CNET will shut down its online RSS reader, Newsburst, on December 31, 2007. An email went out to users and a notice has been displayed on the site (see below), along with instructions on exporting news feeds via OPML.
Few people will be affected - Compete.com says only 4,000 people visit the site monthly. It competes with Bloglines, Google Reader and scores of other competitors and clearly never got traction.
CNET looks to be making a number of strategic/corporate development moves to streamline the organization. In October the company secured a $250 million credit line, adding cash to their depleted balance sheet. They then sold photo site Webshots for $45 million. They seem to be hoarding cash and shutting down non-performing or non-core properties. Newsburst, at best, was a distraction. It enters the DeadPool.
WOW! Another RSS reader!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
WOW! Another Steve Ballmer!
Hmmmm…so much competition out there.
I think it was around 2 years ago when all these RSS readers came out. Now we’re seeing them fall one by one…
Actually, I am not Steve Ballmer pretending not to be me.
Either way, same difference.
Newsburst users should check out http://beta.bloglines.com. It features an integrated start page, 3 viewing modes and proven backend for stability.
and this is news? it’s a friggin’ rss reader, for chrissakes. give us info on something that’s important for a change.
This perhaps is news in that this is fast becoming a trend -
November: findory.com (cf. http://www.findory.com/end-of-findory)
December: newsburst.com
January: who next?
Kudos to rssssr. You are the quip King.