3
10 Comments

Newsletter to PDF

Hi guys!

The problem:
I have a lot subscriptions to newsletters and I want to read them offline
The newsletter contains links to articles and I don't want to open them in a browser because I'm offline :)

My vision of the idea.
Build a service or app that can "converting a newsletter to .pdf file"
A user can forward the newsletter to the service, then the service grab all articles links and convert the articles to .pdf file and send back to the user.

What do you think? Do you want this service?

Do you want this service?
  1. Yes
  2. No
Vote
  1. 2

    We are actually using the service like that for invoices. You just email to given address (eg in bcc), that replies back to all the PDF version.

    I’m skeptical about scalability of this business but definitely solves my need. :)

    1. 1

      Thank you for the comment.
      Could you give me a link to that service?

      1. 1

        Sorry, missed that, just popped in my notifications.

        Here is is https://www.tapdone.com/#try

  2. 2

    A few thoughts on my side as I subscribe to many newsletters.

    First let me share how I do it now so you can have more data around the current experience of someone like me

    1. I subscribe with [email protected]
    2. I auto filter all emails from this receiver to a folder
    3. I read this folder twice a week

    For you:

    1. If the problem is reading offline, focus on the problem first (first find out how many people have the same pain, since internet is so widely available now) - is PDF is only solution? Any other way to solve this problem?
    2. "A user can forward the newsletter to the service" -> anyway to eliminate this action? We're all lazy. Anyhow we can subscribe with a specific email address and that will auto trigger the use of your service? This means no work on user side, perfect.

    Cheers mate - as newsletter is blowing up, this is helpful if the solution you can create is easy.

    1. 1

      For your current case you need to add one step:
      2.1 create a filter/rule for the newsletter folder to forward emails to the service email

      1. "If the problem is reading offline" -> Yes, sometimes I'm offline or have a bad internet connection. I think "offline" is one use case.
        "is PDF is only solution? Any other way to solve this problem?" -> No. HTML, Markdown or any other readable format.
      2. Your idea is very good. I can implement it.

      I think about one feature like readability, mercury reader https://mercury.postlight.com/

      The service can grab all articles links and convert them to readable format (remove ads, change text size, colors, background color) and send back to the user.

  3. 2

    Sounds technically difficult, but why not?
    I always have internet, so I'm not really in the niche of this kind of app.

    • don't forget that PDF are not light, sending Newsletter + all the articles in PDF sounds heavy.
    1. 1

      Yes, PDFs are not lightweight, but the service can archive files to a .zip file.
      The service can deliver PDF files to Dropbox, GDrive, S3 .etc

      1. 2

        Quick thought - the idea of opening up dropbox/gdrive/s3 is hectic enough. I might as well just open my email folder.

        1. 1

          dropbox/gdrive/s3 - this is an optional feature

  4. 1

    I've received a bunch of inquiries regarding the PDF converting service I'm using.

    Full disclaimer: we use it for PDF versions of receipts and invoices, that we generate automatically, but clients want to receive as PDF copies.

    The service allows us to bcc: to the service when sending it an email, and the service responds back with a PDF version of the email, to all of the recepients.

    I know others have been using this service to generate "read offline" versions of any email-able content, like subscriptions, etc.

    Here is the link: https://www.tapdone.com/#try

Trending on Indie Hackers
Competing with Product Hunt: a month later 33 comments Why do you hate marketing? 29 comments My Top 20 Free Tools That I Use Everyday as an Indie Hacker 19 comments $15k revenues in <4 months as a solopreneur 14 comments Use Your Product 13 comments How I Launched FrontendEase 13 comments