Earlier this year I explained how to get Instapaper to wirelessly send a weekly collection of articles directly to your Kindle. Of course you can also do this manually by simply downloading the Kindle-friendly file from Instapaper.com and copying it over via USB (or by visiting Instapaper on your Kindle–see Joel’s comment below), but if you’d prefer an automated desktop approach, try these two free Mac and Windows programs.
Ephemera (Mac – 10.6 “Snow Leopard”)
Ephemera is a small program built by German developer Carlo Zottmann. After you set it up, it can automatically launch when you connect your Kindle to your Mac, then download new Instapaper articles and copy them over as individual files to your Kindle.
If you delete the articles from your Kindle and then reconnect to your Mac, Ephemera will make sure they’re marked as archived on your Instapaper account. (Make sure you read this note from the developer to prevent Instapaper from archiving everything after your first Ephemera sync.)
Wordcycler (Windows – XP, Vista and 7)
Wordcycler is Texan developer James Sulak’s answer to Ephemera–he writes that he liked the concept, but needed a Windows-friendly version, so he wrote his own. Like Ephemera, it will automatically copy articles over when you connect your Kindle, and it will keep archived articles in sync as well.
Both programs can send the unread articles over in one big document too, but I’m not sure how or if the archiving functionality works in that case.
By Joel November 2, 2010 - 12:26 PM
?
Or…. you could just GO to “instapaper.com” directly from the Kindle, and click on the “Kindle” icon for your current articles. Free, easy and requires no extra computer.
I usually just type “instapaper.com”, then “goto” from the home screen. Once you’ve logged in, the Kindle retains your cookies so you (most times) won’t need to log in.
By Chris Walters November 2, 2010 - 1:27 PM
@Joel, Ha, of course you’re right. I can see this being an alternative route for someone who doesn’t have Internet access on the Kindle but does via PC–which is probably fairly rare, but still.
By Carlo Zottmann November 4, 2010 - 5:09 AM
@Joel, this will only work if you have a reader with net connectivity, like the Kindle 3. My K2 for example is unable to connect to the web, and that’s why I wrote Ephemera.
Also it’s worth noting that Ephemera doesn’t just work with Kindles but every USB-capable ebook device able to deal with HTML files. (I’m currently working on Ephemera 2 which will include much improved filing, MOBI & EPUB support.)
@Chris: thanks for the review/mention! Appreciate it.
Cheers from Germany,
Carlo
By Joel November 4, 2010 - 8:20 AM
@Carlo Zottmann,
Ah – well, I don’t know anything about Kindle 3′s – I have a Kindle 2 – which does have 3G net connectivity, at least hear in the US. That’s the only way I’ve ever connected to instapaper. I agree that the K3 with wifi makes it possible for anyone (near a wifi network).
By Fredrik November 2, 2010 - 5:25 PM
Excellent!
I use instapaper almost like a brain dump site. Everything I find that I want to read on my kindle I always add to instapaper. But it’s a bit of a chore to keep track of what’s been sync:ed and not.
I like it that this app is a two way sync, for a frazzled minded person like myself
By Booksprung » How to send web content directly to your Kindle January 19, 2011 - 1:06 PM
[...] vis USB: If you regularly plug in your Kindle to your PC, the free apps Ephemera (Mac) and Wordcycler (Windows) will sense when the Kindle is connected, download your Instapaper articles to the desktop, and copy [...]
By How to send web content directly to your Kindle | The Digital Reader January 19, 2011 - 1:33 PM
[...] vis USB: If you regularly plug in your Kindle to your PC, the free apps Ephemera (Mac) and Wordcycler (Windows) will sense when the Kindle is connected, download your Instapaper articles to the desktop, and copy [...]