Google hopes readers will 'flip' over new format

Google’s FastFlip is the newest media toy.

The service is meant to duplicate the look and feel of perusing a printed publication. The stories are displayed on electronic pages that can be quickly scrolled through by clicking on large arrows on the side instead of a standard Web link that requires waiting several seconds for a page to load. Readers can sort through content based on topics, favorite writers and publications. —BusinessWeek

I did find myself flipping through more pages than I might otherwise have seen, but I didn’t like that I had to click through in order to copy text or interact with the page in any way — it’s just an image that you’re seeing, rather than an embedded page.

When I saw news.google.com for the first time, or Feedly, I got the sense that I had stumbled across something important.  I might return to the site the next time I’m bored and looking for something to blog about, but I don’t see it as anything that will change my media habits.

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