Alright, so there’s this new app called Surf from Flipboard, which is all about browsing the open social web. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well, Surf is all about helping people create and discover their own custom feeds based on their interests. Instead of being stuck with some boring timeline created by a social network, you can now build a feed that’s all about the things you actually care about, like your hobbies, sports, communities, or whatever else floats your boat.
Now, Surf just rolled out something called Starter Sets, which basically makes it easier for you to build your custom feeds, personalize them, and even share them off-platform if you feel like it. This is all about giving you more control over your social media experience and taking back the power from big tech companies like Meta and Google. There are other apps out there like Graze and SkyFeed for more tech-savvy users, but Surf’s Starter Sets are aimed at anyone who wants to dip their toes into feed-building but doesn’t know where to start.
Surf actually launched last year in a super exclusive beta phase, and it’s all part of Flipboard’s mission to curate the web. The idea behind Surf is to help you curate and explore feeds from social networks that are built on open protocols like Bluesky, Mastodon, and others, as well as content from blogs, podcasts, YouTube, news sites, and more. With Starter Sets, you get these pre-organized categories with recommended sources to kickstart your feed-building journey.
For example, let’s say you’re into hobbies. You can select the “Hobbies” Starter Set, browse through various subtopics like cycling, gaming, Legos, and more, and add sources that interest you. You can even throw in your own social account feed from Mastodon or Bluesky and filter it based on the category you’ve chosen. And if you want to get really specific, there’s a search bar to add your own sources and filters to tailor your feed even more.
One of the newer features on Surf lets you publish your custom feed to Bluesky. Just tap a few buttons, and voila, your feed will show up on your Bluesky profile. Keep in mind, though, that this feed will only include Bluesky content when viewed on Bluesky’s app. Surf is still invite-only, but they’re slowly letting more people in from the waitlist.
So, if you’re tired of the same old social media experience and want to take charge of your feed, Surf might just be the app for you. Dive in, explore, and create a feed that’s all about the things you love. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover something new and exciting along the way.
