Instapaper 4.0

As you might have learned in your internet travels today, Instapaper 4.0 has been released for the iPhone and the iPad, and it is tasty. Be sure to read Marco’s post about the whats and whys of the update.

If you don’t know what Instapaper is, then shame on you, and prepare to have your life altered for the better.

Instapaper is a read-it-later service created by Marco Arment. After getting a free account on Instapaper.com, you get access to the Read Later bookmarklet (i.e. button), which sits in your browser’s bookmark toolbar. Whenever you come across something you’d like to read, but don’t have time to do so at that moment, you click the Read Later button. The article gets sent straight to your Instapaper account, where you can read it at your leisure. It strips away everything but the text and any relevant pictures, which creates an ideal distraction-free reading environment.

This is huge. Even if you don’t understand what’s so great about what I just described, you owe it to yourself to give Instapaper a try. Instapaper is one of those things you didn’t know you needed until you actually start using it. Then, it becomes invaluable.

Why?

Because I always have something good to read no matter where I am. In line at the store. On the train to NYC. In bed before I go to sleep. Anywhere.

Instapaper is available as a website, an iPhone and iPad app, and it also supports Kindle subscriptions. In addition to the browser bookmarklet, many Twitter clients and RSS readers support Instapaper. You can even email articles to your account, so it’s easy to to fill Instapaper with things that you find intriguing.

It’s a refreshing respite from the breakneck pace of the internet. As Marco explains, Instapaper encourages you to become absorbed in a single piece of writing, rather than skimming through things as fast as you can just to clear your news feed. It allows you to get back to enjoying the act of reading.

About 90% of what I read comes from the internet. Fortunately/unfortunately, I don’t sit at my computer all day, so I often don’t have time to read the amazing things I come across. Instapaper is the perfect solution. It’s your “instant newspaper”, and it’s only filled with articles that interest you. As Merlin Mann wrote, Instapaper lets you decide what, when, and where to read. Its flexibility and ease-of-use remove all excuses for not reading.

If you like to read, you’ll love Instapaper. It’s as simple as that.

On a personal note, I’d like to say that Marco himself is someone you should know. He was the lead developer of Tumblr for four years, and now Instapaper is his full-time job. His creation has made thousands of people’s lives more enjoyable, and he’s an inspiration for anyone looking to make a living from their own creativity.

Instapaper fundamentally changed the way I browse the web. 4.0 is a fantastic update with new features and an improved interface. There’s no better time to start using this app. You should get a free account and/or buy it right now.

Thanks, Marco.