16 ms·

Introducing Instapaper 4.0 for iPad and iPhone

360 points by illdave 15y ago

jrnkntl 15y ago
Great update Marco! Did you work with a (graphic/interaction) designer on this update or did you do it all and maybe threw in some stock icons along the way?
- jcsalterego 15y ago
  It sounds like Iconfactory did the icons. Source: https://twitter.com/#!/qiansh/status/125938836562919424 https://twitter.com/#!/qiansh/status/125938836562919424 (vetted by @Gedeon & @Iconfactory)
  - jparise 15y ago
    The Iconfactory is credited in the (new?) "About" screen.
  - thisisblurry 15y ago
    Marco also has a tweet referencing Dan Cederholm being associated with the icon (@simplebits) https://twitter.com/#!/marcoarment/status/125991945523822592 https://twitter.com/#!/marcoarment/status/125991945523822592 Edit: Dan's post here: http://simplebits.com/notebook/2011/10/17/instapaper4/ http://simplebits.com/notebook/2011/10/17/instapaper4/
- ericaheinz 15y ago
  Jason Santa Maria did/managed the design work. http://jasonsantamaria.com/articles/instapaper-4 http://jasonsantamaria.com/articles/instapaper-4
coob 15y ago
This is great, looking forward to installing it. However looking at the screenshots I can't help but wonder if something other than an ellipsis would be better for indicating footnotes, especially now the voice dictation in iOS has commandeered it.
- dolbz 15y ago
  Agreed, why not leave the original notation but show the footnote in the popover as show?
sudonim 15y ago
It's great to see a one man show like Instapaper doing so well. His space is becoming more crowded yet Marco's focus and drive means Instapaper keeps delivering more and more value. The changes in 4.0 look great. Kudos Marco. You're an inspiration to solo founders (and anyone) looking to start something online. P.s. check out Marco's show with Dan Benjamin, Build and Analyze. I've been listening while I walk to work. It's interesting and insightful.
- kanwisher 15y ago
  Linkify cause it sounds interesting http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze
  - gks 15y ago
    Marco comes across as a real ass on his podcast. Which has made me not listen to Build & Analyze, or use his app. Hell, "Build & Analyze" isn't so much about "Building & Analyzing" as it is him bitching about stuff. I'm not even talking about the coffee discussions, I can get through that stuff, the bullshit attitude I can't get through though. He used to be pretty humble in the first dozen episodes, but he's slowly gotten a big head and turned into a dick. At least from my perspective. I don't recommend his app any longer, instead, I suggest people use one of it's competitors, Read It Later. Again, the podcast isn't so much about building apps as it is a soapbox for him to complain about other applications and other developers. While he does discuss some of the aspects of Instapaper, he may as well have called the podcast something else. If you're expecting developer oriented discussion there are better podcasts to listen to. If you're going to spend time listening to a 5by5 podcast, I suggest two that are much better. Hypercritical with John Siracusa. John at least knows how to complain while being constructive, unlike Marco. The second would be The Incomparable, on a totally different topic but very worthwhile. As as example of marco being an ass. Just listen to any of the podcasts from 10-onward. Also, listen especially to the programming episodes where he tries to argue against Siracusa but instead sounds like a whiny brat. edit: Keep on down voting people. Seriously. It's called an opinion. If you don't like it, too bad. But it helps people make a valid attempt at determining whether they want to listen to something, or read something, otherwise spending their time with something. Make your own opinion of the podcast and Marco. But down voting simply because my opinion is different than yours is just stupid.
naner 15y ago
Seeing those images side-by-side, the matte black with simple icons on the iPad looks clean and appealing and the glossy beveled borders on the iPhone look a bit garish. Also the type for the iPad interface is much more pleasing. I don't think I would have noticed if they images weren't right next to each other.
- technoslut 15y ago
  I agree. The iPad version is flawless and I don't like the glossy borders on the iPhone. I can't believe I'm saying this but I would rather have the stitched leather look that Apple has been using on their apps recently.
yesimahuman 15y ago
Of course, it looks beautiful, and I really want it. Is there any solution for Android? I've messed with some of the 3rd party apps but I haven't had any success.
- ilikepi 15y ago
  Marco talked about Android support on his 5by5 podcast "Build and Analyze" sometime over the summer I think. I don't recall if it was the focus of the episode or just a side-topic. I believe at that time he had concluded that it wasn't worth the amount of work required to support two platforms. Perhaps it was ep 38 [1]...? [1]: http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/38-decaf-compatibility-stick http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/38-decaf-compatibility-stick
- juliano_q 15y ago
  Read It Later is a simple solution for it. I am using it a for a long time now, it is not as polished as Instapaper but is good and is very cheap (I think I paid one dollar for the Android app).
- ryanwatkins 15y ago
