Just 24 hours ago I was in an Apple Store trying out both the iPhones and iPod Touches, and subsequently decided that I wanted an iPod Touch. My reasons were that I wouldn’t need the phone part of it, and wi-fi is ubiquitous on OU’s campus, so I wouldn’t use 3G.

And so I immediately noticed Marco Arment remarking that his upcoming app was well suited to situations without connectivity:

Personally, I can’t wait until I can use my iPod Touch away from a Wi-fi hotspot and feel like I’m doing something.
— Ars Technica on the imminent App Store launch. They’re going to love my app.

And then, just now:

Instapaper has been submitted for review.

Here goes.

Holy crap, Marco is bringing Instapaper offline! It would be perfect! It’s useful as it is, but it lives on the internet. There have been many times where I want to just sit down and read some of that stuff and I wouldn’t have internet connection. It’s been such a problem that I’ve been trying some Mac applications to archive web pages to read later, such as Together, but none work very well, and none are as simple and straightforward as Instapaper.

Before, I was looking forward to the App Store, but I wasn’t exactly ecstatic. The apps looked fun, but very few looked useful. Instapaper would be different. It’s already useful, and bringing it offline to a mobile device just gives it use anywhere. I’d use it on long trips or flights, when waiting around for someone, whenever I had a few minutes free.

When I eventually get an iPod Touch (I’m waiting for the new versions in September), Instapaper will be one of the first apps I look for.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Daniel Shusta