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Problems with Reader as a Pocket Replacement
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Posted by Daly de Gagne
Aug 1, 2025 at 03:50 PM
When I began using Reader a few weeks ago I quite liked it. However, over the last couple of weeks I have found it does not always faithfully copy articles from my news sites, and/or that it is very slow at doing so.
I wonder what other people’s experiences are with Reader?
I also wonder what other Pocket replacements people might recommend?
I organize my clipping with tags. Pocket was good at doing this, and Readers seems ok with it. However, it is a pain to have to check to ensure Reader is copying faithfully a whole article from The New York Times or Guardian.
Thank you.
Daly
Posted by Lucas
Aug 1, 2025 at 04:52 PM
Interesting. As I mentioned in the other thread about this, for now I’m using Instapaper as a Pocket replacement, and I have Instapaper syncing to Reader. Perhaps this would solve the issue you’re seeing?
The syncing from Instapaper to Reader isn’t instantaneous, but it seems to sync within a few hours—- depending on your flow, this may or may not be sufficient.
(FYI, it can be a bit confusing that Readwise and Reader—two products from the same company—can both separately sync with Instapaper and can also sync with each other. Last I checked, this wasn’t well documented.)
https://www.outlinersoftware.com/messages/viewm/46411
Posted by Paul Korm
Aug 1, 2025 at 09:06 PM
I’ve noticed that more captures in Reader are not successful. Not a huge number, but noticeable, especially from major news sites when Reader throws up a message about not being able to capture the content. I assume the root cause is content providers blocking scraping, which is their right. I can always print to PDF and import the PDF to Reader, which is a longer path but usually workable.
I wish Readwise would get around to fully merging Readwise and Reader into a single product. And clean up things like removing Pocket as a highlight source since there’s no there there anymore.
Posted by Daly de Gagne
Aug 2, 2025 at 03:07 PM
Lucas, thanks for your reply. Like you, I have found the Read/Readwise distinctions confusing.
Initially I liked Read, but am growing disappointed and want to replace it.
Posted by Daly de Gagne
Aug 2, 2025 at 03:14 PM
Hi Paul, thanks for your reply
Paul Korm wrote:
I’ve noticed that more captures in Reader are not successful. Not a
>huge number, but noticeable, especially from major news sites when
>Reader throws up a message about not being able to capture the content.
My experience also, except Reader usually doesn’t give me a message of being unable to capture content.
Also there are times Reader is slow in completing the capture.
> I assume the root cause is content providers blocking scraping, which
>is their right.
>I wish Readwise would get around to fully merging Readwise and Reader
>into a single product. And clean up things like removing Pocket as a
>highlight source since there’s no there there anymore.
I find that Pocket appears still to be working, because very recent saves are appearing there. I sincerely hope Mozilla reconsiders shuttering Pocket and gives it a new lease on life. I would gladly pay for Pocket.
Daly