  I dont think any of the Android clients use the Instapaper API (http://www.instapaper.com/api/full http://www.instapaper.com/api/full) - they scrape the website, making it impossible to do things like sync reading postion across devices. There is a decent Window Phone 7 client that uses the API - Stacks for Instapaper (http://www.stacksforinstapaper.com/ http://www.stacksforinstapaper.com/) and one for HP/Palm webOS - Paper Mache (http://ryanwatkins.net/software/papermache/ http://ryanwatkins.net/software/papermache/ - disclosure, its my app) Interestingly the Terms of the Instapaper API prevent any integration with other "Read Later" apps, though Read It Later API terms do not seems to have this restriction. "Apps must not include support for any other services that compete with or are substantially similar to Instapaper, unless the app uses only the “Add Bookmark” and/or “Verify Credentials” methods from this API. Instapaper reserves the right to decide whether another service or application is considered a competitor or substantially similar." (http://www.instapaper.com/api/terms http://www.instapaper.com/api/terms)
tomjen3 15y ago
Do this mean I can no longer move articles to the archive with one click? It may sound a little trivial but I tend to remove the articles when I have read them and it gets annoying when I have to remove 15 (I tend to add a lot of articles).
- SoftwareMaven 15y ago
  Yes and (kind of) no. You get the additional popup on delete, but you can also multi-select and delete. That means (with your 15 article use case) like 1.1 clicks per article. I understand the need to have archive and delete, and the confusion of two buttons, but I'd really rather have a setting. I Pinboard articles i want to keep archived, so I would always want to delete.
ugh 15y ago
This is a brilliant example showing what great visual design and typography can do for an app. I never liked using Instapaper because I thought it looked so ugly. Now it's on par with the likes of Reeder and Twitter and I'm much more likely to use it. I'm not sure how many people think like me but I just can't stand using software I think is ugly. It's no fun for me. (That said, I think the actual user experience has also improved – which is equally as important.)
avolcano 15y ago
While I love Instapaper for bringing me back to reading long-form articles, I personally moved to Readability a while back. It's $5 (minimum)/month, but it has a lot more polish, and I actually prefer the mobile app to Instapaper's iOS ones - it's nice knowing if I decide to leave the iOS ecosystem, I'll still have my articles, while Marco has refused to make official Instapaper clients for other mobile OS's (understandable, as he's only one man). I also like a handful of features in Readability's desktop web app that Instapaper lacks - scroll tracking, more options for how it looks, etc. However, if I get an iPad, I may move back just for Instapaper's iPad app. Looks beautiful.
- MatthewPhillips 15y ago
  I prefer Readability as well. I can't justify the $5 per month subscription though. I'd happily pay $20 for a lifetime subscription, but I'm not sure what they're providing that is any different from Read it Later, Instapaper, etc. that justifies the monthly cost. I know they are attempting to pay back authors, but I don't understand why that must be a recurring cost. $5 per month is just a tad cheaper than what I pay for Netflix or prgmr.com, and I don't think it provides near the value of those two. Now when I get a Kindle Touch I might change my mind.
  - troethom 15y ago
    How wouldn't paying back authors be a recurring cost? It's quite simple actually; how do you divide your $20 between publishers? You can't (before you either die or stop reading that is). A monthly subscription on the other hand can be divided between the articles you've read that month.
pflats 15y ago
The way this version handles footnotes[1] looks absolutely outstanding. More e-reading software should have a pop-over like this. I'd pay way more than $5 to get this feature on my Kindle. [1] http://www.marco.org/media/2011/10/ip4-footnote.png http://www.marco.org/media/2011/10/ip4-footnote.png Also, a footnote of my own on the search subscription: Marco's talked a bit on his podcast about people wanting to subscribe to Instapaper via in-app purcase rather than through PayPal. However, Apple won't let you have an in-app purchase that doesn't add any functionality. Putting 2 and 2 together gives you a "search subscription" that is identical to a normal Instapaper subscription.
- sjs 15y ago
  I have been using this Chrome extensions[1] which handles footnotes the same way on most sites (including Wikipedia and Daring Fireball, the only 2 I can recall off the top of my head). [1] http://openideas.ideon.co/2011/rehabilitate-disruptive-footnotes http://openideas.ideon.co/2011/rehabilitate-disruptive-footn...
james33 15y ago
Just another reason why I need to hurry and get an iPad, that app looks incredible!
joebadmo 15y ago
tl;dr Instapaper is great for iOS. A Kindle + Readability's Send to Kindle bookmarklet is an excellent alternative. I was an avid Instapaper user on my iPod Touch until I got an Android phone. Marco has publicly stated his reluctance to support Android, and the third party apps for instapaper were all pretty pathetic. So I switched to Read it Later for a while. Until I got a Kindle, which changed the game for me. Reading on the Kindle is so much a better experience than on another glowing screen that I don't even bother to try to read long form on the phone anymore. I went back to Instapaper for a while, using a Windows app called Wordcycler to sync, but now use Readability's Send to Kindle bookmarklet. It cuts out the syncing part (the Kindle just downloads content automatically when it has an internet connection), and I've found that it retains author and publication data more reliably.
- DrHankPym 15y ago
  Every Kindle owner should know about Readability's Send to Kindle feature and Calibre's e-book converter. Long live e-ink!
