Are you a news junkie like me? I find myself constantly checking my iGoogle page or Google Fast Flip (http://fastflip.googlelabs.com) to see the latest stories. I’ve also got my RSS reader going as well.
However, one of my biggest problems is figuring out a way to keep my eReader current. Since I’m using an older model Sony (PRS-505) that has no wireless connection, it’s been challenging in trying to figure out the best way to do this.
Recently I’ve found a great application that might be a way around this, helping me to keep my Sony up to date. I’m talking about an application from HP called “Tabbloid”. This small application seems to have flown “under the radar” so to speak, but its premise and execution so far have been flawless. Basically, it’s a small customized newspaper that’s emailed to you each morning and consists of news and other stories created from your own RSS feeds or topics of your choosing. The service is free and is really easy to use! Interested?
To get started, head to the main Tabbloid page located at http://www.tabbloid.com/. From there, add your news sources. These can be feed urls extracted from your current RSS reader, OPML file, or just single addresses that you might already know. If you’re not much on the techy side of RSS, Tabbloid also has preformatted lists of subjects such as technology, business, sports, etc. that you can choose from.
From here, it’s a simple matter of adding your email address and specifying how often you want the delivery to take place. This can be daily or weekly and you have the option of choosing your time of delivery as well as the time zone you might be living in. After this, save your customized delivery options and check your email to get started. Each morning you will get a freshly made PDF as well as a summary email of the contents.
Once you’ve been on the service for a while and you have the feeds you want as well as the delivery schedule, then moving the issue to your eReader each morning is a simple matter of moving the PDF over to the device (if it supports the format) or using a conversion program to convert it to your format of choice. I’ve had good luck using Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/) for conversion so far. You might have to experiment a bit in getting the routine down, but after that, it should be smooth sailing. You might need to experiment a bit as well with your device, to see which settings and formats work best.
Overall, I think HP has a good idea going here and having the ability to bring this over to my eReader each morning makes for some good reading throughout the day when I cannot make it online to view things in real time. While I’ve only mentioned my Sony in this story, this has application no matter what type of device you may be using. Hit the links below for more information if you have a moment! Have fun!
Tabbloid Main Page:
Lifehacker post on Tabbloid:
http://lifehacker.com/5080971/tabbloid-turns-your-rss-feed-into-a-newspaper
WordPress Tabbloid Plugin:
I’m afraid the plugin doesn’t work any more, as Tabbloid seems to have removed the necessary API access. On his Website the plugin’s author Martin Hawksey writes:
“Update 27/01/10 – **BROKEN** This plugin uses the Tabbloid service to generate PDFs. Tabbloid recently updated there system removing API access, which has broken this plugin. I’m seeking clarification.”
It’s a pity, the plugin could be very useful for the blogosphere . Hopefully they’ll fix it one day…
Best regards,
Ansgar Warner