Arc90 Lab’s Readability is a simple and essential tool that “makes reading on the web more enjoyable by removing the clutter around what you’re reading.”

Just choose your settings, install the bookmarklet in your browser’s toolbar, and enjoy content on even the busiest, most poorly-designed sites.

In the past, I’ve cited Readability as a signpost for designers struggling with IE6.

It’s also an invaluable aid to readers who use smart phones.

For instance, here is Roger Ebert’s review of Fellini’s 8 1/2.

On a desktop browser, although it’s not an aesthetically pleasant experience, you can probably read it. On a small iPhone screen, you can’t. It’s a nightmare. It’s everything designers shouldn’t do when they have text by a good writer with an audience of eager readers.

So what’s a reader to do?

Without Readability, there’s nothing you can do, but sigh and close the browser window. With Readability, you can read and actually enjoy what Roger Ebert has to say.

Invaluable.

Filed under: Accessibility, Design, The Profession, Tools, content

15 Responses to “Wish I’d invented it”

1. 
   John Lascurettes said on 11 February 2010 at 4:24 pm:

   I’ve been using Readability and Readable both for some time, both on the desktop and on mobile browsers. Each has its strengths and weaknesses so I haven’t found a preference for one over the other, just a preference for which one I’ll use for which contexts.

2. 
   Jared Stein said on 11 February 2010 at 4:27 pm:

   Yep! It’s an amazing piece of work that lets me read any web site on any monitor.

3. 
   winston said on 11 February 2010 at 4:29 pm:

   I find that if there is anything longer than a simple blog post, I will bookmark it with Instapaper and use either the iPhone app or the desktop browser page to read the article. It strips out all ads and formats it nicely, plus the iPhone app remembers where I was in the article last time I closed the app, meaning I never lose my place in anything I’m reading.

4. 
   Andrew said on 11 February 2010 at 4:34 pm:

   This is sweet. Thanks for pointing it out.

5. 
   Richard Ziade said on 11 February 2010 at 4:49 pm:

   Thanks for the kind words Jeffrey. Much appreciated.

   -Rich
   Arc90

6. 
   Chris Wigley said on 11 February 2010 at 4:49 pm:

   If you use Evernote, you can even dig up a bookmarklet script on the interweb that will take any web page, convert it with Readability, and post it to Evernote. I have the bookmarket, but can’t remember where I found it.

7. 
   Chris Wigley said on 11 February 2010 at 4:51 pm:

   Ah, here’s that bookmarklet for Readability + Evernote .

8. 
   Tantek said on 11 February 2010 at 8:11 pm:

   What Readability style/size/margin settings do you use Jeffrey?

9. 
   Paolo said on 12 February 2010 at 3:16 am:

   Wow, truly invaluable. Now, if only average newspapers webdesigners could release a real readable story page…

10. 
    Brade said on 12 February 2010 at 9:31 am:

    Thanks for sharing–this thing is good times!

11. 
    Justin said on 12 February 2010 at 9:56 am:

    One of the better bits to come to the interweb in some time!

12. 
    David said on 12 February 2010 at 12:44 pm:

    Is it just me or is it ironic that we, myself included, rave above an app that makes a website look like a printed page, be it broadsheet or book yet the internet is rife with scorn for print media and how the internet has made them redundant.

    Funny lot we are…

    David

13. 
    Theo said on 12 February 2010 at 5:43 pm:

    Nice tool, i was just wondering about the font-styles then i saw on the bottom right : Fonts by Typekit. Typekit is great.

    Thank you for sharing Readability

14. 
    Chris Coyier said on 13 February 2010 at 11:09 pm:

    In a similar vein, I made a bookmarklet for de-cruftifying pages for the purposes of print.

15. 
    Logo Design said on 18 February 2010 at 5:44 am:

    We have used Arc90 Lab’s Readability on many occasions. It’s quite comfortable to use. It’s main feature is that it wipes off the text it sees, drops off all the useless ads and pictures, formats everything in desired manner and produces the finished result. Cool !

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