App shows users only the news they have time for

Few Minutes is an app that delivers news articles filtered according to how long they take to read.

The sheer amount of attention-grabbing headlines online at any one time can overwhelm even the most avid digital reader. We have seen a number of platforms which aim to make their content more succinct. Clippet, for example, creates one-minute long, daily news clips for millennials to listen to on the go. Now, Few Minutes is an app that delivers news articles filtered according to how long they take to read.

To begin, users simply download the app for free from Google Play — Chrome and Apple versions are coming soon. Next, they specify a reading length — from two minutes to 15+ — and choose a category such as news, entertainment, technology and buzz, or cooking and baking. The app will then suggest the most popular stories in the chosen categories. After reading users can like or share the content, or save it for later.

There are other platforms specifying reading time as a part of their service — one example is The Pool, a female-driven news site founded by UK radio DJ Lauren Laverne and magazine editor Sam Baker. Many online publishers Bloomberg Businessweek are also now using progress bars to show readers where they are in the story.

Are there other ways of helping fast-paced consumers receive more tailored online content?