Google News has been one of the popular news aggregators on the web, which lets you to read news relevant to your geography as well as personalize your page to read updates on subjects of interest to you.
However, while a mobile optimized version of Google News was available for use by feature phone users, the site was not really specifically optimized for smartphones like the iPhone, Blackberry and Pre. Thankfully, Google has now announced a new version of the news aggregation site that is optimal on these devices as well.
Announcing this on their blog, folks at Google write
"This new version provides the same richness and personalization on your phone as Google News provides on desktop. Our new homepage displays more stories, sources, and images while keeping a familiar look and feel. Also, you can now reach your favorite sections, discover new ones, find articles and play videos in fewer clicks. If you are an existing Google News reader on desktop, you will find that all of your personalizations are honored in this mobile version too"
While we are excited by this, we would have wanted something better in the form of an iPhone app. A lot of people use Google News to receive periodic updates on news that is of interest to them with the help of their RSS feed and email alerts. With a Google News iPhone app, users would have been able to receive push notifications on specific news stories that they are tracking that would have been all the more helpful.
It is possible that Google is working on one such app as well. Nevertheless, until that happens, do check out the new iPhone optimized website at http://news.google.com and let us know your what you think.
[via Google Mobile Blog]
I would like it more if the links would load at least half the time I clicked on them.