Today, we’re looking at three similar web-based content aggregators.
First up is:
Popurls
Popurls has been around for a while offering a selection of aggregated feeds of the latest top stories from many of web’s favourite sites including, Digg, Flickr, etc. The default interface isn’t very nice, and though you can change the look and feel, there’s a little too much Javascript rollover action going on to make navigating comfortable. However, the thing I come back to Popurls for is the ‘popular today section’ which always throws up interesting stuff.
Alltop
Perhaps best described as a filtered aggregator, Alltop likens itself to a digital magazine rack – filing the best sites on the web into various categories. In truth, it’s a lot like the Yahoo directory with feeds. However, the best ideas on the web are often the simplest, and the directory is well-maintained and a great starting point to look for new sites in specific categories. The interface is simple and clean, however, they could proabably clarify the information hierarchy at bit better and ditch the persistent scrolling banner. But these are minor quibbles. Alltop is a good place to find new stuff.
Addictomatic
Addictomatic searches the best live sites on the web for the latest news, blog posts, videos and images. It’s beautifully executed and it’s hard to find fault with the interface. The one thing that lets in down a little is the small number of searchable sources.
Of course, all of these sites offer similar functionality to RSS readers and personal homepages like Netvibes. However, none of them offer the ability to add your own feeds.
At first glance, this looks like a pretty major problem, however, I don’t subscribe to Digg, Flickr, YouTube and Reddit feeds which are too ‘noisy’ to be of any use. So having them all aggregated and searchable elsewhere can be useful. In addition, Alltop and Popurls are filters as well as aggregators.
