Instapaper on the iPhone and iPod touch
Download nowI'm happy to announce the new Instapaper app for the iPhone and iPod touch!
Now you can read saved web pages on the go, even offline, with Instapaper.
Simply install the Instapaper app and download your unread articles when you have WiFi, EDGE, or 3G coverage, then you can read them anytime: on the train, on the bus, on line at the bank, or in space (you never know).
Instapaper saves two versions of each page whenever possible: the Web view and the Text view.
The Web view
The Web view is the graphical page with nearly all of its elements intact. Only a few changes are made:
- Flash content is removed (the devices can't display it anyway)
- Javascript is removed (most ads go with it)
- Blog comments are removed
- Images are compressed, saving up to 80% of the space (the quality difference is usually not noticeable)
The Text view
Like the Instapaper web interface, the app also downloads a text-optimized version of each page:
Web view
Text view of the same page
The Text view uses ideal fonts and text formatting for maximum readability in either orientation on the iPhone and iPod touch.
It also removes the need to zoom or horizontally pan. No more accidentally side-scrolling from a long text column.
Download nowFAQ
How much does it cost?
It's free! A deluxe version with more features may be released in the future for a reasonable price.
How do I add pages?
On your Mac or PC, install the
bookmarklet.
Or, to install directly on an iPhone or iPod Touch, follow these instructions.
Then, whenever you're on a page you'd like to save with Instapaper,
click your
bookmarklet. A brief message will appear if the page saves correctly.
Why aren't some pages displayed?
Some sites prevent standard servers, like Instapaper, to access their content. They often require a login, or they hide the content behind an interstitial ad. I'm sorry, but Instapaper cannot download the content from these sites.
Currently, this includes The New York Times, because their site requires a login.
Can you remember my position in an article?
This is planned for a future version.
Support
Feel free to contact me with support requests: instapaper@marco.org
Before emailing, please make sure that your request isn't on the Known Issues list or addressed in the FAQ above. Thanks!
I'm a regular guy with a day job, so I may not be able to respond quickly, but I'll try to respond to everything.
Blog
Follow the official Instapaper blog for news, sneak peeks, feature discussion, and press.
Known issues
Software is very complex, and nobody's perfect. Here's a list of known issues in the current version:
- Certain pages' Web versions aren't downloaded.
- Performance isn't great when rotating the Web view.
Version history
1.2 — August 10, 2008
- Text mode is the default, resulting in much faster performance.
- Logging in is done within the app instead of switching to Safari.
- The Account window now contains a link to install the Read Later bookmark in Safari.
- A brief instruction guide is now included in the app.
- Pages that Instapaper couldn't download can now be opened in Safari.
- Updates are now faster.
- The blue Done button has been replaced by a native back-style button.
- Renamed from "Instapaper" to "Instapaper Free" to distinguish from the Pro version.
1.0.1 — July 12, 2008
- New: Articles can now be deleted within the app. When you update, deleted articles are marked as read on Instapaper.com.
- Fixed: The background image showed the wrong article titles for a brief second after launch.
1.0 — July 6, 2008
- First release to the App Store for approval.