New Mac tool for 2-way Instapaper sync

Carlo Z · 02-02-2010, 06:16 AM

I hope this is the right board… I think it is, but if it isn't: apologies to the mods, feel free to move the thread to whereever.

Hi all,

the name's Carlo Zottmann, I'm a software dev from Munich, Germany, and I've been lurking the MobileRead forums for a few months by now. So far I didn't have anything to say, but now I have, and here I am.

Yesterday, I've released my first Mac tool. It's called Ephemera and allows for two-way syncs between a reader and one of my favourite sites, Instapaper.com.

(Instapaper is brilliant… It lets you mark pages on the net for later reading; when you have time, you catch up with your reading list. But that's just the first half of it; its second half is an iPhone client which lets you read the content-only, stripped-of-fluff versions of those pages on your handheld. Loving it.)

Having used IP for a few months, as soon as I got my Kindle I knew I just had to get my news on it as well. And only a few weeks later, here I am. Since app programming on a Kindle isn't possible (yet), I wrote the next best thing: a Mac app.

Ephemera will synchronize your ebook reader with Instapaper.com via USB. It works with the Amazon Kindle, Sony readers and pretty much any device capable of reading HTML, Mobipocket or EPUB files. Being a lazy person, I've also added some convenience features: Ephemera can automatically start up, sync, and then unmount your reader when it detects the USB connection.

Anyways, what good are tools unused? I'd be delighted if you guys could take a look, give it a spin, and let me know what you think. (Be gentle, please — it's my first Mac app.

)

Many thanks,
Carlo

PS: Right now, it requires OSX Snow Leopard running on 64bit. I'm working on the 32bit version, but I'm still wrangling MacRuby there…

chainring · 02-02-2010, 10:23 AM

Once you have the 32 bit version, I'd be happy to take it for a spin. Yep, I'm stuck in the stone ages.

kjk · 02-02-2010, 03:33 PM

Nice! I love Instapaper.

Carlo Z · 02-03-2010, 03:48 AM

Thanks for the encouragement!

There was some progress in the 32bit department yesterday, the main MacRuby dev acknowledged the problem, so with a bit of luck they'll provide a fix soon which would enable me to build a 32bit version of Ephemera.

Evbart · 02-03-2010, 07:09 PM

Wow, that's really cool! I love instapaper and i'm in Europe with a kindle 1 so I can't sync over the air, and I have a mac

would love to try it out when you have the 32 version up

Carlo Z · 02-16-2010, 02:53 PM

I've just released Ephemera v1.1 — it has 32bit support (finally), better auto-sync, support for password-less accounts and a couple of bug fixes.

Let me know what you think!

randyharris · 05-13-2010, 01:52 PM

Ephemera and Instapaper are two deciding factors that have nudged me and I am now going to get an eReader, this combo makes it slick and easy to get reading material from the web onto an eReader - perfect for me.

Thanks!

chainring · 05-19-2010, 09:36 AM

Just saw this thread again from the post bump. Thanks for the 32 bit version. I can finally try it out and enjoy easily transferred articles.

Thanks!

02-02-2010, 06:16 AM	#1
Carlo Z Mac dev Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Munich, Germany Device: Kindle 2	New Mac tool for 2-way Instapaper sync I hope this is the right board… I think it is, but if it isn't: apologies to the mods, feel free to move the thread to whereever. Hi all, the name's Carlo Zottmann, I'm a software dev from Munich, Germany, and I've been lurking the MobileRead forums for a few months by now. So far I didn't have anything to say, but now I have, and here I am. Yesterday, I've released my first Mac tool. It's called Ephemera and allows for two-way syncs between a reader and one of my favourite sites, Instapaper.com. (Instapaper is brilliant… It lets you mark pages on the net for later reading; when you have time, you catch up with your reading list. But that's just the first half of it; its second half is an iPhone client which lets you read the content-only, stripped-of-fluff versions of those pages on your handheld. Loving it.) Having used IP for a few months, as soon as I got my Kindle I knew I just had to get my news on it as well. And only a few weeks later, here I am. Since app programming on a Kindle isn't possible (yet), I wrote the next best thing: a Mac app. Ephemera will synchronize your ebook reader with Instapaper.com via USB. It works with the Amazon Kindle, Sony readers and pretty much any device capable of reading HTML, Mobipocket or EPUB files. Being a lazy person, I've also added some convenience features: Ephemera can automatically start up, sync, and then unmount your reader when it detects the USB connection. Anyways, what good are tools unused? I'd be delighted if you guys could take a look, give it a spin, and let me know what you think. (Be gentle, please — it's my first Mac app. ) Many thanks, Carlo PS: Right now, it requires OSX Snow Leopard running on 64bit. I'm working on the 32bit version, but I'm still wrangling MacRuby there… Last edited by Carlo Z; 02-17-2010 at 11:36 AM.

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02-02-2010, 10:23 AM	#2
chainring Addict Posts: 210 Karma: 1000659 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650 (black), Kindle 3G	Once you have the 32 bit version, I'd be happy to take it for a spin. Yep, I'm stuck in the stone ages.

02-02-2010, 03:33 PM	#3
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Nice! I love Instapaper.

02-03-2010, 03:48 AM	#4
Carlo Z Mac dev Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Munich, Germany Device: Kindle 2	Thanks for the encouragement! There was some progress in the 32bit department yesterday, the main MacRuby dev acknowledged the problem, so with a bit of luck they'll provide a fix soon which would enable me to build a 32bit version of Ephemera.

02-03-2010, 07:09 PM	#5
Evbart Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindle	Wow, that's really cool! I love instapaper and i'm in Europe with a kindle 1 so I can't sync over the air, and I have a mac would love to try it out when you have the 32 version up

02-16-2010, 02:53 PM	#6
Carlo Z Mac dev Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Munich, Germany Device: Kindle 2	I've just released Ephemera v1.1 — it has 32bit support (finally), better auto-sync, support for password-less accounts and a couple of bug fixes. Let me know what you think!

05-13-2010, 01:52 PM	#7
randyharris Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Nook	Ephemera and Instapaper are two deciding factors that have nudged me and I am now going to get an eReader, this combo makes it slick and easy to get reading material from the web onto an eReader - perfect for me. Thanks!

05-19-2010, 09:36 AM	#8
chainring Addict Posts: 210 Karma: 1000659 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650 (black), Kindle 3G	Just saw this thread again from the post bump. Thanks for the 32 bit version. I can finally try it out and enjoy easily transferred articles. Thanks!

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