Like many people, I get most of my news nowadays via Twitter. Whenever I find a story that interests me, I usually read it right away using the in-app browser.

My Twitter client of choice is Tweetbot. I do this at the expense of a read-it-later service like Instapaper, because I find more often than not that I want the information right now and I’ll take the time to get it. Unfortunately, my desire for instant gratification has relegated my use of Instapaper virtually non-existent in practice, despite the fact that I continue to hold the service (and others like it) in theoretical high esteem.

Although I will read a story within Tweetbot’s in-app browser, the reading experience isn’t ideal, especially on iPhone. In those cases, I will use the Action button to send a page to Safari to read there. Unfortunately, there are times when the trusty pinch-to-zoom gesture won’t work with a website, so I switch to Reader View. I’ve found Reader View to be great: it’s not perfect, but it’s a handy tool and, most importantly to me, visually accessible.

Reader View in Safari is a rudimentary version of Instapaper, insofar that it strips webpages of everything except text and images. The idea is, of course, that the removal of any distractions makes for a more pleasant reading experience. Tap the icon on the left side of the address bar and you’re presented with a white page with black text and a button for controlling text size; tap it again and you’re taken back to the original page. Apple even lets you know when Reader View is available for a page, flashing a quick “Reader View Available” message in the address bar as a website is loading.

There is both good and bad about Reader View. The good is twofold: (1) I’m able to read in a calming, distraction-free environment; and (2) I’m able to make the text as big as I need in order to see comfortably. I feel no eye strain or fatigue while reading. Conversely, the bad is that Apple gives you no other font choices except for Helvetica Neue.

Personally, I like Helvetica Neue and find it perfectly legible, but my opinion is my opinion. Furthermore, while I can adjust the font size to be as big or small as I need it, the act of adjustment could be better. As it stands today, pressing the “Aa” button will show you the text getting bigger in real time. I find this a bit too abstract for my vision, as sometimes I miss the incremental changes in the size. I’d prefer it if Apple would add a number to each size, akin to what you find in word processors such as Word and Pages. This way, I could see and know what, say, 18 point font looks like, and maybe even save it as a global setting.

The accessibility merit of Reader View is high, at least for me. Its feature set is decidely more bare bones than, say, Instapaper’s, but that’s okay. All I want to do is read something quickly without necessarily having to use another app, and Reader View provides that for me. There is no extraneous page cruft and I can make the font as big as I need it to be. Yes, more font choices and the like would be welcome additions, but Apple’s gotten the foundation right. In short, I find Reader View to “just work” for what I want out of it.

Like with pinch-to-zoom, Reader View, at first blush, seems like a small thing, but the reality is its usefulness is underrated. As a visually impaired person, I find Reader View to be one of iOS’s best, albeit unheralded, accessibility tools. It makes reading better for me, plain and simple. I hope Apple continues to improve its functionality, as I very much enjoying using it.

During the conception of the original Xbox, Microsoft is said to have considered several proposals, including one that meant giving the console away for free.

More games! Stealth Inc 2 ditches the linearity of its predecessor and returns with a gloriously expansive Metroidvania style overworld.

Stealth Inc 2 tasks players to escape from a meticulously detailed bit style factory crammed with nefarious puzzles, deranged traps, hostile machines and environmental hazards.

Future Factory is a new Windows Phone game that hit Store shelves last week. This arcade styled shooter provides you with plenty of robot targets to blow up and shoot up.

The story line has you battling your way out of a secret factory where robots rule and humans are not allowed. The game has appealing graphics, challenging game play and plenty of weapons to buy and upgrade.

While the game is not available for low-memory devices (the developers are working on it though), it is another quality product from the AppCampus project and well worth a try.

Customers affected by HTC One M9 delays are being offered updated shipping info and money off accessories.

Chinese consumers are reportedly disappointed by Apple’s trade-in prices for old iPhones, offering substantially less than what’s available through private recycling stores.

According to a ZDNet report, consumers aren’t content with discounts offered by Apple when looking to trade-in their old products for the new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or other hardware by the company:

“One woman in Shanghai was ‘stunned’ to learn that her old iPhone 4 was only worth $40 credit to Apple’s products, according to a Sina news report. In China, the 16G iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, and iPhone 5s are officially priced at 6,088 yuan ($973), 5,288 yuan ($846) and 4,488 yuan ($718), respectively.

Apple is adopting a unified trade-in price for iPhones of the same generation in China, regardless of the memory sizes and conditions, as it still offers up to $240 even if it is a “new” iPhone 5s, according to the report.”

What’s interesting about the report is that prices offered by Apple are reportedly far lower than what consumers can receive from the recycling market. Apple offers around $240 for the iPhone 5s, $80 for the iPhone 4S and just $40 for the iPhone 4. ZDNet cites latest data showing substantial differences between the two, with private outlets offering up to $176 for the iPhone 4S.

Source: ZDNet

Net Applications has posted its desktop operating system market share numbers for March 2015, showing a big gain for Windows 7 worldwide. Meanwhile, numbers for Windows 8 and 8.1 remain steady for the most part.

The popular photography app Fhotoroom has been bumped to version 14.15, introducing a number of new features, as well as addressing a few issues. We’re also looking at grain and hue controls, which have been added to bolster editing functionality.

This all-white cable measures 3ft. in length and has a USB 3.0 plug on one end, and a 21-pin plug on the other. You can easily plug into your computer to charge or sync your movies, pictures or data at any time. Included with the cable is a travel adapter that plugs into a standard wall outlet. On sale today for $16.95

Made from a high grade glass with a 9H hardness rating, the VITREO protector is shatterproof, allowing it to absorb more impact than your regular PET screen protector and prevent damage from occurring to your display. The surface feels just like the device’s screen without interfering with optical clarity while giving you an extraordinary level of protection. Available today for $19.95