News feed viewer

Abstract

Techniques for presenting and managing syndication XML (feeds) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user can modify how a feed is displayed, such as which content (and how much) is displayed, in what order, and how it is formatted. In another embodiment, a modification regarding how a feed is displayed is stored so that it can be used again at a later time. In yet another embodiment, a user can create a custom feed through aggregation and/or filtering of existing feeds. Aggregation includes, for example, merging the articles of multiple feeds to form a new feed. Filtering includes, for example, selecting a subset of articles of a feed based on whether they satisfy a search query. In yet another embodiment, a user can find articles by entering a search query into a search engine that searches feeds, which will identify one or more articles that satisfy the query.

1 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 storing a first feed bookmark in a folder, the first feed bookmark indicating a first feed, the first feed comprising a first plurality of articles;    storing a second feed bookmark in the folder, the second feed bookmark indicating a second feed, the second feed comprising a second plurality of articles;    aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form a third feed; and    displaying the third feed.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the third feed comprises displaying, using one tab of a tabbed browser, the third feed.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third feed comprises the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying the third feed comprises displaying, in a common window, an article of the first plurality of articles and an article of the second plurality of articles.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying the third feed comprises displaying the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles, where the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles are intermingled.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first feed bookmark comprises a search query, and wherein aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form the third feed comprises: 
 filtering the first feed based on the search query; and    aggregating the filtered first feed and the second feed to form the third feed.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein filtering the first feed based on the search query comprises determining whether an article of the first plurality of articles satisfies the search query.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first feed bookmark comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a web page bookmark in the folder, the web page bookmark indicating a web page.  
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 storing a first feed bookmark in a first folder, the first feed bookmark indicating a first feed;    storing a second feed bookmark in a second folder, the second feed bookmark indicating a second feed;    storing the second folder in the first folder;    aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form a third feed; and    displaying the third feed.    
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for displaying an aggregate feed, the feed comprising a plurality of articles, an article comprising a plurality of characteristics, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first input indicating the feed;    receiving a second input indicating an article characteristic; and    displaying the plurality of articles according to the article characteristic.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the article characteristic comprises one of a group containing an article date, an article title, and an article source.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein displaying the plurality of articles according to the article characteristic comprises displaying the plurality of articles in a particular order, the particular order determined by a value of the article characteristic of each article.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a third input indicating a value of the article characteristic, wherein displaying the plurality of articles according to the article characteristic of the article comprises displaying an article whose value of the article characteristic is equal to the indicated value.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a third input indicating a range of values of the article characteristic, wherein displaying the plurality of articles according to the article characteristic comprises displaying an article whose value of the article characteristic falls within the indicated range.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a feed, the feed comprising a plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first input indicating the feed;    receiving a second input indicating a search query; and    displaying an article of the feed that satisfies the search query.    
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a feed, the feed comprising a plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first input indicating the feed;    receiving a second input indicating an amount;    selecting, responsive to the indicated amount, a portion of an article of the feed; and    displaying the portion.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the portion of the article of the feed comprises determining a size of the portion, wherein the size of the portion is directly proportional to a size of the article.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the portion of the article of the feed comprises determining a size of the portion, wherein the size of the portion does not vary based on a size of the article.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the portion of the article of the feed comprises: 
 analyzing the article content; and    selecting the portion responsive to the analysis.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the second input indicating the amount comprises receiving user input.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein receiving user input comprises receiving user input via one of a group containing a keyboard, a mouse, an on-screen menu, an on-screen control, an on-screen icon, and a microphone.  
     
     
         23 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first input indicating a first feed, the first feed comprising a first plurality of articles;    receiving a second input indicating a second feed, the second feed comprising a second plurality of articles;    aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form a third feed; and    displaying the third feed.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the third feed comprises the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein displaying the third feed comprises displaying, in a common window, an article of the first plurality of articles and an article of the second plurality of articles.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein displaying the third feed comprises displaying the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles, where the first plurality of articles and the second plurality of articles are intermingled.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first feed bookmark comprises a search query, and wherein aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form the third feed comprises: 
 filtering the first feed based on the search query; and    aggregating the filtered first feed and the second feed to form the third feed.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein filtering the first feed based on the search query comprises determining whether an article of the first plurality of articles satisfies the search query.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first feed bookmark comprises a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).  
     
     
         30 . A computer-implemented method for creating a feed, the feed comprising a first plurality of articles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query;    identifying an article that satisfies the search query; and    creating a feed comprising the article.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein identifying the article that satisfies the search query comprises executing the search query on a database, the database storing a second plurality of articles.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising creating the database by crawling a network to identify a feed.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the database is located on a server.  
     
     
         34 . A computer-implemented method for identifying a feed article, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query;    identifying a first article that satisfies the search query, the first article having a first source feed;    identifying a second article that satisfies the search query, the second article having a second source feed; and    aggregating the first source feed and the second source feed to form a new feed, the new feed comprising a plurality of articles.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising identifying an article of the new feed that satisfies the search query.  
     
     
         36 . A computer-implemented method for identifying a feed article, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query;    identifying an article that satisfies the search query; and    creating a link to the article.    
     
     
         37 . A computer program product for displaying a plurality of articles, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising: 
 program code for storing a first feed bookmark in a folder, the first feed bookmark indicating a first feed, the first feed comprising a first plurality of articles;    program code for storing a second feed bookmark in the folder, the second feed bookmark indicating a second feed, the second feed comprising a second plurality of articles;    program code for aggregating the first feed and the second feed to form a third feed; and    program code for displaying the third feed.    
     
     
         38 . A computer program product for displaying a feed, the feed comprising a plurality of articles, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising: 
 program code for receiving a first input indicating the feed;    program code for receiving a second input indicating an amount;    program code for selecting, responsive to the indicated amount, a portion of an article of the feed; and    program code for displaying the portion.