  - jmelloy 15y ago
    It's the only thing I wish had an equivalent on the nook. (There's plenty of ways to sync a feed, but I plug my nook into a computer about once every two months.)
  - brown9-2 15y ago
    Is Readability's Send to Kindle only available for the $5/mo subscription? klip.me's "Send to Kindle" extension is free and also pretty awesome http://www.klip.me/ http://www.klip.me/
    - skymt 15y ago
      No; in fact, you don't even need an account. Just add kindle@readability.com to your Kindle's approved sender list & install the browser extension[0] or bookmarklet[1]. 0: http://www.readability.com/addons http://www.readability.com/addons 1: http://www.readability.com/bookmarklets http://www.readability.com/bookmarklets
goforth 15y ago
Do you still have to fetch the full page view before sending to Instapaper? That's the one thing that annoys me about this app/service. Readability does it all for you. I hate getting to the end of a piece in Instapaper and realizing there are more pages, but they weren't downloaded.
- jcurbo 15y ago
  Yes, you do - in one of the Build and Analyze podcasts, Marco mentioned that he didn't support that behavior and probably wasn't going to anytime soon. I think it was in a discussion about Readability (which will do that), but I don't remember exactly which episode it was in.
  - goforth 15y ago
    This is a major FAIL on his part. Readability is one-click. Instapaper often requires several clicks to save. Fail. (Not to mention Readability pagination is light years better.)
    - guywithabike 15y ago
      Spend years creating software that thousands of people love, have anonymous internet commenter cry "FAIL" (sic) from the rooftops because of minor missing feature. The advantage of sending the content instead of the link is that you can save things that exist behind paywalls or that require logging in. (Do you work for Readability? Literally every single comment you've ever made here mentions it.)
      - kenneth_reitz 15y ago
        I work for Readability. No idea who goforth is. — I assume just a passionate user ;)
  - goforth 15y ago
    This is a major FAIL on his part. Readability is one-click. Instapaper often requires several clicks to save. Fail. (Not to mention Readability pagination is light years better.)
devtesla 15y ago
The bad news: a change in how iOS manages files in version 5 means Instapaper's ability to store articles for you to read offline has reached something of a limit. If you get low on space iOS will now delete Instapaper's copies of articles: http://www.marco.org/2011/10/13/ios5-caches-cleaning http://www.marco.org/2011/10/13/ios5-caches-cleaning This is less of a problem if you are online all the time as Instapaper will redownload them, but it still kinda sucks.
achompas 15y ago
I've got a question for my fellow long-form-reading HNers. I check my phone for quick hits of information, but I hate reading long-form articles on it. Do you guys know of any "Send to Kindle" apps or bookmarklets for iPhone/iOS? I know, I know: this is a hell of a first-world problem, but I'd like to read on glowing screens as little as possible.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- tghw 15y ago
  If you use Instapaper and install the "Read Later" bookmarklet on iOS (it's just a bookmarklet in Safari), then you'll be able to add articles to Instapaper from Safari, and you'll have those articles both on the Instapaper iOS app and the Kindle with Instapaper's Kindle sync.
- chl 15y ago
  If you are an Instapaper "subscriber", you get access to a "Send to Kindle immediately" bookmarklet. I use it all the time (and vastly prefer it over the timed, once-a-day-at-most send-a-batch-of-stuff option).
  - achompas 15y ago
    This is exactly what I was asking for. Issues with B&A aside, I'll gladly pay $1/month for this.
luigi 15y ago
I've switched to Spool: https://getspool.com/ https://getspool.com/ Both text and video. First-class Android and iPhone support. Alas, no iPad support, but I don't use that much anymore.
- rogermugs 15y ago
  wanna sell the ipad you don't use much anymore?
- juxta 15y ago
  spool is great but my only complaint is that it sometimes takes forever for an article to download. I dont want to wait half a hour/day to read an article I sent to spool but when it does download its really an amazing app!
  - jubos 15y ago
    hi, one of the makers of Spool here. Thanks for kicking the tires on it. Now that our coverage is up, we are optimizing for speed now, so those wait times will come down.
    - juxta 15y ago
      Hi Jubos, I dont know how to contact you/message you on HN but there's one thing that has gotten a little annoying on spool; when you get to the bottom of the article - it brings up a big spool banner and this gets in the way of finishing up reading the article. I'm not sure if this is a bug or a feature but it's a little annoying :-/
timkeller 15y ago
Fantastic update, as always. There aren't many developers who'd continue updating a $4.99 app this long... not to mention that its a universal app!
wtn 15y ago
Only took four major releases to get proper text encoding support.
rogermugs 15y ago
best app ever. keep it up marco. stoked.
john2x 15y ago
I have an iPod touch and even though Safari now has a similar feature for free, I still want Instapaper. Because I use Chrome everywhere else.
nickburlett 15y ago
Is there a way to get the old list view back when using the iPad? I prefer the old view!
stuartmemo 15y ago
I kinda feel like I'm stuck using Instapaper regardless of how good it is. I use the official Twitter iOS app, which only has Instapaper or Read It Later support, meaning there's no way I can fully jump to the likes of Spool if I wanted to.

