Google has added a number of new features to Google Reader. The biggest one, which is long overdue, is the ability to share content on other social networks. This seems like it should have been available for ages, but it has been MIA until now.

Google has announced that Google Reader has begun adoption of the PubSubHubbub protocol for shared items. This is a simple, open, server-to-server web-hook based pubsub (publish/subscribe) protocol, as defined on this Google Code page.

Here’s a visual overview of what that means:

Google Reader is becoming the online companion to and synchronization platform for NewsGator’s RSS readers including FeedDemon and NetNewsWire. Users have until August 31 to migrate to Google Reader, when NewsGator will shut down NewsGator Online.

This week, Google launched a Google Reader gadget for Google Desktop. The gadget allows users to track their feeds and Google Readers subscriptions directly from their desktop.

To use the gadget, you (of course) have to have Google Desktop installed. Then to use it just:

Google has been adding social elements to Google Reader lately. A while back, they added the commenting feature. Just this week, they introduced Friends Trends and improved the comments feature (among other updates).

Here are a few simple facts: some people talk more than others.  Also, some people are more interesting than others.  And a new Google Reader feature called "Friends trends" may help you determine how the folks you interact with online score in both of these categories.

Update: Google has addressed the issue on the Official Blog. The company says:

Google has added a lot of sharing-based features to Google Reader in recent memory, but it has now launched the ability to have conversations among those who are sharing items. Google acknowledges that this is a key element of sharing that the service has been lacking. I would have to agree.

Back in December, Google rolled out a redesign of Google Reader. Opinions were mixed (naturally), but I think it went pretty well overall. I know I’ve gotten used to it.

Ever had trouble getting your embedded videos to show up in Google Reader? You’re not alone. Apparently your site has to be on a whitelist for it to work for you. For example, YouTube videos work, because YouTube is on the list. WordPress videos don’t, because Wordpress is not on the list.

Somebody complained about the problem in a Google Groups post, and was met with a response from a Google Reader Engineeer, Mihai Parparita:

Google Reader has undergone some changes. The objective seems to have been to simplify things and give the whole thing a cleaner look and feel. While I’m sure the changes will still receive their share of critics, I for one am generally pleased with the update. Let’s take a look at the changes.

First off, if you can’t find something that is supposed to be there:  

We English speakers are truly lucky that so much of the world is willing to accommodate us, learning enough of the language to at least give directions to the nearest bathroom.  But there’s an amazing amount of written content out there that isn’t in any given person’s native language, and to help with this issue, Google Reader has gained an auto-translate option.

Google Reader has added some new data to the Trends department. For those who do not use Google Reader, or pay little attention to the Trends feature, it simply lays your reading habits out graphically so you can see when you are reading feeds the most, what you are reading the most, what you are reading the least, and so on.

Think of it as a tech-savvy, politically-oriented version of Oprah’s Book Club: Google Reader’s new Power Readers in Politics program is supposed to let anyone and everyone see what stories the main candidates and a number of journalists are viewing.

Over on FriendFeed, which I joined in March, I’ve been quite busy. I’ve moved a bunch of my blogging time and Google Reader time over to it. How does that time translate? Well, into a few things:

1. Comments. (Those are items I’ve commented on — 1,893 so far)
2. Likes. (Those are items I’ve liked — 3,003 so far)

A few minutes ago I just passed 3,000 “Likes.”