Too much to do, not enough time! Sounds familiar? No wonder we feel frustrated when we have to read large amounts of material in limited time.

Due to our dwindling attention span caused by technology and the emergence of e-books, rapid serial visual presentation technology, or RSVP is becoming more popular. It’s not new technology, and in fact, has been around for almost a decade now. (*see below for alternative speed readers)

The latest of these applications is Spritz. The Boston-based company specialises in text streaming technology and how it can be integrated into our daily communication. When Samsung released the Gear S Smartwatch Spritz even came pre-installed with it.

According to Spritz, when we read, we only use 20% of our time to actually process what we’re reading. The other 80% is spent wasted moving your eyes around and scanning for the “Optimal Recognition Point” (ORP)

The ORP is a specific section of a word your brain needs to process to understand the written text. It then assembles each word into an understandable sentence. Spritz does this thinking for you by highlighting the OPR in red and aligning them all at the same place on your screen. Subsequently your eyes focus on only one spot, which in turn causes you to read faster.

Spritz allows you to choose your own reading speed ranging from 250 words per minute to 1000 words per minute. With practice your reading speed will increase and you’ll be able to not only read efficiently, but also comprehend what you’ve read.

We’ve tested Spritz and it does enable you to read much faster than you normally would. If you need to read documentation for work or research, Spritz might well be the answer. But do you really want to read a novel in an hour and a half? (Quite possible according to Spritz)

This way of reading might however be beneficial for people suffering from dyslexia, a short attention span or other reading disabilities.

Spritz is available in both an application format for your phone or e-reader, but also as an add-on called Spritzlet for your web browser. Both can be downloaded for free at www.spritzinc.com.

*Alternatively also try Spreeder, Quickreader, Read Quick or Firefox’s RSVP reader.

[SOURCES: www.cbsnews.com, www.time.com, www.globalnews.com, www.abcnews.com]

Te veel om te doen, te min tyd! Klink dit bekend? Dis geen wonder ons raak gefrustreerd as ons skielik opgesaal word met `n stapel leesstof waardeur ons moet werk nie.

Te danke aan die geleidelike afname van ons aandagspan te danke aan tegnologie en die toename van e-boeke, word “rapid serial visual presentation technology”, of te wel RSVP, word al meer populêr. Dis nie nuwe tegnologie nie, inteendeel, dis alreeds vir `n dekade in die rondte. (*sien onder vir alternatiewe spoedlesers)

Die nuutste van hierdie toepassings, is Spritz. Die Boston-gebaseerde spesialiseer in teksstroom tegnologie en hoe dit geintegreer kan word in ons daaglikse kommunikasie. Die Samsung Gear S slimhorlosie is selfs vrygestel met Spritz reeds daarop geinstalleer.

Wanneer ons lees, gebruik ons slegs 20% van die tyd om dit wat ons lees te verwerk, beweer Spritz. Die orige 80% word vermors omdat ons oë heen-en-weer moet beweeg en soek na die “Optimale Herkenningspunt”(ORP).

Die ORP is `n spesifieke gedeelte van `n woord wat jou brein moet verwerk om die geskrewe teks te kan vertsaan. Dit voeg dan elke woord saam om `n logiese sin te vorm. Spritz doen hierdie verwerking vir jou deur die OPR in rooi uit te lig en elke keer op dieselfde plek op die skerm te posisioneer. Gevolglik fokus jou oë net op een plek en jy kan vinniger lees.

Met Spritz kan jy jou eie leesspoed kies – van 250 woorde per minuut tot 1000 woorde per minute. Met oefening kan jy jou leesspoed verhoog en sal jy nie net vinniger ees nie, maar ook meer effektief en verstaan wat jy lees.

Ons het Spritz getoets en dit laat jou wel toe om baie vinniger te lees as wat jy normaalweg sou. As jy dokumentasie vir werk of navorsing moet lees, kan Spritz moontlik jou lewe makliker maak. Maar wil jy regtig `n roman binne `n uur en `n half klaarlees? (Heeltemal moontlik volgens Spritz)

Hierdie leesmetode kan wel tot voordeel strek vir persone wat ly aan disleksie, `n kort aandagspan of enige ander leesgebreke.

Spritz is beskikbaar in beide `n toepassing vir jou foon of e-leser, maar kan ook geinstalleer word as `n webblaaier-ekstra. Beide kan gratis afgelaai word by www.spritzinc.com.

*Alternatiewelik kan jy ook Spreeder, Quickreader, Read Quick or Firefox se RSVP -leser, probeer.

[BRONNE: www.cbsnews.com, www.time.com, www.globalnews.com, www.abcnews.com]