360 points by illdave 15y ago

Great update Marco! Did you work with a (graphic/interaction) designer on this update or did you do it all and maybe threw in some stock icons along the way?

jcsalterego 15y ago
It sounds like Iconfactory did the icons. Source: https://twitter.com/#!/qiansh/status/125938836562919424 https://twitter.com/#!/qiansh/status/125938836562919424 (vetted by @Gedeon & @Iconfactory)
- jparise 15y ago
  The Iconfactory is credited in the (new?) "About" screen.
- thisisblurry 15y ago
  Marco also has a tweet referencing Dan Cederholm being associated with the icon (@simplebits) https://twitter.com/#!/marcoarment/status/125991945523822592 https://twitter.com/#!/marcoarment/status/125991945523822592 Edit: Dan's post here: http://simplebits.com/notebook/2011/10/17/instapaper4/ http://simplebits.com/notebook/2011/10/17/instapaper4/
ericaheinz 15y ago
Jason Santa Maria did/managed the design work. http://jasonsantamaria.com/articles/instapaper-4 http://jasonsantamaria.com/articles/instapaper-4

coob 15y ago

This is great, looking forward to installing it. However looking at the screenshots I can't help but wonder if something other than an ellipsis would be better for indicating footnotes, especially now the voice dictation in iOS has commandeered it.

dolbz 15y ago
Agreed, why not leave the original notation but show the footnote in the popover as show?

sudonim 15y ago

It's great to see a one man show like Instapaper doing so well. His space is becoming more crowded yet Marco's focus and drive means Instapaper keeps delivering more and more value. The changes in 4.0 look great. Kudos Marco. You're an inspiration to solo founders (and anyone) looking to start something online. P.s. check out Marco's show with Dan Benjamin, Build and Analyze. I've been listening while I walk to work. It's interesting and insightful.

