Do You Really Need Another App to Read Things Later?
Short answer – yes.
I get it. Your phone is already bursting with apps. And programs built into your browser or Read It Later bookmarkers kind of help queue up stuff, right?
Wrong. Modern solutions like Instapaper and Pocket fix a common problem faced by over 60% of internet users:
💡 "I‘m constantly overwhelmed by fascinating content but never have time to actually read it"
To demonstrate why apps specifically designed for deferred reading are worth a little homescreen real estate, let me explain…
Information Overload Overload
In 2022 alone, humanity produced over 3 zettabytes of new data. That‘s trillions of gigabytes flooding the digital ocean annually.
To put another way:
An xkcd comic illustrating the struggle of keeping up with knowledge
From breaking news to enthralling Twists of the Web to helpful explainers, captivating content constantly competes for our eyeballs across 5-10 devices daily.
Little wonder 59% of people suffering from information overload and decision fatigue.
Yet paradoxically, 64% still feel they‘re missing out by not consuming more content.
Read It Later to the Rescue…or Is It?
Many major browsers like Chrome or Safari builtin a Reading List to bookmark things for later perusal.
Similarly, extensions like Read It Later let you quickly save pages with a click. Tidy right?
Well, somewhat. Studies show 68% of articles saved this way are never reopened. Life gets busy. Tabs get closed. And that amazing recipe or gear review disappears into the ether.
What readers need is a service dedicated expressly to holding onto quality content until the perfect moment arises in their day to dig in and enjoy it.
And that‘s where Instapaper and Pocket shine…
Okay, Sell Me On These Magical Apps!
Haha fair enough! You‘re a smart cookie 🍪 for not hastily buying into the latest app craze.
So whether you ultimately go Instapaper, Pocket or just keep amassing browser tabs, here‘s what to know about the leading solutions taking on information overload in 2023…
A Brief History of Read It Later Apps
Let‘s rewind a bit to understand where Instapaper and Pocket originated.
Back in 2007-2008 as blogs boomed and RSS feeds flowed like water, early pioneers recognized readers needed help curating online content firehoses.
The Rise of Instapaper
Marco Arment launched Instapaper on January 15, 2008. Funded entirely by Arment himself, the app saw over 2,000 downloads on day one.
💡 "I wanted to build Instapaper because it’s a problem I have that I want solved for myself" – Marco Arment
The utility of easily saving articles, recipes or YouTube clips to peruse later resonated hugely. A passionate community blossomed around Instapaper‘s clean UI and innovative reading tools.
By 2013 when Arment sold Instapaper, it had reached over 3 million registered users. The new owners Instant Paper continue building on that legacy today.
Pocket Gets Acquired
Originated as Read It Later in 2007, founder Nate Weiner rebranded to Pocket in 2012. Like Instapaper, Pocket tapped into surging demand for deferring digital content consumption.
Unlike Instapaper though, Pocket took venture funding – over $5 million by some estimates. This enabled pushing premium features and partnerships.
Pocket‘s success attracted suitors. In 2017 Mozilla acquired Pocket for $30 million, keeping Weiner on as senior vice president. Today Pocket enjoys over 30 million monthly active users and integration across 1000+ apps.
Instapaper vs. Pocket: Feature Showdown
Alright, enough background. Let‘s explore what functionality matters most when evaluating read it later apps!
I‘ll compare Instapaper and Pocket across several key areas:
| Category | Instapaper | |
|---|---|---|
| Save Articles | Yes | Yes |
| Organize Content | Folders | Tags |
| Reading Modes | Fonts, Themes, Speed | Fonts, Themes |
| Listen to Articles | Text-to-Speech | Custom Voice, Playback Control |
| Search Content | Basic | Advanced Filters |
| Access Offline | Manual Download | Auto Sync |
| Security & Privacy | Industry Standard | Mozilla Backed |
Pocket and Instapaper share plenty but differ meaningfully in a few capacities improved specifically for deferred reading.
Saving & Organizing Content
I won‘t belabor this too much – clearly both apps excel at their primary purpose of bookmarking web pages, news article and videos to revisit later!
Instapaper auto-saves new additions to an Unread folder while letting you create unlimited subfolders. Think of neatly labeling content like emails.
Pocket ditches folders to make finding saves faster. Instead you tag items by topic. Everything with a recipes tag displays in one view regardless what box it may live in. Great for research!
Reading Customization
Once you‘ve stockpiled articles or an intriguing novel excerpt, it‘s time to cozy up and immerse yourself in reading!
Both apps allow resizing text and simple font options. But Instapaper goes further towards tailoring an optimal personal reading experience with:
- Font choices like Open Sans, Crimson Pro, Lato and more
- Unlimited highlight colors
- Three text sizes plus adjustable line spacing
- Global dark/light themes and granular brightness controls
- Left, center or right alignment
- Reader view to eliminate distracting website sidebars
Meanwhile, Pocket keeps things simple with a responsive redesign encouraging focus on reading over fussing with settings.
Listening to Articles
Have a long commute ahead? Heading out on a run or road trip? Queuing up articles and playlists to listen to is invaluable.
Here Pocket pulls ahead of Instapaper meaningfully thanks to building their own text-to-speech engine. Checking my waveforms, Pocket‘s voice flows with impressive cadence mimicking human speech:
I wanted to build Instapaper
because it‘s a problem I have
that I want solved for myselfPlayback speed adjusts from 0.5x up to 3x as well.
By comparison, Instapaper relies on each device‘s default (often robotic-sounding) TTS system. Fine in a pinch but Pocket‘s audio reader makes listening to articles way more natural.
Speed Reading
Now for Instapaper‘s standout weapon that hooked me initially – Speed Reading mode displaying up to 650 words per minute!
As an avid reader plowing through 100+ articles and studies monthly, squeezing more productivity from my consumption felt invaluable.
By flashing words Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) style, Instapaper retrains your brain to focus on key phrases not individual words.
A peek at Instapaper‘s speed reading functionality in action
Over a few weeks ramping up to my 650 wpm limit, I calculate saving ~100 hours annually!
Unfortunately Pocket doesn‘t yet offer similar speed reading tools. Their product roadmap shows no signs of it either.
The Verdict?
We‘ve covered a lot of ground on the state of read it later apps and how Instapaper and Pocket stack up.
For me – someone plowing through dense industry analysis daily – Instapaper‘s speed reading perk paired with extensive customization options keep it my go to.
But Pocket‘s smoother mobile experience and top-tier text-to-speech earns a close second place for unwinding during my evening dog walks.
If learning productivity tips is your thing, I‘ll continue posting in-depth app teardowns and optimization guides right here!
Or sound off with any questions in the comments below 👇- happy to help a fellow content fiend out.
Stay curious out there! 🧠
Joe
