Google Reader recently extended their “Share” feature, to include a short notation along with the item.

Ever since Reader’s launch, I’ve always loved the basic “Share” feature. With one click or keyboard stroke, I instantly publish the link to my Shared Items stream. I use that page as a link blog, and embed the links on other sites, like this blog you’re reading now.

The best part of the new “notation” feature is that it makes Google Reader’s “Shared” feature more like delicious. I don’t use delicious regularly, and I’ve been looking for a way to provide my own thoughts to items I share, which Google Reader previously lacked. This feature now meets those needs.

Extending your Shared Items stream

For those interested in parsing your Shared Items feed in order to display your items and notations on other sites, you can see an example of how I’ve done so on the front page of this site.

I currently don’t have notations included, but if I want to, the notes are available in the feed. Here is an example node:

    

        Testing the new "Share with note" feature of Google Reader. This kind of makes it like delicious - the ability to bookmark something and provide a description with it.
    
    

    

        Matthom

    

Each shared item includes this node, so you can obtain it and display it on your page alongside the shared link itself.