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Save it for later

I constantly come across blog entries that I want to read, usually relating to writing, though not always. Often I don't want or have time to read them right then, but I don't want to forget about them. Nor do I want a bookmark for every entry I'd like to peruse. Plus, I don't sync my bookmarks to my iPhone, so if I'm waiting at the orthodontist, I can't easily pull up the reading I'd like to catch up on.

I used to end up with my browser open for days with numerous tabs open, “holding” those pages until I'd read them while eating lunch or something.

That is until I found Instapaper.com. (I'm sure there are other similar options out there, but I love this one.)

When you sign up, you download a “bookmarklet” (button link) for your bookmark toolbar that says Read Later. When you're on a web page that you want to come back to at some point, click Read Later and it will be stored on your Unread list at Instapaper.

The best part is you can access Instapaper from any web-friendly device like your iPhone, laptop, or the computer at the library. You can even download for reading on a Kindle or e-reader, or print.

Just enter the email you registered with and all of your saved links appear. Click on a link to read, then click your browser's back button to get back to Instapaper. The link you just finished should be moved to your Archives folder (unless you deselect this option).



I'd love to hear your thoughts. And tell me if you know of any similar programs out there. Happy reading.

UPDATE: Found another site called Read It Later that works in a similar way.
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0 Comments

  1. Reply

    LOVE this!! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Of course now I’m all set up and I can trim down my favorites list! lol… 🙂

    • Reply

      No problem. I love to share things that make life easier. I whittled my bookmarks significantly and I’m a happy camper. Glad you found it useful!

  2. Reply

    I have to laugh reading this because I have 15 browser windows open, plus some tabs. Ha! I’ll have to give this a try, although I wonder if it’ll make things too easy for me to ignore and I’ll just never read them.

    • Reply

      Kathleen, glad to hear I’m not the only one! It definitely makes them easier to ignore, but sometimes procrastinating until we forget about something is okay too. Maybe we try to take in too much? If nothing else you’ll never be out of reading material.

  3. Reply

    Quick question. Does it splatter bits and pieces of its program all over your computer system?

    I used Dropbox for a few seconds. It is a great idea. But, I bailed out on it because of the way it seemed to live in my system. I’m not tech. enough to know.

    I’ve got a feeling that one of these miss behaving cloud programs can bring more grief than they are worth.

    • Reply

      So far no issues. It’s just a bookmark that triggers the files to save under your profile on the web. There *shouldn’t* be much on your computer…

  4. Tony

    Reply

    Been using this since I read your first reference to it. LOVE IT. Use it constantly. So much better than saving tens of millions of bookmarks!! Now I only have to save millions!!!

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