I had a spare 30 minutes and I do not trust existing speed-reading extensions. Even when they are free, they could contain security issues or be sold off later. At least I know I will not sell my extension to some evil corporation.
So I built Speedy! It's A Chrome extension that transforms any webpage into an RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) speed reader. Read web content faster by displaying one word at a time with an optimized focal point.
Features
- Adjustable Speed: Set your reading pace from 100 to 1000 words per minute
- RSVP Technology: Words displayed one at a time with an Optimal Recognition Point (ORP) highlighted for faster processing
- Smart Content Extraction: Automatically extracts article content while filtering out navigation, ads, and other clutter
- Keyboard Controls: Use Spacebar to pause/resume and Escape to close
- Progress Tracking: See your current position and total word count as you read
- Full-screen Reader: Immersive reading experience with a distraction-free overlay
Installation
- Grab the source or from the Chrome web store when available
- Open Chrome and navigate to
chrome://extensions/
- Enable "Developer mode" in the top right corner
- Click "Load unpacked" and select the extension folder
- The Speedy icon will appear in your browser toolbar
Usage
- Navigate to any webpage you want to read
- Click the Speedy extension icon in your toolbar
- Adjust the reading speed using the slider (default: 300 WPM)
- Click "Read Page" to start the speed reader
- Use the controls or keyboard shortcuts to manage your reading session
Controls
| Control | Action |
|---|
| Spacebar | Pause / Resume |
| Escape | Close reader |
| Pause button | Pause reading |
| Close button | Exit reader |
How It Works
Speedy uses RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) to display text one word at a time at your chosen speed. Each word is positioned so that the Optimal Recognition Point (ORP) - highlighted in orange - stays fixed in the center of your vision. This eliminates eye movement and allows for significantly faster reading speeds.
The ORP position is calculated based on word length:
- 1 character: 1st letter
- 2-5 characters: 2nd letter
- 6-9 characters: 3rd letter
- 10+ characters: 4th letter
You can grab the source code from Github:
Source
It's on Chrome webstore now!
