App of the Week: Pocket
In the last post, I focused on Tadaa!, which I'm over as a social network. [1. But I still love it as a photo editor.] This week, my choice is a bit different.
Pocket is not my typical choice of app for staying up to date with blogs. I mostly lean towards official apps for websites, like Mashable or iMore; and readers, like Flipboard and Pulse.
I have to admit that I have fallen in love with Pocket, which was previously known as Read It Later. The app isn't what I thought it was. Pocket is more than a reader. It also has the ability to save photos and video, as well.
★ What is Pocket?
Pocket is a reader app that allows you to save articles to read later. It is integrated with over 300 apps, which allows for ease of use. It also has Chrome and Firefox extensions, as well as a Safari bookmarklet, which I have found myself using very often.
★ How does it work?
Pocket is as simple as finding an article and clicking "Save to Pocket". At this point, you can choose to add a tag. Once you open the app, it automatically syncs your content. The articles and images are available for offline viewing, but for videos, you need an internet connection. You can search your posts by tag, title, or URL.
When you open an article, it defaults to a single column view. This view strips away all of the CSS and fits the content to your device. What I love about Pocket, is the fact that it also scales the post images. The second view is a webpage view. It allows you to view the post as you would in a regular browser. You can adjust the font size and the screen brightness for night reading. When you are done reading a post, you can click the "check" to move the article to your archive; or you can click the "star" to save it as a favorite.
Overall, I can see myself using Pocket often. [2. Mostly on my iPad.] I enjoy the convenience of not having to read every single blog post in one sitting. At some points throughout the day, I'll have close to fifty tabs open. Being able to save an article allows me to cut down on tabs, and makes it easier for me to find a post during those times when my toddler turns off my Mac.
