Dotdotdot – Improving the way we read

Dotdotdot is a cross-platform reading app that makes it easier for people to consume all types of long-form media. Ebooks and magazine articles can easily be read, saved, and shared from within the Dotdotdot app, and users have the option to get recommendations for other articles they may enjoy based on their current selections.

Few people have the time to read long-form texts (like feature-length articles and books) in just one sitting. But what happens when you start reading an ebook on your desktop, and then find yourself on the subway with only an iPhone in your pocket? With Dotdotdot, you can import texts from multiple sources and then open up those texts on whichever platform you’re using at the moment. Dotdotdot removes everything except the text on any articles you’re reading, clearing the way for a more clutter-free media experience. It also gives you dozens of editing and collaboration tools, allowing you to highlight or tag your favorite sections and share those passages with friends through social media. Anything you highlight is added to your Dotdotdot archive, and you can search this archive to re-discover articles you’ve read in the past at any time.

Another major component of Dotdotdot is the app’s discovery engine. Follow other users to find out what they’re reading, and to receive recommendations on which articles or ebooks you should check out next. You can also collaborate on long-form articles with friends or colleagues, sharing comments and feedback directly through the platform.

Practical Uses:

• Save articles to read on the bus
• Highlight your favorite parts of a book you’re reading
• Share your favorite magazine articles with friends
• Discover new authors whose work you may enjoy

Insider Tips:

• Dotdotdot is available on desktops, iPhones, and iPads
• Browse the web through Dotdotdot, then click “Import” when you find an article you’d like to read later
• Users can highlight or tag their favorite parts of any text
• Users can import ebooks by connecting to their Dropbox accounts

What we liked:

• People can use Dotdotdot to read all different types of media content
• Users can track their own reading habits on the Dotdotdot dashboard
• Dotdotdot offers a browser extension that people can use to save articles
• Friends can read books at the same time, and share notes about their favorite parts

What we didn’t like:

• Dotdotdot doesn’t currently offer an Android app

Alternatives:

• Oyster – http://www.oysterbooks.com
• Pocket – http://getpocket.com
• Readability – http://www.readability.com
• Readmill – https://readmill.com

Company Info:

• Launched: February 2013 (Beta)
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
• Founded by: Thomas Schinabeck
• Web site: https://www.dotdotdot.me

Costs:

• Free