FAQ — InstAssistant

What is InstAssistant? InstAssistant is a web-based streaming voice assistant designed to give you complete voice access to Instapaper. InstAssistant does NOT use AI. Using a small set of intuitive commands, you can navigate your Instapaper home page, read an article, annotate it, archive it, and/or delete it. InstAssistant uses state-of-the-art speech-to-text (STT) and text-to-speech (TTS) services.: InstAssistant is a web-based streaming voice assistant designed to give you complete voice access to Instapaper. InstAssistant does NOT use AI. Using a small set of intuitive commands, you can navigate your Instapaper home page, read an article, annotate it, archive it, and/or delete it. InstAssistant uses state-of-the-art speech-to-text (STT) and text-to-speech (TTS) services.
How do I get started?

Sign up for an account at portal.instassistant.io, complete the short setup wizard, and click Launch. Your InstAssistant will be ready within seconds. No downloads or plugins needed.: Sign up for an account at portal.instassistant.io, complete the short setup wizard, and click Launch. Your InstAssistant will be ready within seconds. No downloads or plugins needed.
What devices and browsers does it support? InstAssistant works on most modern browsers — Chrome, Edge, and Safari — on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Firefox is NOT recommended. A working microphone and speaker (or headphones) are all you need. No operating system restrictions apply. Sound isolation is recommended for the best experience, especially in noisy environments. Most modern mobile earbuds with built-in microphones work well.: InstAssistant works on most modern browsers — Chrome, Edge, and Safari — on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Firefox is NOT recommended. A working microphone and speaker (or headphones) are all you need. No operating system restrictions apply. Sound isolation is recommended for the best experience, especially in noisy environments. Most modern mobile earbuds with built-in microphones work well.
Is my data secure? Yes. All audio is encrypted in transit using TLS. We do not store voice recordings after processing. Portal account credentials are hashed and salted. Your Instapaper password is used only to obtain and verify an access token, then deleted. After that, InstAssistant uses the stored Instapaper token to connect, and prompts you to reauthenticate only if that token later becomes invalid. We never sell or share personal data with third parties.: Yes. All audio is encrypted in transit using TLS. We do not store voice recordings after processing. Portal account credentials are hashed and salted. Your Instapaper password is used only to obtain and verify an access token, then deleted. After that, InstAssistant uses the stored Instapaper token to connect, and prompts you to reauthenticate only if that token later becomes invalid. We never sell or share personal data with third parties.
Can I customise the voice and response style?

Yes. The Voice Tuning panel in your portal lets you adjust the voice, reading rate, and interruption scheme. Changes take effect on the next session launch.: Yes. The Voice Tuning panel in your portal lets you adjust the voice, reading rate, and interruption scheme. Changes take effect on the next session launch.
What does InstAssistant cost? InstAssistant is in beta at the moment, so our pricing has not been set. If you would like to be included in the beta, please email us at beta@instassistant.com. When pricing becomes available, see the pricing page for full details.: InstAssistant is in beta at the moment, so our pricing has not been set. If you would like to be included in the beta, please email us at beta@instassistant.com. When pricing becomes available, see the pricing page for full details.

Frequently asked questions