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  • Instapaper: Building Better Bookmarks
Technology Articles > Software > Home & Hobby > Instapaper: Building Better Bookmarks

It happens to the best of us. You sit down to read an intriguing article, and all of a sudden you have to answer a ton of emails, make a call, or start on a project. Adding that interesting article link to your long list of bookmarks is useless, and many of us never do get to read the article we once found intriguing. That’s where Instapaper comes into play.

Instapaper won’t read your articles for you, but this service will make bookmarking articles simpler. In addition to being a helpful program, Instapaper is also quite easy to use. A clear interface, folders, and a simple button make this program worthwhile. Did I mention that Instapaper is also free?

Note: some features of Instapaper may have changed following the writing of this article. At the time of this writing, all features and buttons included in this article were accurate. Please leave me a note if you find a portion of this article to be inaccurate.

Setting Up Instapaper

When confronted with a new program, the thing that most people dread most is the setup. Thankfully, Instapaper is a happy program with a simple setup page. To get rolling, all you have to do is enter your email address. Then, drag and drop the “Read Later” button to your bookmark toolbar.
The next time that you come across an article you want to read, simply click the “Read Later” button. Instapaper will then flash a “Saved!” notification on your screen, and you can go about your day. It’s really that simple.

Reading Those Saved Pages

When you log into your Instapaper account, you’ll come across a main page. This page includes all of the articles that you’ve bookmarked (under “Browse”) in addition to some recommended reading (placed in the center of the main page). You can then browse through your articles, click on a recommended link, or categorize the articles that you’ve chosen.

Unlike a lot of other programs, Instapaper’s recommended reading list is quite varied. You’ll find articles from magazines such as the New Yorker to articles from other publications from throughout the globe. If an article piques your interest, you can simply click, you guessed it, “read later.”

Other Features

If you find an article particularly compelling, you can select the “Liked” button. This will allow you to categorize articles according to the ones that you liked, and may want to reference at a later time. It’s also possible to “Archive” articles, so that you can find them later (through a simple search).

Instapaper is free, and that’s one of the main reasons why this program is so appealing. There are other programs out there that help when it comes to finding things to read, but Instapaper is one program that makes keeping the things you want to read simpler. The next time you’re on a long flight or looking to kill some time, log into your Instapaper account, and look for some articles that you’ve been meaning to read. Don’t worry, we all have a long list of articles we never got to!