AceReader Pro is a utility that makes the grand promise of being able to improve anyone’s reading efficiency, sometimes even doubling or tripling an individual’s reading speed. The trial version runs for 30 days but comes with some limitations.
Installation & Requirements
The program’s installation is very basic, offering few options and creating shortcuts automatically. After the setup is over, you will be able to see the Windows Installer log and the installer will also inform you that you can run the program by double clicking on the desktop icon. The supported operating systems are Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 and 8. A Mac version is also available with support for OS X 10.6.8 and greater.
Interface
After going through the mode selection screen, which lets you choose between Demo, Buy or Register, you get to the program’s main interface. The program’s interface is as old-school as it gets, with a small window right smack in the middle yet a borderless full screen mode nonetheless. The main window acts as sort of a selection screen, giving you easy access to all of the application’s modes.
AceReader Pro works a lot like a virtual classroom. The Course Mode gives you an activity list which acts as a guideline to your reading training. Everything you do will be crossed off the list and the Course Completion Status will increase. This little addition is wonderful because it provides a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, two necessary components in keeping the interest of the reader/student. There is a huge list of tasks that you can complete and each is presented in a pleasant and fun way.
Of course, if you want to do things manually, there is the so called Expert Mode. There you can load your very own text, through websites, PDFs, documents, e-mails, e-books and more. You can then set your custom settings like the reading speed and display mode and click on the Play button. The program will activate the reading training and you will have full control over what happens. The interface is like a multimedia player, although instead of a movie you will be reading text.
Navigating the rest of the application is extremely easy. The tabs at the top give you a general idea of what to expect and then all the options are enclosed in the same case so you will have no trouble finding out where is what. Every single window and every link will have a description that will be displayed on the right side of the screen. Even the options screen is presented as a list because clicking on any setting will give you a description on the right. Even though it might seem unnecessary at points, it will definitely be a fantastic help to inexperienced computer users.
Pros
-Detailed menus
-The interface is incredibly easy to work with
-Reading tests for all levels
-Fun and productive
-Loads of different modes
Cons
-Outdated look
Conclusion
Even if AceReader Pro does not improve your reading skills in the end, chances are that you will have a lot of fun using the program anyway. The way everything is presented is simply brilliant and other training applications should take some clues from this one.