kanwisher 15y ago
Linkify cause it sounds interesting http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze
- gks 15y ago
  Marco comes across as a real ass on his podcast. Which has made me not listen to Build & Analyze, or use his app. Hell, "Build & Analyze" isn't so much about "Building & Analyzing" as it is him bitching about stuff. I'm not even talking about the coffee discussions, I can get through that stuff, the bullshit attitude I can't get through though. He used to be pretty humble in the first dozen episodes, but he's slowly gotten a big head and turned into a dick. At least from my perspective. I don't recommend his app any longer, instead, I suggest people use one of it's competitors, Read It Later. Again, the podcast isn't so much about building apps as it is a soapbox for him to complain about other applications and other developers. While he does discuss some of the aspects of Instapaper, he may as well have called the podcast something else. If you're expecting developer oriented discussion there are better podcasts to listen to. If you're going to spend time listening to a 5by5 podcast, I suggest two that are much better. Hypercritical with John Siracusa. John at least knows how to complain while being constructive, unlike Marco. The second would be The Incomparable, on a totally different topic but very worthwhile. As as example of marco being an ass. Just listen to any of the podcasts from 10-onward. Also, listen especially to the programming episodes where he tries to argue against Siracusa but instead sounds like a whiny brat. edit: Keep on down voting people. Seriously. It's called an opinion. If you don't like it, too bad. But it helps people make a valid attempt at determining whether they want to listen to something, or read something, otherwise spending their time with something. Make your own opinion of the podcast and Marco. But down voting simply because my opinion is different than yours is just stupid.

naner 15y ago

Seeing those images side-by-side, the matte black with simple icons on the iPad looks clean and appealing and the glossy beveled borders on the iPhone look a bit garish. Also the type for the iPad interface is much more pleasing. I don't think I would have noticed if they images weren't right next to each other.

technoslut 15y ago
I agree. The iPad version is flawless and I don't like the glossy borders on the iPhone. I can't believe I'm saying this but I would rather have the stitched leather look that Apple has been using on their apps recently.

yesimahuman 15y ago

Of course, it looks beautiful, and I really want it. Is there any solution for Android? I've messed with some of the 3rd party apps but I haven't had any success.

ilikepi 15y ago
Marco talked about Android support on his 5by5 podcast "Build and Analyze" sometime over the summer I think. I don't recall if it was the focus of the episode or just a side-topic. I believe at that time he had concluded that it wasn't worth the amount of work required to support two platforms. Perhaps it was ep 38 [1]...? [1]: http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/38-decaf-compatibility-stick http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/38-decaf-compatibility-stick
juliano_q 15y ago
Read It Later is a simple solution for it. I am using it a for a long time now, it is not as polished as Instapaper but is good and is very cheap (I think I paid one dollar for the Android app).
ryanwatkins 15y ago
I dont think any of the Android clients use the Instapaper API (http://www.instapaper.com/api/full http://www.instapaper.com/api/full) - they scrape the website, making it impossible to do things like sync reading postion across devices. There is a decent Window Phone 7 client that uses the API - Stacks for Instapaper (http://www.stacksforinstapaper.com/ http://www.stacksforinstapaper.com/) and one for HP/Palm webOS - Paper Mache (http://ryanwatkins.net/software/papermache/ http://ryanwatkins.net/software/papermache/ - disclosure, its my app) Interestingly the Terms of the Instapaper API prevent any integration with other "Read Later" apps, though Read It Later API terms do not seems to have this restriction. "Apps must not include support for any other services that compete with or are substantially similar to Instapaper, unless the app uses only the “Add Bookmark” and/or “Verify Credentials” methods from this API. Instapaper reserves the right to decide whether another service or application is considered a competitor or substantially similar." (http://www.instapaper.com/api/terms http://www.instapaper.com/api/terms)

tomjen3 15y ago

Do this mean I can no longer move articles to the archive with one click? It may sound a little trivial but I tend to remove the articles when I have read them and it gets annoying when I have to remove 15 (I tend to add a lot of articles).

