I've been thinking more about magazine apps, what other magazines are doing, and whether a magazine can be user-friendly on an iphone. One article I read is skeptical about whether replicating print editorial in digital formats will sustain magazine publishing (
http://platform.idiomag.com/2009/05/top-magazine-iphone-apps/), suggesting that magazine apps should be something different or additional to the print-based version.
I'm not sure I agree. Part of the joy of a Kindle is being freed from the need to carry these paper copies around. Wired seems to make a good stab at an app, but it is not a replica of the magazine, but rather product reviews, videos, and blog postings. Texterity (now www.coverleaf.com) is offering (free for now) an iPhone optimized version of it’s online magazine-reading service. No plugins, no flash, just an easy-to-use browser interface. The magazines appear exactly as they would in paper form, only they are searchable, shareable, and linkable.
Other sites I've consulted:
http://www.apple.com/webapps/entertainment/texteritymagazines.html
http://cultofmac.com/magazine-app-is-a-sign-of-magazines-to-come/7527
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2008/01/zinio-introduces-iphone-portal-for-popular-magazines.ars
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/09/magazines-for-i/
http://info.texterity.com/info/2008GilbaneReport/
http://www.texterity.com/digital_publishing_insights/
Of course, Kindle is already doing this, and amazon.com lists many magazine subscriptions: http://www.amazon.com/Magazines-Journals-Kindle/b?ie=UTF8&node=241646011. If you have Kindle for iPhone, though, and try to buy one of these mags, you get the following error: "Periodicals such as newspapers, magazines, and blogs are not available on Kindle for iPhone at this time." Wonder why?
Zinio promises an app (http://img.zinio.com/iphone/info/), but I can't find it for download, and maybe they've only released the desktop version:
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2007/11/iphone-zinio.html
About Liz
- Liz Pohland
- Washington, DC, United States
- Welcome! I am currently a second-year PhD student in Texas Tech's Technical Communication and Rhetoric program. I am also editor of Intercom for the Society for Technical Communication. I began my academic career with a BA in English and French from Hollins College, with an emphasis in creative writing and poetry. In 1997, I graduated with my MA in English from Virginia Tech, intent on becoming an editor. My career in publishing started at Princeton University Press, as an editorial assistant to the English studies, anthropology, and art editors. After Princeton, I accepted an editorial and design position at the Folger Shakespeare Library, working on the academic journal Shakespeare Quarterly. I spent 10 years at the Folger, ultimately deciding that I was more interested in publishing, technology, and writing than in literary studies. In Fall 2008, I entered the Texas Tech program in TCR as an online student. Taking classes online has been an exciting adventure--one that I am so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of. I am now an on-campus student, thanks to a generous fellowship. I hope to finish my coursework by Summer 2010.
1 comment:
I still think you need to check out www.issuu.com - may be too simplistic for what you have in mind.
http://getsatisfaction.com/issuu/topics/iphone_support?utm_medium=widget&utm_source=widget_issuu discusses upcoming or at least potential iPhone application and alternatives.
This is not near as searchable, linkable, archival as you may want, but for rapid deployment and simple distribution it is very effective.
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