Google Newsstands

Google has decided to engage in a little spring-cleaning in the middle of autumn; the company announced today that it would combine its Google Currents and Google Play Magazines into new the new Google Newsstands app.

The app gives users a cards-based view for magazine articles and blog posts. The app combines Feedly- or Flipboard-like access to RSS feeds and websites, but also allows users to purchase digital magazine subscriptions directly through Google Play.

While Newsstand does give access to RSS and website feeds, it is no reincarnation of Google Reader, nor is it a direct competitor with other content apps. Newsstand doesn't offer bare-bones list views a la Feedly, nor does it offer social media or multimedia inputs a la Flipboard. What Newsstand does do is try its darndest to make consumers comfortable with purchasing digital subscriptions through Google Play.

Everything points users back into Play. Indeed, the Google Play storefront now offers a Newsstand tab on the left side of the opening page. The Newsstand tab can be used to add new magazine subscriptions and marquee-name blog feeds to the app.

The blog subscriptions tend to be free, while the magazine subscriptions are typically available for a fee.