SoftwareMaven 15y ago
Yes and (kind of) no. You get the additional popup on delete, but you can also multi-select and delete. That means (with your 15 article use case) like 1.1 clicks per article. I understand the need to have archive and delete, and the confusion of two buttons, but I'd really rather have a setting. I Pinboard articles i want to keep archived, so I would always want to delete.

ugh 15y ago

This is a brilliant example showing what great visual design and typography can do for an app. I never liked using Instapaper because I thought it looked so ugly. Now it's on par with the likes of Reeder and Twitter and I'm much more likely to use it. I'm not sure how many people think like me but I just can't stand using software I think is ugly. It's no fun for me. (That said, I think the actual user experience has also improved – which is equally as important.)

avolcano 15y ago

While I love Instapaper for bringing me back to reading long-form articles, I personally moved to Readability a while back. It's $5 (minimum)/month, but it has a lot more polish, and I actually prefer the mobile app to Instapaper's iOS ones - it's nice knowing if I decide to leave the iOS ecosystem, I'll still have my articles, while Marco has refused to make official Instapaper clients for other mobile OS's (understandable, as he's only one man). I also like a handful of features in Readability's desktop web app that Instapaper lacks - scroll tracking, more options for how it looks, etc. However, if I get an iPad, I may move back just for Instapaper's iPad app. Looks beautiful.

MatthewPhillips 15y ago
I prefer Readability as well. I can't justify the $5 per month subscription though. I'd happily pay $20 for a lifetime subscription, but I'm not sure what they're providing that is any different from Read it Later, Instapaper, etc. that justifies the monthly cost. I know they are attempting to pay back authors, but I don't understand why that must be a recurring cost. $5 per month is just a tad cheaper than what I pay for Netflix or prgmr.com, and I don't think it provides near the value of those two. Now when I get a Kindle Touch I might change my mind.
- troethom 15y ago
  How wouldn't paying back authors be a recurring cost? It's quite simple actually; how do you divide your $20 between publishers? You can't (before you either die or stop reading that is). A monthly subscription on the other hand can be divided between the articles you've read that month.

pflats 15y ago

The way this version handles footnotes[1] looks absolutely outstanding. More e-reading software should have a pop-over like this. I'd pay way more than $5 to get this feature on my Kindle. [1] http://www.marco.org/media/2011/10/ip4-footnote.png http://www.marco.org/media/2011/10/ip4-footnote.png Also, a footnote of my own on the search subscription: Marco's talked a bit on his podcast about people wanting to subscribe to Instapaper via in-app purcase rather than through PayPal. However, Apple won't let you have an in-app purchase that doesn't add any functionality. Putting 2 and 2 together gives you a "search subscription" that is identical to a normal Instapaper subscription.

sjs 15y ago
I have been using this Chrome extensions[1] which handles footnotes the same way on most sites (including Wikipedia and Daring Fireball, the only 2 I can recall off the top of my head). [1] http://openideas.ideon.co/2011/rehabilitate-disruptive-footnotes http://openideas.ideon.co/2011/rehabilitate-disruptive-footn...

james33 15y ago

Just another reason why I need to hurry and get an iPad, that app looks incredible!

joebadmo 15y ago

tl;dr Instapaper is great for iOS. A Kindle + Readability's Send to Kindle bookmarklet is an excellent alternative. I was an avid Instapaper user on my iPod Touch until I got an Android phone. Marco has publicly stated his reluctance to support Android, and the third party apps for instapaper were all pretty pathetic. So I switched to Read it Later for a while. Until I got a Kindle, which changed the game for me. Reading on the Kindle is so much a better experience than on another glowing screen that I don't even bother to try to read long form on the phone anymore. I went back to Instapaper for a while, using a Windows app called Wordcycler to sync, but now use Readability's Send to Kindle bookmarklet. It cuts out the syncing part (the Kindle just downloads content automatically when it has an internet connection), and I've found that it retains author and publication data more reliably.

DrHankPym 15y ago
Every Kindle owner should know about Readability's Send to Kindle feature and Calibre's e-book converter. Long live e-ink!
- jmelloy 15y ago
  It's the only thing I wish had an equivalent on the nook. (There's plenty of ways to sync a feed, but I plug my nook into a computer about once every two months.)
- brown9-2 15y ago
  Is Readability's Send to Kindle only available for the $5/mo subscription? klip.me's "Send to Kindle" extension is free and also pretty awesome http://www.klip.me/ http://www.klip.me/
  - skymt 15y ago
    No; in fact, you don't even need an account. Just add kindle@readability.com to your Kindle's approved sender list & install the browser extension[0] or bookmarklet[1]. 0: http://www.readability.com/addons http://www.readability.com/addons 1: http://www.readability.com/bookmarklets http://www.readability.com/bookmarklets

goforth 15y ago

Do you still have to fetch the full page view before sending to Instapaper? That's the one thing that annoys me about this app/service. Readability does it all for you. I hate getting to the end of a piece in Instapaper and realizing there are more pages, but they weren't downloaded.

