Easily moving web content offline to a n ebook.
September 1, 2010 2:21 PM Subscribe
I'm considering purchasing a Kindle (or other ebook reader depending on advice) primarily to read links sent it via Read It Later or Instapaper. Which is the best device for this type application, and what is the workflow like to get articles routinely routed to the ebook reader. I prefer a device that makes it as seamless and easy as possible. Any tips?
Don't get a Nook if this is your main reason for wanting an e-reader---there's no way to get Instapaper content onto the device wirelessly. Using Calibre, it's fairly simple (but not dead easy) to get Instapaper content to the Nook over USB, but it's kind of a hassle to have to plug in the device whenever you want fresh content. Instapaper has built-in support for sending documents to a Kindle wirelessly, but Amazon charges a $0.15 fee for each such transfer. (You can also sync Instapaper with your Kindle over USB and avoid the fee, I believe.)
I don't use Read It Later, so I can't talk about specifics there, but their website seems to indicate that support for e-readers is pretty slim.
posted by aparrish at 3:40 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
I don't use Read It Later, so I can't talk about specifics there, but their website seems to indicate that support for e-readers is pretty slim.
posted by aparrish at 3:40 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I was thinking of buying the 6" Kindle with wifi for the very reason outlined above, I don't want to have to plug it in to a computer to slurp up info, I'm hoping there's an easy way to do it wirelessly with my home network thus saving the cost of the "free" Whispernet 3G.
posted by Keith Talent at 3:49 PM on September 1, 2010
posted by Keith Talent at 3:49 PM on September 1, 2010
Instapaper can email your kindle for free. If your kindle is connected to a wifi network it will be free.
I have a Kindle 3 and I have already started doing this.
posted by lakerk at 4:25 PM on September 1, 2010
I have a Kindle 3 and I have already started doing this.
posted by lakerk at 4:25 PM on September 1, 2010
I'm going to say Kindle, because reading on E-ink is much more comfortable than reading on an LCD screen.
Kindle specifically, because it has the best support of this sort of thing, through Instapaper, Calibre, and the sort.
posted by InsanePenguin at 5:14 PM on September 1, 2010
Kindle specifically, because it has the best support of this sort of thing, through Instapaper, Calibre, and the sort.
posted by InsanePenguin at 5:14 PM on September 1, 2010
I have instapaper set up mail my kindle my toreads periodically (ahahah!). It's so good for this I'd almost caution you against getting it, because it's like brain-crack. I should warn you though that some html artifacts and formatting weirdness gets through; the fidelity isn't perfect, but it doesn't bother me.
I have one with whispersync, though. I'm not sure if the wifi ones automatically check their amazon email address automatically when on wifi, but I'd be pretty surprised if they didn't.
(for what it's worth, i have an iPad. I'm writing this comment on an iPad. I think you'd be way better off with a $140 kindle for this than a much-pricier iPad. I never read my instapaper on my iPad. I do often find myself wishing i had a instapaper bookmarklet for mobile safari though.)
posted by jeb at 7:06 PM on September 1, 2010
I have one with whispersync, though. I'm not sure if the wifi ones automatically check their amazon email address automatically when on wifi, but I'd be pretty surprised if they didn't.
(for what it's worth, i have an iPad. I'm writing this comment on an iPad. I think you'd be way better off with a $140 kindle for this than a much-pricier iPad. I never read my instapaper on my iPad. I do often find myself wishing i had a instapaper bookmarklet for mobile safari though.)
posted by jeb at 7:06 PM on September 1, 2010
Instapaper bookmarklet for mobile Safari instructions (you need to log in to see them.
posted by furtive at 8:06 PM on September 14, 2010
posted by furtive at 8:06 PM on September 14, 2010
I've been using Instapaper's Kindle wireless delivery and it's great. Just give it your @kindle.com address—if you have a Wi-Fi only Kindle (as I do) it'll just get forwarded to your @free.kindle.com address (the form is picky and doesn't like @free.kindle.com addresses).
You could also try Ephemera (or Wordcycler for PC). It's two-way USB sync for your Kindle: you lose the convenience of wireless but you have all your Instapaper articles on your Kindle (Instapaper only sends 20) and when you delete an article from Kindle, it gets archived on Instapaper. Magic.
I've not used it, but Kindlefeeder offers wireless transfer of RSS feeds to Kindle.
posted by henryaj at 9:19 AM on October 20, 2010
You could also try Ephemera (or Wordcycler for PC). It's two-way USB sync for your Kindle: you lose the convenience of wireless but you have all your Instapaper articles on your Kindle (Instapaper only sends 20) and when you delete an article from Kindle, it gets archived on Instapaper. Magic.
I've not used it, but Kindlefeeder offers wireless transfer of RSS feeds to Kindle.
posted by henryaj at 9:19 AM on October 20, 2010
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I'd say an iPad would be useful for this. I don't use Read it later or instapaper, but Evernote to do what you are saying. I've found it very useful and easy to do so.
It's got it's caveats as it won't play flash, the browser locks up sometimes and it can be unresponsive. But overall I've been very pleased with it (plus it does tons of other things).
I have absolutely no knowledge of any of the other eReaders (Nook, Kindle, etc) so my reply is biased.
You may also want to wait as we near the holiday season as I'm sure more tablets will be released with Chrome installed on it.
(On a side note, I have Kindle on my iPad and prefer it over Apple's ebook reader).
posted by Hands of Manos at 2:31 PM on September 1, 2010