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For many internet users, reading Facebook and Twitter is one of the first things they do each day. Although both offer an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family, they can also take a while to read. Paper.li is designed to present the information in a simple, fun format. Using Paper.li, users can compile their Twitter and Facebook links into a newspaper style document. This format gives the user an overview of the content posted on their favorite social networking websites. Not only is the newspaper design easier to read, it also requires less time to create and skim. The user doesn’t miss out on content they might find interesting, but they can spend less time searching through status updates for content.

Paper.li is the creation of the Switzerland-based web development company Small River. Small River was founded in 2008. The current team includes Edouard Lambelet and Iskander Pols. The application received angel funding in January of 2008 and 2010 as well as additional funding in January of 2011.

Many people maintain numerous social networking profiles and are always on the search for an easier way to catch up on them all. Paper.li is unique because it presents a fun, easy way to compile the content found on the user’s Facebook and Twitter profiles. The newspaper format is very familiar to anyone and helps break down the content into eye0catching headlines and easy to consume pieces.

The look of Paper.li is a big part of what makes it stand out. The system generates a clean, neat newspaper template populated by content found on the user’s Facebook and Twitter profile. The design looks much like a basic newspaper, with a headline, columns of content, and image worked in throughout. It doesn’t take long to scan through the content to look for truly interesting pieces the user may have otherwise missed.

A new user can create their first Paper.li newspaper by clicking on the blue “Create a Paper” button at the top, right hand corner of the homepage. A pop up box will appear and ask the user to sign in through either their Facebook or Twitter profile. This seems only natural considering these are the two resources required to generate a Paper.li newspaper. After one of the buttons has been selected, a new browser will open up a log in form for the social network the user chose.

Paper.li offers a fun service that makes it easier for users to read through all of the content posted by their contacts on Facebook and Twitter. That being said, the service is still relatively simple and requires the use of one or two other free services to work. Requiring a fee for such a service would most likely cause users to shy away. Luckily, Paper.li is available to anyone for free. All the user has to do is create their first Paper.li newspaper to utilize the application. There are no premium accounts offered at this point, with no indication of that changing anytime soon.

Paper.li is convenient application for anyone who spends a great deal of time browsing their Twitter or Facebook profiles. Content posted by the user’s contacts is presented in an easily digestible format that can reduce the amount of time spent browsing social networks each day.

• Connect and gather content from your existing Facebook or Twitter profiles
• Generate an easy to read collection of content in a newspaper format
• Read Paper.li newspapers generated by other users
• View Paper.li in English, German, French or Spanish
• Skim additional media, including images and videos

Paper.li video

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