jcurbo 15y ago
Yes, you do - in one of the Build and Analyze podcasts, Marco mentioned that he didn't support that behavior and probably wasn't going to anytime soon. I think it was in a discussion about Readability (which will do that), but I don't remember exactly which episode it was in.
- goforth 15y ago
  This is a major FAIL on his part. Readability is one-click. Instapaper often requires several clicks to save. Fail. (Not to mention Readability pagination is light years better.)
  - guywithabike 15y ago
    Spend years creating software that thousands of people love, have anonymous internet commenter cry "FAIL" (sic) from the rooftops because of minor missing feature. The advantage of sending the content instead of the link is that you can save things that exist behind paywalls or that require logging in. (Do you work for Readability? Literally every single comment you've ever made here mentions it.)
    - kenneth_reitz 15y ago
      I work for Readability. No idea who goforth is. — I assume just a passionate user ;)
- goforth 15y ago
  This is a major FAIL on his part. Readability is one-click. Instapaper often requires several clicks to save. Fail. (Not to mention Readability pagination is light years better.)

devtesla 15y ago

The bad news: a change in how iOS manages files in version 5 means Instapaper's ability to store articles for you to read offline has reached something of a limit. If you get low on space iOS will now delete Instapaper's copies of articles: http://www.marco.org/2011/10/13/ios5-caches-cleaning http://www.marco.org/2011/10/13/ios5-caches-cleaning This is less of a problem if you are online all the time as Instapaper will redownload them, but it still kinda sucks.

achompas 15y ago

I've got a question for my fellow long-form-reading HNers. I check my phone for quick hits of information, but I hate reading long-form articles on it. Do you guys know of any "Send to Kindle" apps or bookmarklets for iPhone/iOS? I know, I know: this is a hell of a first-world problem, but I'd like to read on glowing screens as little as possible.

deleted 15y ago
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tghw 15y ago
If you use Instapaper and install the "Read Later" bookmarklet on iOS (it's just a bookmarklet in Safari), then you'll be able to add articles to Instapaper from Safari, and you'll have those articles both on the Instapaper iOS app and the Kindle with Instapaper's Kindle sync.
chl 15y ago
If you are an Instapaper "subscriber", you get access to a "Send to Kindle immediately" bookmarklet. I use it all the time (and vastly prefer it over the timed, once-a-day-at-most send-a-batch-of-stuff option).
- achompas 15y ago
  This is exactly what I was asking for. Issues with B&A aside, I'll gladly pay $1/month for this.

luigi 15y ago

I've switched to Spool: https://getspool.com/ https://getspool.com/ Both text and video. First-class Android and iPhone support. Alas, no iPad support, but I don't use that much anymore.

rogermugs 15y ago
wanna sell the ipad you don't use much anymore?
juxta 15y ago
spool is great but my only complaint is that it sometimes takes forever for an article to download. I dont want to wait half a hour/day to read an article I sent to spool but when it does download its really an amazing app!
- jubos 15y ago
  hi, one of the makers of Spool here. Thanks for kicking the tires on it. Now that our coverage is up, we are optimizing for speed now, so those wait times will come down.
  - juxta 15y ago
    Hi Jubos, I dont know how to contact you/message you on HN but there's one thing that has gotten a little annoying on spool; when you get to the bottom of the article - it brings up a big spool banner and this gets in the way of finishing up reading the article. I'm not sure if this is a bug or a feature but it's a little annoying :-/

timkeller 15y ago

Fantastic update, as always. There aren't many developers who'd continue updating a $4.99 app this long... not to mention that its a universal app!

wtn 15y ago

Only took four major releases to get proper text encoding support.

rogermugs 15y ago

best app ever. keep it up marco. stoked.

john2x 15y ago

I have an iPod touch and even though Safari now has a similar feature for free, I still want Instapaper. Because I use Chrome everywhere else.

nickburlett 15y ago

Is there a way to get the old list view back when using the iPad? I prefer the old view!

stuartmemo 15y ago

I kinda feel like I'm stuck using Instapaper regardless of how good it is. I use the official Twitter iOS app, which only has Instapaper or Read It Later support, meaning there's no way I can fully jump to the likes of Spool if I wanted to.