FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two innovative web services that allow you to turn any RSS feed into a customized PDF newspaper. You can then either print out and read your newspaper, or consult it on your computer or mobile device when you're not connected to the Internet.
The procedure is very easy: just grab the URL of any RSS feed you want, and paste it into the web page of the service. Then provide a valid e-mail address, and click "Generate". FeedJournal and Tabbloid will generate a customized PDF newspaper for you.
Now you decide: you can print your newspaper to read it on your sofa, in the underground, at the bus stop, or in any occasion when you're not connected to the Internet, or you can just open the PDF with your default PDF viewer and enjoy your newspaper immediately.
There's no limit to the number of newspapers you can create. Without spending a dime, you can generate a newspaper for each topic you're interested into.
Curious? Want to know more on how to turn any RSS feed into a customized newspaper? Then go further and check these two web services I tried and tested for you: FeedJournal and Tabbloid.
Intro by Daniele Bazzano
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FeedJournal and Tabbloid are two web-based services that let you turn any RSS feed into a newspaper.
Simply copy and paste the link of the feed you want to turn into a newspaper, and click the "Generate" button. The content of your RSS feed will be extracted and arranged into a newspaper-like outline.
Whether you print your customized newspaper, or choose to read it on your computer screen, the immediate benefit of these services is you can save yourself from clicking back and forth through the whole list of feeds you got. Just gather and place your feeds in one place.
You can also create as many newspapers as you want, each one dedicated to a specific topic. You're more into sport than foreign policy? Aggregate a list of feeds that deal with sport news, and enjoy just the content you like.
And when you're done customizing your content, you can choose whether to generate your newspaper immediately, or rather schedule a delivery date to receive your news selection right in your mailbox.
Your newspaper will be delivered in a PDF format. So, if you run out of paper you could also consider syncing your newspaper directly with your smart phone or iPod. Get the old-fashioned style of news reading in a 21st century way!
And what if you have a blog, and you'd like to share your news selection with your readers? FeedJournal has a social feature which lets you distribute your newspaper through a widget, a direct download link, or by embedding a small piece of code inside your blog site.
FeedJournal offers two choices to aggregate your news sources.
Publisher comes in two versions: one free of charge with limited features, and a second one, with enhanced customization possibilities, priced at $49 (apx. €38) per month.
FeedJournal supports both RSS (1.0 and 2.0) and Atom feeds.
You can customize the aspect of your newspaper by adjusting some layout options:
Choose from the RSS feed list of feeds available (subdivided in categories), or add a feed URL to start creating content for your newspaper.
FeedJournal Publisher allows you to embed a small piece of code inside your blog site to share your personal selection of news.
Here is the complete list of social sites available, as specified on Feed Journal site:
You can also use a customized widget provided by Widgetbox, or provide your users with a direct link to your PDF newspaper.
Tabbloid does not require any login nor registration. You can immediately start to add RSS feeds and generate your newspaper right away.
Add the RSS feed you want to turn into a newspaper, or choose from a list of available categories. You can provide as many feeds as you want.
If you prefer, you can set Tabbloid to delivery your newspaper directly to your mailbox at a specific time. Just set date and time, and provide a valid e-mail address.
FeedJournal offers two different solutions: Reader and Publisher.
Reader
FeedJournal Reader generates a personal newspaper with a list of customized RSS or Atom feeds you submit. The service is free to use, but requires a registration process.
Here's the procedure to follow:
1) Register for a free account. You will be asked to choose a nickname, a password, and a valid e-mail address.
2) Add some personal information that will appear on your customized newspaper.
3) Customize the layout of your newspaper.
3) Pick a feed from those included in the default list, or add your own.
4) (Optional) Select the feeds of your choice, and specify for each one which articles you want inside your newspaper.
5) Generate your newspaper and enjoy!
Publisher
FeedJournal Publisher turns your RSS feeds into a branded and personalized selection of news that you can embed (via Widgetbox or other services like Issuu), or share with a direct download link on your blog site.
Here's how:
1) Type the email address where you want to receive your newspaper.
2) Choose the feed to turn into a newspaper. The content of the feed must be owned by you.
3) Generate your newspaper and have it sent to your mailbox.
4) Check your mailbox, and find the email from FeedJournal. Your newspaper is in the attachment. Enjoy!
Tabbloid has a very simple interface to create your personal news selection. And because you don't need to go through any registration process, you can immediately start creating and customizing your newspaper.
Here's a quick step-by step guide:
1) Click on the big "Get Started" button.
2) Add the URL of the feed(s) you want to turn into a newspaper. You can also choose from a list of available subscriptions.
3) Use the "Delivery options" form if you want Tabbloid to sent you a scheduled e-mail with your newspaper.
4) Generate your free PDF newspaper and enjoy!
Do you see any mistakes? Would you like to share your own experiences with FeedJournal and Tabbloid? Please feel free to use the comment area below.
Originally written by Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia and first published on December 1st 2008 as "Turn Any RSS Feed Into A PDF Newspaper: FeedJournal And Tabbloid Reviewed".
