Google Applications and RSS Feeds

• Google Reader is the default Google application for handling RSS news feeds, so Google doesn’t offer a separate RSS feed reader as a standard feature with its Gmail email service. Google Reader lets you add RSS feeds from multiple sources and read them all through the advanced Google Reader news feed interface. If you also want the convenience of accessing your favorite RSS feeds direct from Gmail, add a Gmail gadget to your account.
  
  

Enabling the Gmail Gadget

• Gmail offers a gadget that you can use for RSS feeds from its “Labs” page of third-party applications. To get the gadget, sign in to your Gmail account, click the gear-shaped icon in the top right-hand corner and select “Mail Settings” from the drop-down context menu to open Gmail’s Settings page. Click the “Labs” tab at the top of the page and scroll to “Add Any Gadget by URL” in the list of gadgets. Use the “Search” feature at the top of the page if you have trouble finding the gadget. Click the “Enable” radio button next to the gadget’s name and description.
  
  

Adding the RSS Feed Reader Gadget

• After enabling Add Any Gadget by URL, configure the gadget to work with RSS. Click the “Gadgets” tab at the top of the Settings page and paste “http://gad.getpla.net/feed/reader.xml” -- without the quotes -- into the “Add a Gadget by Its URL” input box to add the Mini Feed Reader gadget to Gmail. Click the “Add” button. Gmail adds the RSS feed reader to your Gmail home page.
  
  

Adding Your RSS Feed to the Gadget

• By default, the RSS gadget displays a news feed from the CNN online news service. To add your own favorite RSS feed to Gmail, configure the gadget to fetch and display the feed. Get the address for your preferred RSS feed from the source website, blog or online service. You can usually right-click the orange RSS button on the source page and copy the RSS feed’s address. Scroll to the bottom of your Gmail home page and find the RSS feed reader pane under “Chat and SMS” in the left-hand column. Hover your mouse pointer over the RSS feed pane and click the wrench icon that displays to the left of the feed. Paste your RSS feed address into the input box and click the “Save” button. Gmail now displays your feed in the RSS pane.