Frequently Asked Questions
About Zite
- Zite: What it's for and how it works
We all want to be in touch with the "Zeitgeist"-the spirit of our times. We want to know the current events, important ideas and smart opinions that are circulating in our world-what's happening and what's interesting. And we want to be challenged with experiences that are new and unexpected.
With so much information available online today, it's increasingly difficult and time-consuming to find the content we want. That's where Zite comes in. Zite evaluates millions of new stories every day, looking at the type of article, its key attributes and how it is shared across the web. Zite uses this information to match stories to your personal interests and then delivers them automatically to your iPad or iPhone.
Zite harnesses and blends decades of research that it has tuned during six years of product development. Only Zite delivers your personal slice of the Zeitgeist.
- How will Zite help me discover new sources for content?
We've all been there. We're overwhelmed by information and it's hard to find new sources for content. Zite makes it easy by tapping into your Google Reader and Twitter history and paying attention to how you interact with the articles you read. Zite gets to know you better and better over time.
- How is Zite different?
Zite is the first news reader to go beyond manual customization and make use of more powerful technology to provide an individually personalized experience. Your days of wasting time sifting through bad information are over.
- How can I review Zite at the Apple App Store?
If you've downloaded Zite, you can review and rate us directly on your iPhone or iPad by going to Zite review page or through iTunes on your desktop computer. And thanks for the review!
- Will Zite be available for my Android device, or desktop
computer anytime soon?
Right now, Zite is only available on the iPad and iPhone, but we're definitely hoping to bring it to other platforms. Follow us on Twitter to hear about all the latest developments!
- I have a great idea for how to improve Zite. Where can I send
it?
We'd love to hear it! You can contact us directly by emailing . As you'll see from this FAQ, we get lots of feature requests and we're working on implementing many of them in upcoming versions of Zite.
Questions about using Zite
- How does Zite choose content for my sections? Why did you leave
out my favorite sites?
Your Zite magazine is compiled using automated algorithms that find and deliver articles that have buzz: that is, they're being discussed on websites, blogs, and popular social media services. Your content isn't chosen by a person. If some of your favorite sites have limited traffic, they're less likely to appear in your sections. Of course, we're always working on improving our technology to give you content that's even more relevant and balanced.
- What does Zite do with my personal information, like my Twitter
feed?
Zite tracks your data to help personalize your magazine and the magazines of others. Your name and email address are never shared or sold. We do share some usage data with third parties but only when combined with that of other users — they'll never see your individual data on its own.
- What information does Zite use to personalize my content?
The single most important thing you can do is thumb up or down the articles you read — the more you do it, the better your personalized experience will be. Zite also keeps track of the links you and your friends share on Twitter and the articles you choose to read while using the app.
- How often does Zite refresh my content?
Zite refreshes every hour, so you'll see a range of update times for the sections you're reading.
- I share an iPad with someone else. Can we each have a Zite
account on the same device?
Yes! Create a new profile for each user.
- Can I transfer my Zite preferences to a new iPad?
Your Zite preferences are associated with your iPad and your Zite Profile, if you have created one already. You can transfer them by logging into your profile from another device. Alternatively, creating a backup of your current device and then restoring those settings to your new iPad will transfer your account information too. (See Apple's step-by-step instructions.) We're planning new functionality for future versions of Zite to make sharing across multiple devices even easier.
- How can I stop irrelevant content from appearing?
Zite learns your preferences the more you use it. If you're not interested in an article, thumb it down, and don't forget to thumb up articles you do like! Over time, you'll see more of what you want and less of what you don't.
- Is there a way to block a source so that Zite doesn't use it
again?
Yes. Once you thumb down an article you will see an option to block the domain that was the source of that article. Next time you refresh your magazine no content from that domain will appear in your Zite anymore.
- I've been seeing the same content from different sources. Can
you filter this?
We're working on reducing or eliminating duplicate articles.
- How are "Top Stories" selected?
The topics you enter to create your magazine get more personalized the longer you use the app. Zite highlights articles under Top Stories that it thinks will interest you the most.
- How can I share the articles I read on Zite?
You can share articles on many services including Twitter, Facebook, and by email. Once you've opened an article, tap one of the buttons on the bottom right of your screen.
- How can I save articles I read on Zite for later?
We've already added Instapaper, Delicious, and Evernote integration for saving articles as you read, and we've got more options on the way! You can save an article by clicking on the "Share Article" button on the bottom right of the street.
- How do I add a customized section?
On the bottom right of your Zite home screen, tap Customize, then swipe the screen from right to left to see a search option. You can search for and add as many personal topics as you like.
- Why does Zite ask me to link to my Google Reader and Twitter
accounts?
Linking Zite to Twitter and Google Reader lets it analyze your feeds to give you content personalized just for you. After that, you can choose subjects that you enjoy and enter thousands of your own specialized sections — the ultimate personal magazine.
- Why doesn't Zite show me all my Google Reader feeds?
Zite is different from an RSS reader or Twitter client. Instead, Zite taps into your Google Reader and Twitter feeds to learn about your interests and deliver you content it thinks you'll like.
- For articles with multiple pages, is it possible to read the
next page without exiting Zite?
We're aware of this issue and are working on a fix for an upcoming version.
- Does Zite plan to add offline access?
Yes, offline access to your articles is on our short-term to-do list!
- Can I get content in languages other than English?
Not at this time, but we hope to add new functionality for non-English content sometime in the future.
- How can I make small pictures larger?
You can see full-size versions of pictures by opening an article in web mode. Tap Web at the top of the page.
- I only want to see articles in reading mode. Can I choose that
as a preference?
Some publishers prefer that you only read their content in web mode. We're working on solutions that respect their wishes but also give you the option to view any article in reading mode.
- This is a great app if you live in the United States, but what
about content for other countries?
Zite is designed to learn as you use it. The thumbs up and thumbs down features teach Zite what you like and don't like, and the more you click on a certain topic or a particular source, the more frequently you'll see that kind of content in the future. We're aware that some sections right now, like Politics and Sports, don't represent the best worldwide view and are working on improving the balance between U.S> content and sources from all over the world.
- What will happen now that Zite has received a cease-and-desist
letter from media companies?
Above all, we care about you, our user, but publishers' concerns are also incredibly important to us. We're responding to issues and questions raised by publishers because we want them to be happy. Our goal is to work closely with them to give you the best app we possible can. We'll keep working hard to achieve it.
Technical questions and troubleshooting
- Zite keeps crashing. What should I do?
A very small number of users have experienced a problem with the app crashing. We've found that rebooting the device usually solves the issue: simply hold down the Power and Home buttons on your iPhone/iPad for 10 seconds. When the screen shuts off completely, restart with the Power button.
- Why can't Zite be faster?
Since we launched the app, users like you have discovered how Zite can change the way you read and discover great content. We've already added servers to help deal with these very high traffic volumes, and we're hard at work on more performance improvements for future versions. Thanks for your patience!
- Why do I get a message saying that Zite can't find enough
information about me even after I enter my Twitter and Google Reader
accounts?
That probably means that Zite can't get quite enough information about you to confidently and automatically determine your interests. This might happen if you have very few feeds or tweets to analyze, or if they're in a language other than English. But don't worry! Those sources have still helped Zite tailor your content, and as you add more interests and interact with articles, Zite will learn more and more about you.
- Why can't I share articles through my email?
When you share an article via email, Zite uses the Apple's built-in Mail app. To share by email, make sure that you've first set up an email account on your device.
- I've deleted a section, but it's still showing up in my Sections
panel. How can I get rid of it?
If you disable a section, it will be gone the next time you load the app.