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VertragingsApp Offers Readers Stories Based on How Long They Have Wait

Whether it is for 5 minutes or 50, we’ve all been told to hurry up and wait at one point or another. Delays are such a fact of life that I think it was the original reason reading apps were developed for PDAs (and then smartphones). After all, why nit read oin the gadget you have with you?

Delays like the ones which we all have experienced were also the inspiration for VertragingsApp. This iOS app was developed by a Dutch developer in partnership with a number of Dutch publishers. (The name, when fed through Google Translate, means "delays".)

It functions on a fairly simple premise. You tell the app how long you expect to be waiting and it will offer up a story which should take you 5, 10, or up to 60 minutes to read.

According to the iTunes listing, this app offer 300 pages of Dutch literature from Gerbrand Bakker, Roddy Doyle, Anna Enquist, Arthur Japin, Tessa de Loo, Marente de Moor, Frans Pointl, and more.

It’s an interesting idea, but I’m not sure it’s worth paying for. I’d much rather crack open which ever book I am reading at the moment and advance a few more pages.

What’s more, the texts in this app are apparently mostly samples of larger works and include links to where you can buy the complete editions. So basically you’re being charged for the privilege of reading samples of books which the publishers would like to sell you. Since this is effectively identical to advertising I would expect those samples to be free, not paid.

According to Querido, similar apps have been released in Germany and Sweden. I’m not sure if they changed the name, but if this is your sort of thing then it’s worth looking for.

iTunes via SpringWise

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Comments


Robert Nagle November 2, 2012 um 12:07 pm

This would be a brilliant idea for an anthology ebook. You could simply create different sections for amount of time needed to read. In fact, I generally love having multiple methods for how to navigate through a book. Proceeding through it "By time required" is an interesting one….


Juarez Rodrigues November 4, 2012 um 8:02 am

Well… this is an already-done idea:


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