This software program is designed to help users overcome what the company considers the two main obstacles to reading quickly – articulation and “back-skipping.” Articulation is the habit of pronouncing words when a person reads them. The person then becomes dependent on pronouncing each and every word in order to read. The time it takes for your brain to process the articulation takes away from reading speed.
The other obstacle Best Reader is designed to help the user overcome is what they call back-skipping. Back-skipping is when the reader goes back to re-read text that has already been read. The company estimates that a reader has to make anywhere from 10 to 15 back-skipping motions for every 100 words of text read. Again, this obstacle cuts into the speed a person can read.
Overview
As of the date of this review Best Reader speed reading software is available in downloadable form only.
Best Reader features reading comprehension exercises, and exercises to help the user improve their field of vision and peripheral vision to improve reading speed. A problem with the reading comprehension exercises is that there are only 92 texts a person can use to practice his or her speed reading skills. This number is low compared to the top rated products on the market. It does appear from the company’s website that a user can upload any document that is formatted in *.txt or *.rtf format.
One thing that a user might find confusing is that reading speed is measured in the number of characters read per minute, not number of words. Many of the other speed reading software products you find measure speed in words per minute.
Features
Users have the ability to change fonts and text size, which is expected in any program. The ability to customize the program in this way is good for users who might have vision problems.
Questions are given after the reading exercises to measure reading comprehension. Test results are provided but the program does not state what questions were answered incorrectly. After the vision improvement exercises the program gives a set of recommendations to the users based on their performance.
The software program offers an unlimited amount of vision exercises. Exercises designed to widen the field of sight are available in the program. The program also has Schulte table exercises, also
Help/Support
There is an online help file available for users of the Best Reader software program. It covers basic technical issues with the program (such as system requirements, how to change fonts or column widths). An email address is provided on the website for contact, but it is a general email. The company does not offer services such as telephone, online chat, or even snail mail support. Many of the other speed reading software programs and companies offer their users a variety of ways in which to contact the company. BBAD does not provide this on their website. The FAQ section on this website is light on content as well.
Conclusion
Best Reader speed reading software does not have as many of the features a user would find in some of the other programs on the market. The price is low ($29.95) so one might not expect to get all the bells and whistles found on a more expensive program.
The company does offer a limited free trial of the software program (a one day trial) so you can try it out before you buy it. This free trial is available for download on their website.
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