Google Reader recently got a makeover, with the user interface changing drastically in order to make things easier to use. In addition to being able to easier navigate through one’s feeds collection, the changes better organize information and present it in a manner that makes the application look more like the familiar GMail.

I’m a big fan of Google Reader, as I use it everyday to keep track of my feeds. As I mentioned before, I think RSS is one of the good buzzwords surrounding “web 2.0”, though some may disagree. Since RSS is a web-centric technology, it only makes sense to view them in another web-application, in my opinion. I’ve always liked using Google Reader, but admittedly some changes were needed.

For the most part, the changes are good. However, there are a few things I don’t like. For one, Google is a search-centric company, so why did they remove the search field that used to be front-and-center? (And still is for GMail) I loved using that, since you could either search using keywords or enter a feed’s URI to subscribe to it. The search field is still there, but you need to click on “Browse” or “Add subscription”, which adds another small but noticeable delay.

However, I have quite easily adjusted to the changes, so that’s a good indication. Google got most of the things right here, and I wouldn’t switch away from Google Reader for a desktop application just because it’s accessible from anywhere. For those who are diehards for the old interface, Google is still allowing users to switch back to the old interface for the time being.