Readwise and Reader Overview
- Readwise functions as a bridge that collects highlights from various sources and exports them to storage applications like Obsidian or Notion. 0s
- Readwise Reader serves as an inbox for diverse content types, including newsletters, RSS feeds, Twitter threads, articles, and YouTube videos. 15s
- Highlights and personal notes made within Readwise Reader are saved to Readwise and subsequently exported to a chosen destination application. 25s
- A Readwise account is required to utilize Readwise Reader, as the primary Readwise service manages the importing and exporting of data. 35s
Obsidian Integration and Configuration
- To integrate Readwise with Obsidian, the official Readwise plugin must be installed and enabled within the Obsidian community plugins settings. 1m5s
- The Readwise plugin in Obsidian can be configured to resync automatically on an hourly basis rather than manually. 1m15s
- Readwise provides a 30-day free trial for new users, with additional time available through referral links. 1m25s
- Within the Readwise export settings, users can designate Obsidian as a destination and define the folder structure for imported content, such as separate subfolders for books and articles. 1m35s
- Custom formatting options in the Readwise export settings allow users to modify the YAML front matter and the structure of imported highlights. 1m55s
- Adding specific tags, such as "readwise inbox," to the YAML front matter allows users to identify and review new highlights within their Obsidian vault. 2m10s
- Users can include metadata like "note created" and "last modified" dates in their Obsidian notes to maintain consistency with existing vault structures. 2m20s
- Readwise settings can be configured to organize highlights in Obsidian, resulting in a more structured layout than the default configuration 0s.
Content Capture and Source Management
- Readwise Reader functions as a centralized landing ground for online content, including newsletters, RSS feeds, Twitter threads, and YouTube videos 35s.
- Users can subscribe to email newsletters using a dedicated Readwise email address, which allows content to appear directly in Reader for better UI management and potential export to Obsidian 1m15s.
- Content highlighted within Reader is automatically exported to the Obsidian vault based on the user's established configuration 45s.
- Tweets can be saved to Readwise by replying to them with "save to read wise" or by sending them as a private message to the Readwise Twitter account 2m5s.
- Twitter integration settings allow users to choose whether single tweets or threads are saved to Readwise, enabling the exclusion of threads from the Obsidian vault to prevent clutter 2m25s.
- YouTube videos used for learning can be opened in Reader via a browser extension, allowing users to highlight transcripts and add notes that are subsequently exported to Obsidian 3m0s.
- Kindle highlights are automatically synced to Readwise and then to Obsidian, facilitating a seamless workflow for book notes 3m25s.
- Articles discovered through external sources like Hacker News can be moved into Reader for consumption and potential saving to Obsidian 3m40s.
Brilliant.org Learning Platform
- Brilliant.org is an interactive online learning platform that provides courses on STEM topics, including math, data science, and computer science, with content tailored to various skill levels 0s.
- The "Thinking in Code" course on Brilliant.org teaches users how to design programs for real-world applications, such as map navigation or automated messaging 25s.
Processing and Connecting Knowledge
- Processing highlights is essential to prevent them from becoming stagnant archives, as relying on manual searching is often ineffective for long-term knowledge retention 55s.
- By using the "readwise inbox" tag in Readwise, highlights are automatically tagged upon export to Obsidian, allowing for easy identification of unprocessed content 1m15s.
- A dedicated "Readwise inbox" page can be created in Obsidian using a Dataview query to generate a table of all notes currently marked with the "readwise inbox" tag 1m35s.
- Processing involves either building new notes based on highlights or integrating them into existing knowledge to ensure they remain discoverable 2m0s.
- The Obsidian local graph view is a primary tool for connecting highlights to the broader vault, allowing users to visualize incoming, outgoing, and neighbor links 2m15s.
- Increasing the depth setting in the local graph view enables users to see connections between notes that are not directly linked, facilitating the discovery of older highlights 2m35s.
Subscription and Future Pricing
- Readwise is considered a valuable tool, particularly when used in conjunction with the Reader application, which justifies the subscription cost 3m5s.
- Readwise Reader intends to adjust its pricing structure for new subscribers once the application exits its beta phase later this year 0s.
- Existing subscribers who sign up before the conclusion of the beta period will be exempt from any future price increases 7s.
- Prospective users can access a free trial of the service, with an extended 60-day trial period available through specific referral links 15s.
