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Take Google Gears for a Test Spin With Google Reader

The beta version of Google's latest add-on lets you immerse yourself in Web content without maintaining a Web connection.

Scott Spanbauer

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Are you looking for a new way to read your Web news feeds while you're on a plane, train, or other conveyance that lacks Internet access? There's nothing new about offline news readers, but the Google Gears add-on makes it easier than ever to access Web information--without the Web.

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1. To start the installation, log in to Google Reader at reader.google.com and click the Offline link at the top of the screen next to your user account e-mail address; or you can browse to gears.google.com.

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2. Google Gears is definitely beta software. If you're willing to take the risk, click the Install Google Gears (BETA) button to download the installer. After installation, exit and restart the browser.

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3. Next, browse to gears.google.com or open the Tools menu in your browser, and look for a Google Gears Settings option to confirm that the program is installed on your system.

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4. Log in to Google Reader and click the small green icon next to your user account e-mail address to cache feeds for reading offline. (Not all feeds contain the full article text for offline reading.)

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5. Once you're back online, click the button next to your user account e-mail address (it's now a blue arrow) again to synchronize your cached reading history with the Google Reader server.

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6. To disable Google Gears, click Tools, Add-ons (in Firefox) or Tools, Manage Add-ons, Enable or Disable Add-ons (in IE 7). Or uninstall it via the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs applet.

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