BeeLine Reader

Facilitates on-screen reading using color gradients

Overview

BeeLine Reader is a digital reading technology that uses color to accelerate reading speed and literacy acquisition (by up to 50% and 75%, respectively, the company claims). While co-founders Nick Lum and Andrew Cantino developed the product to help people who spend lots of time reading on electronic screens, they also discovered it could help people with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. BeeLine offers a 30 day trial period for individual users; educational users may qualify for free use.

IMPLEMENTATION

BeeLine Reader uses a color gradient to guide a reader’s eye across text more efficiently. Users install the BeeLine reader plugin on their device browser, and the tool automatically converts text to include the gradient. Users can also take advantage of the product's compatibility with Amazon and Overdrive to use BeeLine for all books on those two platforms, across all devices.

BeeLine’s goal is to improve readers’ reading pace and understanding of the text.

PRICING

BeeLine charges individual users $10 per year for unlimited, ad-free use of its browser plugin. The PDF plugin costs $12/year, while the iPad app can be purchased for $5. The company offers volume discounts for educators for both the browser and PDF plugins.

WHO’S USING IT?

As of December 2015, BeeLine says that its plugin is used 16 million times a month by users in 120 countries. The company recently signed a multi-year contract to integrate its tools into the public computers in the California Public Library System.