iPad: Publishing’s Savior?

Its been a few months since the debut of Apple’s version of the Cuisine Art, the iPad. It slices away the bulkiness ( can’t believe I’m saying this ) of a laptop and makes it possible to curl up on the couch, or wherever you like to get comfortable, to read with this device. It dices and dispenses music, pictures, bo0ks, movies, games and the internet in a beautiful piece of sculpted titanium. All at a price point that is shockingly reasonable. As the dust settles from the frenzy ( dude I waited in line for 3 days to get my iPad ) the device is already showing it will have some serious implications on the future of publishing, music, gaming, and movies but can it save the the industry?

All signs point to yes. As expected, the iPad is creating new ways for magazine and newspaper publishers to deliver their content while adding value to ad placement, or in some cases, creating new ways to sell ads in the form of exclusive digital rates. Publishing giant the New York Times is looking at how they can license their technology to other publishers who want to claim stake in this century’s’ version of the gold rush. They are creating a platform to allow other publishers use New York Times’ technology to create content for mobile devices. Soon it will be common for magazines to offer print or digital subscriptions meaning most publications will have digital versions of their issues.

This is a prelude to an explosion in digital publishing. Add the dynamics of devices will allow you to experience an article or chapter in ways one could have only imagined. Reading about distant planets, then with a single touch, watching live streamed footage of that planet and its orbiting moons. Reading an article about the new M.I.A. album and listening to snippets in the background—and then purchasing the deluxe digital album filled with more bits of media. Reading about a Kehinde Wiley exhibit, virtually walking through the gallery AND even reading/learning more about each individual piece—maybe even purchasing one for your collection before some hot-shot collector does.

The possibilities are endless for enhancing and extending a readers experience. I am starting to see passengers with their iPad on buses, writers hacking away at their latest manuscript/article in coffee shops, or hardcore early adopters watching double rainbow with friends. What does this mean? This is only the beginning.

The Day the ‘Kindle’ Died (updated)

Apple gets ready to announce its latest creation

Today Apple is set to announce its latest creation in San Francisco, California. The device is said to be the heavily rumored iTablet or iSlate tablet PC. The tech world is on edge awaiting this highly anticipated announcement. If the tablet is in fact for real, this would mark yet another shift in the mobile device industry. Within the last ten years Apple has gained a large share of the portable MP3 player market with its iPod and recently the iPhone. An Apple designed tablet PC would be a significant game-changer in the e-reader and personal multimedia device industry. Not only would the iSlate (that’s the name we are betting on right now) challenge the Kindle e-reader it would also make digital album purchases more enticing, much akin to the days when we bought whole albums. Why? Because digital music releases are now starting to offer more multimedia bundled within album releases that go beyond a PDF of the liner notes. Interactivity with your favorite bands/musicians is going to get a serious upgrade…if it’s all true.

UPDATE:

It’s called the iPad. The price points are a bit wacky. There is no camera as earlier speculations have reported. I guess we have something to look forward to next year. Here it is, if you have not seen it already.

Heavily Rumored ‘iSlate’ Expeted to be Announced Jan. 27

Various tech blogs and news sources are reporting that invitations for an event to be held by Apple at Yerba Buena center on January 27, 2010 will possibly announce the iSlate. The rumor mill has been spinning out of control on the uber-secret Apple tablet PC product. If the iSlate is in fact real this could be a significant game changer in the tablet PC and digital reader markets ( a la Amazon’s Kindle ). iTunes would see the sale of full albums increase due to the ability for the iSlate to display multimedia extras bundled in full album purchases only. Also the possibility of this devices reading capabilities is fairly exciting as well. While the Kindle can download and display books and magazines look for Apple to take those capabilities to a whole other level—in color! ( image unconfirmed )