Instapaper has just updated its Android app to version 1.2. First released mid-2012, the Android variant of the app did not have some of the features that made the Instapaper for iPad version the app of choice for reading internet articles offline.

Version 1.2 answers most of those concerns. This release adds the much-requested Pagination Mode, which emulates reading from a book or magazine. This feature comes with the option to scroll the page by tilting the Android device up or down. Along with other performance improvements, it has also added inline footnotes.

The first version of Instapaper was an instant hit. The “read later” option saves a copy of the web page, for later reading. It also syncs and updates the page almost instantly when the saved copy is read. A short version of the saved article can be read on the app. Tapping the link opens the page on the browser.

Instapaper's popularity stems from the ease with which it integrates with the browser. Unlike bookmarking sites, which stores links to web pages forever, Instapaper is more suited for users who just want a copy of the article on their mobile devices and then delete it after use.

Not everyone would find the need for a bookmark-and-forget app. But apps like Instapaper are very helpful for those who scan for interesting articles first on the web or through a mobile browser, and then prefer to read the article in-depth later. Instapaper is also noted for promoting long-form articles as it includes “The Feature,” a set of editor-recommended articles and web content.

Instapaper is available for $3.99 on the Google Play Store. If you'd rather go for a free app, you can go for Pocket (formerly Read it Later), which is also a popular offline reader for mobile devices.