How to Use Pocket (Read Later App) Effectively.
So now we have access to a huge amount of information, like no one has ever had in the past. Anything you want to find out can be found in the Google search engine. But still; we never have enough time to read all the useful content we find on the Internet.
This is where later reading apps like Pocket come to the rescue.
The idea is simple: if you find an interesting article on the Internet, but you don’t have time to read it, save it in your pocket. And read on later whenever you like.
To get started with pocket, go to its official website. Create a new account and install its apps on every device you have. Watch this introductory video on Pocket
However, if you’ve been using it for some time, here are some tips and tricks on how to use your pocket more effectively. So let’s get started.
Pocket Tips & Tricks
# 1 Save to Pocket
We usually click on the pocket browser extension to save articles in our pocket.
But let’s say you have an article URL (like a link shared by your friend on social media) that you want to save, but without even opening that link in a new tab. To do this, right-click the link and select the Save in Pocket option. This is it.
Likewise, once you install the pocket extension, you will see a little pocket icon at the bottom of every post on sites like Twitter or Reddit. When you click on this icon, the links in the message are automatically saved in your pocket.
# 2 Save to smartphone’s pocket
If you stumble upon a good article on your smartphone, you can save it in your pocket using the app’s built-in sharing function. Almost every application has this option.
However, if your app doesn’t have this share feature, copy the article URL to your clipboard and open the handheld app. At the bottom of the screen, you will see save the copied URL to the list , click “Add” to confirm.
# 3 Save Articles to Laptop
The Pocket smartphone app downloads articles for offline use. This is convenient when you are on the plane and want to read your favorite article. But let’s say you want to get the same thing on your computer. So how do you do it?
Well, you can install the MAC Pocket app if you have OS X. And while there is no dedicated desktop app for PC and Linux user, you can try the Chrome pocket app. Like the smartphone app, it also stores articles for offline use.
# 4 Listen to the article (very helpful)
Pocket has built-in TTS support for Android and iOS apps. This means that you can listen to your favorite articles while walking or lying in bed. This way, you can turn any text on the Internet into an audiobook and listen to it on the go.
Of course, you won’t hear a natural voice like audible.com does. But reducing the playback speed and using a third-party voice engine helps a lot. I use this all the time.
# 5 Save from email
To save articles in your pocket by email, please send (or forward) an email to [email protected] . And add the url of the post to the body of the email.
Just make sure the email you use to send and the email you used to register in your pocket are the same. However, if you want to use other email accounts, you need to link them first. Click here to do this.
# 6 Save batch in pocket
Putting an item in your pocket is pretty quick. Right-click the link and select the Save to Pocket option. But let’s say you open a new blog and want to save hundreds of articles from it. In such cases, right-clicking on each article is not the best option.
Therefore, to keep bulk links in your pocket, use batch save to Pocket Chrome extension.
# 7 Use IFTTT
IFTTT or If this then this is a popular online service for automating the Internet. And guess what, with IFTTT, you can link your Pocket account to hundreds of other apps on the web.
There are many pocket recipes, but here are two that I use most of the time:
If you add a YouTube video to watch later to the playlist, it will automatically appear in your pocket account. And automatically save the archive of Pocket articles to Evernote.
# 8 Two pocket accounts in one device (Android only)
The pocket is smart. It offers you popular articles based on your reading habits. There is also the option to subscribe to popular content authors so you can read what they read. Quite helpful.
But tell me you don’t want pocket to track you for some articles. Now, the only way to do this is to create an alternate account for personal belongings. But then when you sign out of your main account, all your saved articles will disappear as well. Not a perfect solution, right?
The best workaround is to launch two instances of the same application (in this case a pocket one) using an Android application such as Parallels Access. It also comes in handy with other apps.
# 9 Remove Trending Stories from Chrome’s New Tab
Pocket recently started showing Popular Stories on Chrome’s new tab page. Now, while I love their recommendations, for me (and for many other Pocket users) this is overkill.
So, here’s how to remove these popular stories from Pocket. Right-click the Pocket extension button and go to Options. A new page opens with a set of Pocket settings. Find New Tab Recommendations and uncheck the box next to it.
