Show HN: Early adopter of speed reading web-tools, built similar app for iOS

12 points by db42 12 years ago | 13 comments

I've been an early adopter of speed reading tools. I have tried to maximize my use of speed reading tools for browsing.

But, I travel a lot and I couldn't find any such free app for my iPhone. So, I built one for iOS - 1000 WPM (http://1000wpm.in)

I have received positive feedback from users and people are finding it useful. I just hope that you guys will find it useful too.

Here are some promo codes for HN early adopters.

3H4ELR6AFYYX W3HE9WHYT3FX ME9HN3TWF9WM YAKEAY67HYML 6MHLXNXMKR46 JJH4T9Y7AXL9 T9EAY9YRYFKL W4JXTPWL4HTR LJ4RMWFJ3WL9 P7Y3XR4YN7LH

Feedback/comments are always appreciated.

tl;dr - http://1000wpm.in

steadicat 12 years ago |

Thanks for the promo code! App works great so far.

Here's some feedback:

1. Would be nice if I could swipe left/right or up/down anywhere on the screen to adjust the speed. Hitting the tiny buttons in the corner is hard when I'm trying to focus on that one spot in the center of the screen.

2. Swiping to scrub forward/back could be nice too, in case I missed something important or want to skim a section. (One swipe direction could adjust speed, the other could adjust position.)

3. I would appreciate a setting to adjust the number of words (or characters) displayed on screen at once. I imagine the optimal amount varies per person (and I seem to recall reading somewhere that the ideal might be more than a single word).

4. The progress indicator still looks draggable while reading. I actually thought it was a speed adjustment slider at first, and I tried to drag it a few times unsuccessfully. I'd suggest either removing the nub while reading, or allowing it to be dragged even while reading.

5. I don't find the name to be very memorable or even searchable. I actually lost this post, the app was buried inside my desktop iTunes and I had a pretty hard time finding the app again.

melkior 12 years ago |

First of all, thank you for the promo code.

One of the first things I've noticed is that the app lacks a night mode (a dark theme). I think that would be really great. It's somewhat hard to concentrate on the text with a bright white screen blinding me in the dark.

It would be really nice if the app would ignore archived texts, or even better, move them to a different section of the app, so that we can revisit them if we want to.

Maybe ability to paste text into the app as well?

I noticed some reviews suggesting a pause at the end of the sentence or after longer/unusual words. That might be a good idea, although I didn't really suffer from the lack of those pauses.

Apart from that, I just went through a long(ish) text at 550 WPM without a hitch, so it works as advertised. Nicely done!

jacinda 12 years ago |

Looks like all the promo codes have been redeemed at this point. Any others available?

Curious if you used the Spritz (http://www.spritzinc.com/developers/) API for this or something else? I'm able to do the 700 wpm they have on their website - look forward to trying something faster.

EC1 12 years ago |

Perfect, exactly what I needed especially with Pocket integration. I was learning iOS development and building this exact thing with my friend.

Thanks for releasing it, I might start reading off my iPhone now.

jrnkntl 12 years ago |

Thank you, I used code W4JXTPWL4HTR. Going for a week of traveling tomorrow, so will test it out with my Pocket account.

devplayer 12 years ago |

I liked the demo of the app. After a couple of articles, I am reading at 400WPM. Lets see how much I can improve.

Thanks for the promo.

alagu 12 years ago |

Nice app! Could you give some more promo codes? All of them are used.

cheu125 12 years ago |

thanks, pocket integration is a big plus for me. thanks for the promo code too.

Dnguyen 12 years ago |

where do I put in the promo code?

db42 12 years ago | |

From iOS device: Open App Store -> Redeem

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1574#iOSdev

Dnguyen 12 years ago | | |

code not valid. :(

bitterPlutonium 12 years ago |

thanks for the promo code! :)