On Twitter yesterday, I asked my followers for some of their favorite blogs. I got some great answers, which I’ll share, but what was more interesting to me was how many people were in my situation: liking reading blogs, and finding it harder and harder to find new good ones.

I’ve also realized that, for most people, blogs are still a totally foreign concept. We don’t know how to find good ones, how to use those to find others, or how to connect to this whole crazy blogging world. I think that’s why the reactions to my lists of great business blogs and great blogs for foodies were hits.

Let’s be honest: my thing is tech. I read tech, write tech, talk tech, eat, sleep and breathe tech. With that in mind, what better to share than some of my favorite tech blogs? The number could probably be higher, but here’s 53 fantastic tech blogs you really ought to read. Some are super nerdy and for techies only, but many aren’t, and are an awesome way to access the tech world and the blogging world all at the same time.

(A disclaimer: I’ve written, or still write, for a number of these blogs. But I write for them because I love them, so my recommendation shouldn’t be tainted whatsoever. I hope.)

Last updated: 8/2/2012

Tech News and Analysis

TechCrunch – LOTS of news. Not always right, but always interesting and frequently first.

VentureBeat – A firehose of news about startups, innovation, and cool products coming in the tech world.

GigaOm – Some news, but mostly really smart analysis of the tech world.

ReadWriteWeb- Ditto above. Some news, lots of smart people talking tech.

Wired– Less about startups and the valley, more about tech and real life.

The Next Web – Funnier, more lighthearted, but still great news.

Webware – News, always with a focus on “what does it mean for users?”

Mashable – Nowhere else to go for social media news, this one’s dominant.

Bits – Not a lot of exclusive content, but brilliant writers and smart commentary.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog – An awesome resource for anything and everything Apple.

Business Insider Tech – Very business-heavy, but great angles on news stories.

Ars Technica – Heavy on the geekery, but full of interesting thoughts and niche pieces.

Reddit Technology – Not a blog per se, but a great source for tech news and other edifying and entertaining content.

Tech and Web Design

Six Revisions – Tips, tools, and great lists of design resources.

Smashing Magazine – Perfect site for the designer newbie, full of great tips and tutorials.

Noupe – I love their roundups (like “50 best free icon sets”), and constantly bookmark this site.

Hongkiat – Basically ditto above, but with a slightly broader focus in design.

I Love Typograhy – Love fonts and typefaces? Can’t beat this site.

Design Observer – More tips, tricks, and tutorials.

Swiss Miss – The musings of a designer, with a heavy focus on the funky and quirky bits of the design world.

How-Tos and Reviews

MakeUseOf – Endless resource of Top 10 Lists, and geeky hacks you might want to try.

gHacks – Deeper cuts in tech than MUO, but still great for news, tips, and tutorials.

Lost in Technology – Much more approachable than the above sites, it’s a great blog to wade into without much knowledge required.

Mac AppStorm – The best Mac apps on the planet get showcased here.

Web AppStorm – Ditto above, but with Web apps.

FreelanceSwitch – Tips, tools, tricks and help for anyone living the freelance lifestyle (more and more of us these days).

40Tech – Encountering tech, particularly geared toward those over 40, but really useful for anyone.

Commentators

Daring Fireball – John Gruber is the smartest man on the planet when it comes to Apple.

Pogue’s Posts – David Pogue’s funny, smart, and a great representative of the common man.

Scripting News – Dave Winer’s as important to the tech landscape as anyone (he’s the godfather of RSS, among other things), and his thoughts on any subject are a must-read.

Search Engine Land – Danny Sullivan knows his stuff when it comes to search—and there’s a lot more to it than you might think.

All Things D – A group of thinkers from the Wall Street Journal, all discussing, analyzing and talking tech. My favorite? Kara Swisher.

Dustin Curtis – I love the way his site looks more than anything, but he’s a great observer of the world of blogging, design, and art.

MinimalMac – Mostly a links roundup, but a phenomenal resource for anyone looking to make their Mac work for them.

Robert Scoble – The blog of author, tech evangelist, & Rackspace employee Robert Scoble.

Tips, Tricks and Hackery

Lifehacker – The grand poobah of “little things to make your life more productive, more efficient, and more awesome” blogs.

Digital Inspiration – Amit is clever, easy to understand, and full of cool and interesting tips for everyone.

Unclutterer – Much-needed help for getting the crap out of our way so we can get important things done.

HackCollege – Tons of useful tips on hacking college and succeeding in school, but with ideas useful for anyone.

Smarterware – Gina, the founder of Lifehacker, took to Smarterware to share more great tricks, and never disappoints.

Lifehack – Somewhat broader in its thinking than Lifehacker, but a great place to find tips to make every little piece of your life work a little better.

Switched – All things geek, particularly the culture of techies that is forming.

Make Magazine – Do awesome stuff with your stuff. That should totally be their tagline.

Cool Stuff

Gizmodo – Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets!

Engadget – Oh my goodness, more gadgets!

Boy Genius Report – They’re full of rumors and leaks, and are almost always right.

jkOnTheRun – Arguably the most seasoned gadget-heads out there, they’re a smart, thoughtful, and objective resource for all things gadget and mobile.

For Funsies

Xkcd – Want to know how nerds think? Read this comic. That’s exactly it.

Boing Boing – The interesting, quirky, strange, and weird things in the tech world.

Neatorama – Awesome things. I think that’s their only criteria for inclusion, and they stick to it well.

There’s a lot here, many of which may not be for everyone. But there’s an incredible amount of quality in the tech blogosphere, and I’m willing to bet there’s something out there for everyone, no matter who you are or what you know.

What’s on your tech blogroll? Share it in the comments!

About the author: David Pierce (1175 Posts)

David Pierce, the founder of Digitizd, is now Reviews Editor at The Verge.