Indexisto - a new generation mobile browser-reader
Thorny and pivotist path startups. Here we are in the Indexisto continue the search for the best use of what we can do, and this is what happened:
We made a mobile browser-reader (for now only Android - tyts Play Market ). Further, in the process of the story, it will be clearer why there is a loud word “browser” in the title and why “new generation”.
Most of Habr's users are rather hardcore in their consumer preferences and the phrase “import OPML into 200 RSS feeds” does not frighten anyone. However, RSS readers in their pure form clearly do not explode the tops of mobile storage devices, and we have radically simplified the stage of adding threads and all sources already exist in the mobile application, and all that remains is to choose:
')
Add your RSS in the near future.
From the point of view of the internal structure of the service, we also do not focus on RSS. When you start the application, the requests go not to the addresses of the configured RSS feeds, but to our server and the request is only one (all the flows are already aggregated).
Moreover - all the articles we parse and pump out the old proven means from the previous incarnation Indexisto. We have a very powerful tool that allows us to describe the parsing task in simple language (xml):
As a result, we are able to show articles in crystal clear form by the native means of the mobile application. This means that we can make a request to the server for a picture at the desired resolution, show Youtube videos from the native SDK, play GIF and much more without a WebView. That is why we want to be called a browser - we essentially translate html to the native elements of Android (and soon iOS).
We also believe that the usual mobile browser is not very convenient for viewing content .
We do not steal content. To begin with, we always look at the ToS site. On many sites, content can be taken entirely with the active link, which we are doing. If there is no ToS, we contact the owners and ask for permissions: for many sites, content coverage is more important than direct referrals (called Content Marketing). In the picture: our “CRM” in excel, in which we still conduct rights-related business:
Well, in the worst case, we cut the content in order to ensure the transition to the site. At the same time, the transition process to the site is done as seamlessly as possible, the page is loaded in the background while you read the uncircumcised part, and then you smoothly get to the site to the desired page, wound to the right place:
At the same time, we have confidence in the bright future of the aggregator and we are preparing excellent conditions for the advertising model of monetization of content sites in our aggregator.
In addition to the fact that we can always beautifully show a completely ousted article in a mobile application, there are a number of important advantages.
For example, the ability to customize the feed for any word. Suppose you like Microsoft a lot and you’re afraid of missing important news. You tap on a paragraph of text in which the word Microsoft is present, the word is highlighted as a tag, you go by the tag and you see all the articles that have the word Microsoft:
(Russian doesn’t work very well; they didn’t manage to fasten the stemming and morphology)
The following features: full-text search with the ability to customize the feed (ala Google Alerts) and recommendations based on textual similarity.
I prefer the train instead of hours of traffic jams. Relying on the mobile Internet in terms of comfortable fast reading was not at all possible. Therefore, the pre-download and caching feature of the content was implemented in the first version. In the menu, you can adjust the frequency and depth of pumping. Pumped out articles and pictures to them. In order to read from the cache, you need to switch the application to offline mode:
As always, we have big plans.
First of all, one should always work on the quality of what is already there. The application is not perfect yet.
Secondly - it is always necessary to develop and attract new users. Here is what is planned for the relatively near future:
We welcome feedback!
While only Android version is ready. Indexisto in the Play Market . Or type in the search for the Play Market Indexisto.
We made a mobile browser-reader (for now only Android - tyts Play Market ). Further, in the process of the story, it will be clearer why there is a loud word “browser” in the title and why “new generation”.
Pre-assigned sources instead of RSS.
Most of Habr's users are rather hardcore in their consumer preferences and the phrase “import OPML into 200 RSS feeds” does not frighten anyone. However, RSS readers in their pure form clearly do not explode the tops of mobile storage devices, and we have radically simplified the stage of adding threads and all sources already exist in the mobile application, and all that remains is to choose:
')
Add your RSS in the near future.
Server aggregation
From the point of view of the internal structure of the service, we also do not focus on RSS. When you start the application, the requests go not to the addresses of the configured RSS feeds, but to our server and the request is only one (all the flows are already aggregated).
Downloading and parsing articles
Moreover - all the articles we parse and pump out the old proven means from the previous incarnation Indexisto. We have a very powerful tool that allows us to describe the parsing task in simple language (xml):
- What. RSS feed, public, website, Youtube channel ...
- How. Where to get the title, where to get the body of the article
- When. For example, check for updates every 5 minutes
- What for. Set the necessary post handlers (cut out extra tags, normalize, convert to JSON)
As a result, we are able to show articles in crystal clear form by the native means of the mobile application. This means that we can make a request to the server for a picture at the desired resolution, show Youtube videos from the native SDK, play GIF and much more without a WebView. That is why we want to be called a browser - we essentially translate html to the native elements of Android (and soon iOS).
We also believe that the usual mobile browser is not very convenient for viewing content .
Why are you stealing content?
We do not steal content. To begin with, we always look at the ToS site. On many sites, content can be taken entirely with the active link, which we are doing. If there is no ToS, we contact the owners and ask for permissions: for many sites, content coverage is more important than direct referrals (called Content Marketing). In the picture: our “CRM” in excel, in which we still conduct rights-related business:
Well, in the worst case, we cut the content in order to ensure the transition to the site. At the same time, the transition process to the site is done as seamlessly as possible, the page is loaded in the background while you read the uncircumcised part, and then you smoothly get to the site to the desired page, wound to the right place:
At the same time, we have confidence in the bright future of the aggregator and we are preparing excellent conditions for the advertising model of monetization of content sites in our aggregator.
Why do you even need the full text of the articles?
In addition to the fact that we can always beautifully show a completely ousted article in a mobile application, there are a number of important advantages.
For example, the ability to customize the feed for any word. Suppose you like Microsoft a lot and you’re afraid of missing important news. You tap on a paragraph of text in which the word Microsoft is present, the word is highlighted as a tag, you go by the tag and you see all the articles that have the word Microsoft:
(Russian doesn’t work very well; they didn’t manage to fasten the stemming and morphology)
The following features: full-text search with the ability to customize the feed (ala Google Alerts) and recommendations based on textual similarity.
Downloading articles and offline reading.
I prefer the train instead of hours of traffic jams. Relying on the mobile Internet in terms of comfortable fast reading was not at all possible. Therefore, the pre-download and caching feature of the content was implemented in the first version. In the menu, you can adjust the frequency and depth of pumping. Pumped out articles and pictures to them. In order to read from the cache, you need to switch the application to offline mode:
Plans
As always, we have big plans.
First of all, one should always work on the quality of what is already there. The application is not perfect yet.
Secondly - it is always necessary to develop and attract new users. Here is what is planned for the relatively near future:
- Constant addition of new sources, work with copyright holders.
- Adding your RSS feeds for hardcore RSS users
- The system of ratings and comments, with the ability to sort articles by popularity (ya Reddit).
- Social graph - what your friends are reading.
We welcome feedback!
While only Android version is ready. Indexisto in the Play Market . Or type in the search for the Play Market Indexisto.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/239455/
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