Chitika Labs reports that Apple has sold 528,170 iPads; no, make that 528,183; no, make that . . . oh, forget it

One inventive way to determine sales of the Apple iPad is to keep track of how many are "seen in the wild" by tracking the number of users that come through ad networks. Chitika Labs is doing just that and has come up with a fun iPad tracking page.

Analysts have been giving guesses estimates as to the number of iPad sales, but Apple's secrecy pretty much makes such a task impossible. Well, unless you are doing what Chitika is doing. (Thanks to MacRumors for the heads-up.)

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Meanwhile, HP looks like they will be the first PC maker to launch their own tablet. Although it looks like HP wants to go after Apple's iPad, the two products look like they are very different animals. The Slate has a slightly smaller display (8.9" versus the iPad's 9.7" display), significantly less battery life (only 5 hours versus the iPads seemingly endless battery life). But the Slate has more RAM, has a conventional SIM-card tray, has a USB port and HDMI-out, and two built-in cameras. More importantly, the HP Slate will be running Windows 7 versus the iPad's iPhone OS.

In short, the Slate, which starts at $550, is more like a netbook without the keyboard. Charlie Sorrell of Wired wisely points out that HP seems to be missing the point here -- emphasizing hardware when the iPad is all about software -- the app store, Apple's multitouch, etc.

But no matter, competition is good. And if HP can figure out a way to get people to read books, newspapers and magazines on the device, this might encourage more publishers to move forward with their mobile plans. Without an app store, of course, this will be difficult, but we'll see what HP has in mind when they roll out their device, possibly in June.

TSA: keep your iPad in its bag going through security

Well, finally a little bit of good news when it comes to traveling.

The AP is reporting that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Tuesday that travelers need not take their iPads out of briefcases or bags when going through security -- yet one more reason to leave that laptop at home.

ePub Working Group points to platform limitations in wake of iPad launch; recognizes need for rich media options

The impact of Apple's iPad on the book publishing industry is already becoming apparent.  The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), the trade and standards organization that is dedicated to the development and promotion of electronic publishing, issued a statement that identifies 13 areas where the ePub format is deficient.

The IDPF  has completed a minor revision of its ePub 2.0 standard. In the meantime, the ePub 2.1 Working Group has identified 13 problem areas that the electronic publishing format needs to address. These include support for rich media and interactivity, global language support, enhanced article and navigation support, a means to render page-level layouts and multiple display sizes, as well as the lack of annotation support. In short, it recognizes the severe limitations of the platform in an environment where publishers are looking to bring more multimedia elements to their text-only products.

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← The Apple iBooks app uses the ePub format, though this limits rich media and interactivity options.

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In early March, Penguin Group CEO John Makinson revealed that his company was looking at creating individual apps for the iPad because the ePub format was insufficient.

"We will be embedding and streaming audio, video and gaming in to everything we do. This will present us, and the platform owners with technology challenges," Makinson said in a speech in London.

"The ePub format, which is the standard for ebooks at the present, is designed to support traditional narrative text, but not this cool stuff that we’re now talking about. So for the time being, at least, we’ll be creating a lot of our digital content as applications, for sale on app stores and HTML, rather than as ebooks."

I have speculated in the past that publishers may decide to use both approaches -- ePub and apps. A book publisher could decide to offer a book in a text-only version perfect for selling through the iBooks iTunes store, selling it a standard price; then offer an enhanced version as a separate app, with a premium price tag applied.

The IDPF may be trying to head this off by making sure the ePub standard accommodates the kinds of interactivity people like Makinson envision.

If paywalls are such a good idea then why are its advocates pushing so hard to get others onboard?

Just a quick question: if you had a great trade secret -- for instance, the answer to the question "how do I save my newspapers?" --  would you go around telling your competitor's the secret?

Rupert Murdoch finds himself in a quandry: he wants desperately to construct paywalls, to start charging readers for content, but he knows that if his properties are the only ones to construct these obstacles to content then readers will simply migrate to his competitors. So while his papers begin raising the cost of entry, Mr. Murdoch is out there lobbying the newspaper industry hard, attempting to convince other publishers that the solution to the ills of the industgry is tightly controlling access to content, stopping the aggregators, and ending the era of free news.

I am someone who believes there is an exception to every rule, so I do not doubt that a paywall, in the right circumstance, can succeed. But I think publishers place a much higher value on their own products than the public does. The best example of this is Murdoch's Wall Street Journal. The WSJ introduced its iPad as a free app, but users must pay $3.99 a week to access the full content. If I were a broker I'd buy-in simply because I can expense it -- it remains essentially free.

But what does everyone else think about pricing the iPad content higher than both print and online? As I write this 1,625 iPad users have rated the WSJ app: seventy-five percent of those have given the app the lowest rating possible; five percent gave it a five star rating.

To me, it looks like a trap, but many newspaper publishers are desperate enough to grasp at what they perceive to be an opportunity. Newspaper readers, though, are smarter than many publishers give them credit for. They have not been impressed with the web efforts of most newspapers, and are even less impressed with the mobile efforts they have seen to date. Newspaper publishers and the vendors that serve the industry continue to release cookie-cutter RSS readers that deliver the same old content, the same old way. They download these apps, and visit these sites because they are free. Put up a paywall and let's see how many will chose the local daily's bland offerings versus those from New Media companies.

I know what advice I would give a newspaper publisher considering constructing a paywall, but like Rupert Murdoch, I only give out free advice when the advice itself benefits me.

Team from Abilene Christian University launch iPad app for The Optimist; version 1.1 already in the works

While many commercial newspapers wait and decide whether they will create their own iPad apps or contract with an outside firm to develop one, universities and journalism programs are moving forward, using the development process as a learning tool.

