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Feb 9, 2010

The future of magazines – Sports Illustrated tablet demo

written by Daryl Woods

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad, few were surprised by its function as an e-reader. It was a poorly kept secret that Apple had engaged the publishing industry to envision their content on its “advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device”. I’m sure most of us imagined our favourite magazines on the tablet with the kind of interactivity we already get on web sites – a great improvement in user experience. Some publications may not see much beyond their existing offering translated to a digital format. The leaders will produce game-changing experiences.

Which leads me to the Sports Illustrated tablet demo. This is revolutionary. The SI team has done a stellar job putting this together. Here’s the play-by-play:

  • The action starts on the front cover.
  • Table of contents can be customized to reader preferences
  • Flip page view is similar to traditional magazine browsing
  • Text view puts images at the bottom of the screen as thumbnails
  • An image on a page could be a video or collection of photos
  • Photo collections in an article can be reviewed as a thumbnail grid
  • A circle gesture on the screen brings up a tool for sharing content
  • Reader can customize content access to personal preferences (eg. sport or team)
  • Advertising with rich content

It’s going to be fascinating to watch this medium develop. The traditional publishers have been handed a lifeline. If they deliver, they might reestablish themselves as the best sources of journalism and visual experiences. Instead of just treading water.

 

 

Comments
  • Norma Wyre Feb 12, 2010 Reply

    I don’t usually reply on articles I study but I’ve to say this was just great. Keep up the beneficial work.

  • Toronto travel guide Feb 13, 2010 Reply

    i like your writing style, very easy to understand. i will look foward your next post, keep it up.

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