The top 7 news aggregator apps for your smartphoneMumbai, Dec 2(AZINS) Hate visiting a zillion websites or installing scores of news apps to get your daily dose of updates? There’s certainly an easier way. Allow one of these cool news aggregators to scour the web and bring you all the dope that matters to you -  from breaking news to niche stuff that you like to keep track of. So whether you are looking at a leisurely read on your couch on a Sunday afternoon or a quick update between meetings, these apps should do the trick.

Flipboard:
Probably the big daddy of news aggregator apps, Flipboard has been around a while and has been the ‘go to’ app, especially for tablets and big screen phablet phones. Geared more for leisurely reading rather than frenetic updates on the go, Flipboard’s biggest strength is its visual appeal, that works particularly well in large format screens. Flipboard culls news and opinion pieces from all over the world but also features a unique ‘Daily Edition’ that rounds up India specific updates.

Available on: Android, iOS, Windows Phone 
What we like: Eye candy user interface

InShorts:
If Flipboard works more for long format features, here’s the quintessential on-the-go app for those with busy schedules and short attention spans. InShorts grabs news from Indian and global sources and packages it in crisp bite sized portions (typically 60 words) with a single visual to give you a quick overview on what’s happening around you. You can deep dive into any of the ‘shorts’ by clicking through to the news source.

Available on: Android, iOS
What we like: ‘Bite-size’ updates

Smart News:
Firstly, it’s the visually pleasing interface, secondly, it’s the neatly organised sections – tabbed on top of the screen in multiple colours, that makes this a great news reader. You can add more tabs – regions/cities or publications to the home screen. You can click through to view most news items either on the source website or stay within the app with a ‘smart’ view option that is similar to a reader.   

Available on: Android, iOS
What we like: The ‘smart’ view option

Google News and Weather:
The app’s name is a giveaway. Google’s News App also keeps tab of local weather and does a stellar job with both. The weather app brings useful bits of information from weather.com, while we like the clean, uncluttered user interface of the news section. You can add locations (that automatically combine weather and local news) and additional topics effortlessly.

Available on: Android, iOS
What we like: Brilliant blend of weather and local news. 

News 360:
Another app that packs serious visual appeal, News 360 also learns from your navigation patterns, recommending features based on your areas of interest. The app allows you to save features and news items for offline reading; perfect if you need to catch up on your favourite updates on a flight or during an underground metro commute.

Available on: Android, iOS, Windows Phone
What we like: Offline mode

Pocket:
Not your everyday news aggregator app. Pocket’s biggest strength is its ability to ‘pocket’ news items and web pages that you can save for reading later. It’s not just news sources within the app but Pocket’s ability to pick pages from sources as diverse as Google Chrome or Social media feeds. Aside from ‘grabbing’ pages from other sources, Pocket curates a list of ‘recommended’ articles that you can read online or save for offline reading later.

Available on: Android, iOS, Amazon (Kindle)
What we like: Ability to source feeds from multiple sources for offline reading

Feedly:
Simple, yet fast and efficient. This RSS powered news aggregator is perfect to keep track of almost any news source or blog thanks to its ‘open’ environment. The app’s search bar manages to trawl almost anything you’re looking for and allows you to make fun discoveries along the way. We also like the social media integration that allows you to share your favourite stories across platforms effortlessly.

Available on: Android, iOS
What we like: An RSS reader that doubles up as powerful news aggregator app.