On the newsgroup front: the google app now has some integration with the Safari app on an iPhone but it's a bit clunky AFAICT: if you go to the normal group web page in Safari and find the thread your interested in, there is a link in the right sidebar that says 'try the new google groups experience' this reconfigures the display to suit mobile viewing and is much better with the posts laid out in tabs one atop the other. It could do with a link to your star marked threads though, so one can easily navigate to a current/favourite thread!
Try it and see what you think.