There's a slimmer view, too, which the software calls Minimized. It shows just two panes when you're browsing feeds, and replaces them with the content view (or Web page view) when you click into a specific article. It feels kind of like an iPhone, and seems like unnecessary confinement on my Mac's wide screen.

Overall, Reeder's interface works well on the iPad, but my early experimentation on the desktop leaves me feeling a bit twitchy, especially given how accustomed I am to NetNewsWire's tabs. Still, the more time I spend with Reeder, the more I can appreciate its efforts to keep you more focused on the story at hand.

All of the tiny features that contribute to Reeder's overall awesomeness on iOS make the jump to the desktop edition. There's the configurable sharing/services menu--I leave Twitter, Instapaper, e-mail, Copy, and View in Safari in mine--which makes spreading the word about a particularly interesting article a snap. And there's beautifully implemented Readability integration: If you're reading a feed that includes only summaries, click the Readability button and Reeder magically pulls in the full content of the post. It's excellent.

In another feature ripped straight from its iOS predecessors, Reeder offers a three-way toggle to switch between viewing the unread stories in your feeds (my preference), all posts, and starred posts.

What power users will appreciate most in Reeder is its exceedingly flexible level of customization. You can set custom key commands for just about everything; configure multitouch gestures; tweak levels for the display's tint, texture, and contrast; and even customize the appearance of the Dock icon. Reeder's geared not just towards news junkies, but to tinkerers as well.