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    Trying Out Reader by Readwise

    You probably know by this point that I love apps and trying new tools. So even though I was pretty happy with Feedbin as my RSS service, earlier this month I went on an RSS service sojourn to Inoreader…mostly because of their support for syncing YouTube subscriptions.

    I call it a sojourn because the same week I switched, I got invited to a private beta of Readwise’s long-awaited reading app, Reader.

    The “Unseen Feeds” view

    To call Reader an RSS service would be a gross understatement though. It’s a library for everything you read: RSS, PDFs, Emails, Tweets, and even ebooks (though definitely still prefer my Kindle Scribe for that).

    YouTube video with transcript

    It will also transcribe YouTube videos in-app.

    All of this is in the service of being able to highlight, save, and tag anything you read. And I love it.

    It’s still a beta app1, so it’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s such a fantastic experience that I’m confident in saying I’m all in.

    Here’s what I like:

    • The ability to easily import basically anything I read, and highlight it
    • Tagging and organizing highlights
    • Creating views for the types of content I want to consume. I can, for example, create a “personal” and “business” view.
    • The daily digests so I don’t miss anything.
    • The app (especially swipes) is really customizable for a beta.
    • SO many keyboard shortcuts!

    Here’s what I’d like to see improved:

    • Viewing emails is still a little rough. They (rightfully) focused on the text parser for easy highlights, but as a result, if I want to view a properly formatted email, I have to hope they include a web link2.
    • On a similar note, I’d like to access an email archive…which may actually be the case. Since I’m in the app for just over a week, I haven’t had much opportunity to see if all sent emails are archived.
    • The ability to sort feeds by source. This one is the biggest pain point for me. I usually end up marking all new articles from a source as read if I’m uninterested. I’d like to be able to glance at all new articles from a single source quickly.
    • In the iOS app, I want to be able to set the default behavior to opening links in Safari. Right now they open in the web viewer, and then I need to open them in Safari from there. I understand why — they want you to save articles in the app so you can highlight them — but one less step to open in-browser would be great.

    Ultimately, I love how polished Reader is for a freshly-minted public beta. The team is super responsive, the iterations are super fast.

    Highlights from Cocktails with Suderman

    I can’t wait to see where this app is in 2-3 months.

    1. It just entered public beta. Join here ?
    2. Thankfully, most do. ?
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    How I’m Using the iPad Mini

    I have a confession: I love new devices. I probably upgrade too often. And I’m constantly looking for the perfect research companion. I thought it could be the Kindle Oasis, but I don’t reach for that as much as I expect1. Turns out the 11″ iPad Pro has been that for me for a long time. It’s nearly the perfect size.

    But when I first heard rumors about a redesigned iPad Mini, I was giddy. I thought a bigger screen, with Apple Pencil 2 support…it would be perfect!

    I instantly ordered it when it went on sale last month. After spending some time with it, I’m super happy with the purchase. It’s the perfect size for a lot of things. Here’s how I’m using it.