Stuff I Like: Instapaper
I’m starting a new feature where I will post about “Stuff I Like” from time to time. This may be software, hardware, gadgets, websites, service, etc. Today’s pick is Instapaper.
Instapaper is a web application that will allow you to save websites for later viewing. Now I know what you’re thinking this is just another bookmarking service, well your wrong. The key to Instapaper is the seamless mobile experience. Often times I will run across articles in my news reader that are a little longer and more involved than I have time for and this is where Instapaper comes into play. Using either their crossbrowser bookmarklet or the new Google Reader “Send To” function I can save the site for later. Now I can pull up the accompanying iPhone app where the webpages are automatically downloaded in both graphic and text only form. The text only form is a really nice way to get to the meat of the article. This text format is also available on their website.
The iPhone app come in two flavors: free and pro($4.99). The free version brings you all the basic features described above. The pro version raises the bar with a “night mode”, a high contrast reversed theme that makes reading in the dark easier on the eyes. The pro version also contains “Auto Scroll.” This is the feature that sold me on the pro version, it allows you to scroll through the article using the iPhones accelerometers. Its even smart enough to calibrate the scroll start threshold based on your current angle. This means whether your laying on the couch or sitting in a chair the scroll will always perform naturally. This is one of those features that should be in the iPhone core. If you read a lot of RSS feeds and are constantly skipping articles because you just don’t have the time or just want a place to keep interesting links for later reading then this is the app for you!
Update: joeygibson points out that the popular iPhone app Tweetie also includes Instapaper support which is a really nice way to save a link from a Tweet when your just getting a quick update and don’t have time to read it.
