iOS App Review: Readability provides convenience for mobile reading
Oftentimes throughout the day I’ll run across interesting blog posts or other web pages that I simply don’t have time to read at that moment, or would prefer to read at my leisure. Several “read-it-later” services are available to address this need and Readability is one well worth looking at.
The idea is a familiar one: As you’re browsing the Web on your computer, you flag web pages to read later. So, how is this different from bookmarking web pages, using Safari’s Reading List, or a service like Delicious or Pinboard ? First of all, Readability doesn’t simply save links to those pages you want to return to; it also saves their content and converts it to a minimal format—that is, just the essential text and graphics, without any headers, ads or other clutter to get in the way. (This happens via the Readability plug-in that you install in your web browser. You can also email URLs to a special email address that the Readability service provides you.) Since a copy of the Web pages you save get sent to Readability, LLC’s server, this means that you need to create an account with the service first. (This account is free and easy to setup.)
One way to view the pages you’ve saved is by logging into your Readability account in a browser. The Web app’s interface is clean, simple and easy-to-use. Your Reading List is organized with the most recently saved articles at the top, with older ones below. Clicking on an article’s title opens the saved (and simplified) Web page. On the left side, you have a row of action buttons—Favorite, Archive, Font Size, Sharing options, and so forth—as well as a link at the top to view the original (non-minimized) web page. Kindle owners will like the ability to send a copy of the article to that device. You also have an option to download a copy in ePub format, which you’ll be able to read on a variety of other devices.
As pleasant as Readability’s Web interface is to use, I prefer to catch up on my reading when I’m not at my computer. I do this with the free Readability app designed for the iPhone and iPad. Besides providing the convenience of reading at my leisure, the iOS app doesn’t even require an active Internet connection to read the articles I’ve saved. (Of course, you’ll need an Internet connection to retrieve new articles, follow links in your saved articles and so forth.)
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http://www.macworld.com/article/2014255/ios-app-review-readability-provides-convenience-for-mobile-reading.html
