No human being in their right mind can deny that the world wide web is a wondrous, marvelous place. The sites and pages which make up the internet make a phenomenal resource, accessible from anywhere in the world by anyone with a connected device, meaning an almost unlimited source of information and knowledge is available at all times to anyone who comes knocking for it. Information is constantly updated, added daily and because of those facts; it could probably be considered as the most up to date information archive in the world. They say knowledge is power, and that knowledge is available around the world at a click of a button.
Although the internet may contain an almost unlimited amount of information, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the content is provided in the best format and I am sure we have all found a website or two which has great content on, but seems to be a little all over the place when it comes to formatting. In the past, when most of the world was connected to the world wide web via desktop or laptop computers, the mass of information on a web page didn’t really cause much of a problem if it was laid out in a less than perfect manner. With the large screen real estate of a web browser; it was a relatively painless experience to search for what we require, or just filter out things we don’t want. However, with the rising popularity of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, it is of great benefit if the information is provided in an easy, concise and clear manner.
Due to the fact that we can’t rely on web designers to provide that perfect, cross-platform format, we ultimately need to turn to others for assistance. The Readability idea originally started out as a JavaScript-based reading tool in 2009 that turned a website into a customizable reading tool. Due to its popularity, the original code base from the Readability tool is actually embedded in some very popular applications such as the Safari 5 browser. With that kind of power being available as a free of charge resource on the web, it seems a logical move by the developers that it is brought to mobile devices to offer the same power and versatility. The initial launch of the Readability application for iOS has now been followed up with the launch of the Android compatible version, available as a free of charge download from the Google Play store.
As you might imagine, the application allows users to turn a webpage into a clean, single-column view for an easier reading experience. The formatted typography allows for simple, clutter-free reading with the app also allowing pages to be saved for offline viewing at a later date. Certain properties can also be adjusted such as type size, text style and the application’s contrast to make things easier for the reader. Native sharing is also supported on the Readability application, allowing Facebook, Twitter and e-mail sharing. The extremely simple and beautifully designed user interface allows users to experience the worlds information as it should – clear, concise and always available.
Download Readability for Android [Google Play link]
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