comparing this stagnant, out-dated user interface to the new breed of content aggregators available for the iPad makes me feel like I’m missing out. Google are champions of information, so it’s logical that they should have the best way of presenting it – right?

Well, wrong. Google haven’t got it right, but sadly neither has anyone else (on the web).

So I’m in limbo, waiting for some bright start-up to invent a way of consuming multi-source content in an efficient and (dare I say it) magical way in a web browser. For any budding developer listening out there, here are a few things I’d like from a better Google Reader:

Dynamic, personal grouping of content

Sorting a list is great, but it’s not very useful. Promote stories and content that I want to see, and group similar stories together under a primary headline (Google News does it – Google Reader should too).

More immersive experience

Lists are boring. Websites are interesting, immersive and engaging. Give me something more like a website. Put the most important information upfront and leave the less important stuff for me to discover later. After all, if the user interface is engaging and interesting I’m more likely to absorb and retain information.

Cut the crap

This one’s a personal preference, but one I’m sure some other avid content consumers share. Focus on the content, and stop trying to be all ‘social’. I don’t care how many total strangers ‘like’ an article. They might have completely different tastes to me, so the data point is meaningless. Drop the gimmicks and concentrate on pushing information to me as quickly and effectively as possible.

Let me filter / hide sources

So I have a few NSFW feeds in my list. Nothing filthy, just stuff that shouldn’t really be on my screen in the office. Currently I have no way of dropping certain content sources from my ‘All Feeds’ list. All it would take is a tick box on the subscriptions side bar. The only way I can safely browse my content at work is to go through my SFW folders one at a time. Not ideal.

Readability Options

I love the Readability browser plugin, and the Safari Reader feature. They’re great for me because they let me choose how my content is typeset. I prefer serif fonts at a reasonably large size. Google Reader forces me to read in 10pt Arial. Again this is a personal preference, but one that could easily be accommodated by a ‘view’ preference option.

EDIT: Feedly is awesome, and does a few of the things I want, but it’s not a true web interface. Firefox, Chrome and (soon) iPhone will be graced by its interface, but it’s not truly portable.