Comments on: Can e-readers save magazines?

By: Tam Harbert

Tam Harbert — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:20:33 +0000

Also, magazine publishers may not want the iPad to be their platform. Today’s Wall Street Journal (March 18) quotes unnamed sources about how Apple is paring back expectations on its content:

“Apple also hoped to work closely with newspaper, magazines and textbook publishers on new ways to digitally present print content on the iPad, but has for now put the effort on backburner in favor of focusing on other content.”

By: Tam Harbert

Tam Harbert — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:30:41 +0000

I, too, am intrigued by the iPad. I haven’t seen it yet – I understand it’s not shipping till April. However, the iPad may be a bit too much technology to be a good platform for the magazine. Part of the attraction of the Kindle is how simple it is for regular consumers to just pick up and use. And while the iPad’s LCD display is great for color and video, it does not have the crisp presentation that makes text so easily readable on the electrophoretic displays used in e-readers. On the other hand, electrophoretic displays can’t do color yet. The iPad also will use lots more power, so battery life is a consideration. Not good if you’re in the middle of a great article and your battery dies. Finally, it weighs more than e-readers – 1.5 pounds compared to about 10 ounces for the Kindle. May not sound like much, but we’ll see whether people want to carry it around much.

Maybe what we really need is a cross between the iPad and the e-reader?

By: Kevin Shoesmith

Kevin Shoesmith — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:24:47 +0000

I wrote a post last week that addresses exactly this point, except that I focused exclusively on how the iPad is going to affect the game.

The short answer from my POV is that I think magazines have an incredibly bright future.

Have a quick read of the post and you’ll see where I’m coming from.

http://blog.factory-interactive.com/the-ipad-and-the-age-of-the-magazine