Sorry for using some French here, but FUCK this.

I have been using Omnivore since June this year as alternative for Pocket and have been loving it. I normally don't love (web)applications, but this one ticked a lot of boxes: it looked good while keeping out of the way, is great at what it does (read it later with great highlighting), has solid integrations like with my Obsidian stuff, their browser plug-in is also really good; just click the thing and it scrapes the content very well, and even works on mobile firefox. And all this while not trying to shovel new... "content" into my face. I already have enough backlog.

This morning I received an email from them:

Hi all- 

We’re excited to share that Omnivore is joining forces with ElevenLabs, the leading AI audio research and technology company. Our team is joining ElevenLabs to help drive the future of accessible reading and listening with their new ElevenReader app.

As part of the ElevenLabs team, we’ll have an even larger platform to create accessible and engaging experiences for serious readers. We came to know ElevenLabs by integrating their ultra realistic AI voices into Omnivore—soon enough, listening to articles and books with ElevenLabs voices became one of our most popular features in Omnivore. We’re thrilled about this opportunity, and we wanted to share some info that’s important for you to know. 

First, all Omnivore users are invited to create a free account with ElevenReader. Our team has already shipped valuable updates to the ElevenReader app, and it’s incredibly powerful as a go-to reader and audio listening app that’s free:

Download for iOS | Download for Android

Next, all Omnivore users will be able to export their information from the service through November 15 2024, after which all information will be deleted. 

Lastly, ElevenLabs is committed to the developer community and the Omnivore codebase will remain 100% open-source for all users. This decision ensures that the broader development community can continue to build upon and improve Omnivore’s technology.

For more information about ElevenLabs and the ElevenReader app, or to experience the power of AI-driven Text to Speech technology, visit elevenlabs.io. 

Join us in the ElevenLabs Discord

Onwards, Jackson & Hongbo

There are some things to unpack here:

• Omnivore is joining ElevenLabs, an AI startup with venture capital backing that is focussing on speech synthesis
• They are driving people to ElevenReader, which is quite different from the clean Omnivore solution and has a completely different angle
• They give users a whopping 17 days to export their data after which it is just gone
• ElevenLabs raves about being 'committed to the developer community and the Omnivore codebase will remain 100% open-source for all users'

My decoder tells me that I finally found a service that is great at what it does (read it later with great highlighting), has integrations like with my Obsidian stuff and then they get acquihired into some AI start-up with no intentions to maintain or develop the service, that I have just over two weeks to export my data because screw users and oh, could I please please please sign up for this mighty fine unrelated service that is going to shovel some content my way?

If I sound angry and sarcastic, that is because I am. But most of all I am just sad. Again. Why can't we have nice things?

I guess I'll be looking into a new read-it-later service I guess, or learn how to host Omnivore myself. Or maybe even steal the browser plug-in and write something myself. But that highlighter was so convenient and well-done...

Edit: ElevenReader does not even have a web application. Quite the alternative for Omnivore alright...

This Reddit user shares my sentiments:

20 days from announcement to data deletion.

This moves me from annoyed to plotting their destruction.

(Reddit thread)