RefreshingApps.com

Readefine is a new way to read your RSS feeds from Google Reader and other sources. It can load content from the web, a file on your computer or via copy-and-paste. Readefine supports content in RSS, HTML or plain text format.

Beautifies RSS, Google Reader articles, plain text and HTML for easy reading. Text layout is fully customizable and can be remembered.

This application displays your RSS feeds in a newspaper style format rather than the usual RSS Google reader type affair. Using the new text rendering features of the latest Flash Player to it’s best the display is very crisp and clear.

If you have not come across these new techniques you will be amazed how much flexibility you have over the display. Columns can be resized and the text flows smoothly between them. Text ligatures can be added for extra oomph if desired as well as line-height and full justification.

That said it really does make your feeds look like a newspaper including the side navigation for moving between feed items.

Linking in with Google Reader which requires external authentication works well.

Utilising some of the great new text rendering features of Flash Player 10 and Flex 4 (Text Layout Framework)

In someways this is similar to the New Your Times reader (which is also built upon Adobe AIR and uses the new text frameworks) as reviewed previously here on RefreshingApps.

Design eye

Textually the app is very beautiful and does have a bit of a wow factor when you first open it up.

There are some usability issues under the skin of Readefine though. The submenus especially for adding and choosing feeds don’t work particularly well and could do with a redesign loosing the combo box.

Technical eye

Built using Adobe Flex and the AIR framework.

In summary

Try something new for your feeds, if you like the newspaper feel and typography you will love it. Get Readefine today.