Google just launched their stand-alone web-based RSS Reader, “cleaverly” named Google Reader, but is still keeping it in beta.

No surprise about that. Although the reader does sport some nice features, such as a nice user-interface and the ability to import feeds from other software, it really doesn’t go much beyond that.

And the worst part, it seems to still be full of bugs, as I just can’t use it normally without some problems popping up every couple of actions. Dissapointing.

I have to wonder two things:

a] If you’re doing a new RSS reader, why provide only the basic functionality, instead of going that extra mile and also provide feed filtering and other advanced features?

Especially if you’re Google, with practically unlimited resources …

This just seems sloppy and I don’t see Google achieving much market penetration, except of course with its hard-core user base.

b] If you’re doing an RSS reader, why not integrate it with the rest of your offering, and perhaps, actually put some of it on your front page?