(CNN) — Next Monday, Google is officially shutting down its popular RSS feed reader, Google Reader.
The service’s demise after nearly eight years has come as a shock to many who depend on it to collect news into one place from all the websites they love. Its end has created something of a gold rush among startups and other tech companies vying to take the tool’s place.
Instead of just finding the closest thing to Reader, maybe it’s time to change how you consume all that news. Looking at every single article for a source can be time-consuming, especially if you follow a huge number of sites, and a lot has changed since 2005.
But before trying anything,take a minute to download all your information from Google Reader now. Google Takeout bundles up your feeds, folders, followers and other data into a zip file that you can use later with other services. (Many of the tools we mention will import data automatically from Google if you sign up before Reader closes.)
The replacements
Change isn’t for everyone, and for people who rely on a comprehensive approach to seeing the day’s news, finding the next best Reader imitator might be the best interim approach. There is already an overwhelming number of replacements that deliver straight RSS feeds. The best bets are Feedly, The Old Reader, NewsBlur, Aol Reader and NetVibes