Abilene Christian University is the first institution to have their iPad app approved and uploaded to the iTunes app store. Developed by a team made up of students across department lines, the app for the school newspaper, The Optimist, appeared on iTunes today. A hardy congratulations to the team from Texas, especially the two programmers who will now graduate as one of a very small group of people with actual iPad app development experience.

Dr. Brian Burton, asst. Professor of Information Technology, put me in touch with the programmers behind ACU's iPad app.

Rich Tanner, a senior, and information technology and computing major, said that the work was intense. "Every hour or 30 minutes we could find between classes and other obligations were spent in front of a Mac. For me, personally, in that last week before the app submission deadline, I put in over 60 hours finishing the app."

"It's a real exciting time that our app finally got launched on the iTunes store," Randy Beaird said. "We felt really accomplished when we had a finished app produced by students. Rich and I had many late coding nights finishing up the app for iPad launch."

The project was completed over six weeks. The result is an app that displays the school's WordPress based web site, adding navigation tools. "(A)s soon as we submitted our final code to Apple, we started work on version 1.1. The new version will include fixes to some of the existing code and add in features that we intended to have in there all along," Tanner told me.

Features like landscape mode and bookmarking may have to wait until version 1.1, but many developers are finding this to be the norm. Many iPhone developers essentially beta tested their apps through their initial users, releasing updates whenever they discovered bugs, or adding features based on customer input.

This way of developing apps may not work well for commercial media companies because user expectations have grown over time. But for ACU, attempting to produce a finished app was itself a learning experience as the team worked to develop the app against the deadline of the April 3rd launch date.

While the programmers did the coding, the whole team included students across departments. "The editors and staff of The Optimist were almost 'clients' in that regard," Tanner said. "They had the initial vision and they worked very hard to adapt their existing models and web-content to work with the app. The Art and Design department provided us with amazing graphics and concept pieces that went right into the app."

Colter Hettich, a senior and journalism major, and a member of the team, said "the faculty have said we don't want to do this because the students are the ones that are going the ones out there 20-30 years doing this." Hettich, who is also editor-in-chief of The Optimist, wrote a story for the paper concerning students who crowded the Campus Store on Saturday to look at Apple's new tablet.

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The university obviously sees the value in being associated with cutting edge media development because they created the video below which I'm sure will be shared with prospective students.

Dr. Susan Lewis, asst. Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications, said in the video that "every student that we approached about joining our team dropped what they were doing and came with us. They were excited because they knew that this was the future of media."

"They had not worked on a project this large, involving this many people, from so many different angles and perspectives," said Dr. Burton.

The experience and enthusiasm shown is proof enough that while media pundits continue to debate whether tablets and mobile devices are the future of media content delivery, young people and institutions of learning are moving ahead already convinced.

First wave of newspaper and magazine apps leave much to be desired; but apps from programmers shine

Preaching patience is hard when all around you critics proclaim, with scant evidence to support their position, that the iPad has proven to be a failure  -- or a wildly successful revolution in media. Folks, it is neither. It is a work-in-progress.

It is true that the first round of apps from the media are poor. Many are redesigned RSS readers, some are minor attempts to create new publications that fit the form. But only the Times and WSJ to my knowledge were given iPads to work with, to test their creations. And even when the programmers and editors involved with the creation of new iPad apps had a unit to work with, they still faced the politics of internal interests.

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← The AP News iPad app.

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The best new iPad apps will appear from two different sources: those media firms that are prepared to stake their future in New Media; and those that are not in anyway involved in print today.

The first group should include some familiar names like Wired. The tech books can not get away with appearing old school. This creates high expectations, to say the least.  I thought the most intelligent decision  I've seen so far from a media company was from those that chose not to launch iPad apps by April 3. These companies probably realized the trap: launch a buggy app that doesn't feature the kinds of content and programming many iPad users will expect and you are setting yourself up for failure.

In June of 2008 when Apple introduced its iPhone OS 2.0, the one that launched the app store, almost any app that delivered content to a smart phone was revolutionary. A number of third party vendors appeared that helped media companies bring their content to the iPhone, and later Android and Blackberry platforms.  These rather simple RSS readers are still the norm -- simple solutions to the complex question of "what do mobile media readers want?"

Wired is one of a group of magazines that I'm convinced wants to explore the new medium of tablet publishing. What this means is interactivity -- not just embedded multimedia, though that, too -- but Flash-like programming that tests the medium's capabilities. Which, of course, is one of the reasons that Apple's decision not to include Flash support has been widely criticized. Many programmers are familiar with Flash, and creating interactive Flash content is a natural. (Look this interactive feature today in the NYT. This is an example of the kind of content that would be perfect for the tablet.)
“Sometimes you really have to wonder whether the magazine world deserves the fate that
is being dealt to them. ”
-- Glynnis MacNicol, Mediaite
The second group of tablet publishing products have not appeared either -- those from new publishers who will produce publications specifically for the iPad and other tablets, without ever producing a print or web version.  My hopes for tablet publishing has always rested with this group. They are the equivalent of the web-only properties that have led New Media so far.

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Those who are drawing conclusions from the first day's release of media apps need to get a life. How many stand alone apps were released: a dozen? a few more? Right Zinio is giving away a half-dozen magazines within its free app. Pixel Mags has 36 magazines including MacUser and Trailer Life Magazine. These are iPad versions of their web flip books -- attempts to create a digital magazine newsstand for the iPad, a newsstand that delivers the exact same product as can be seen in print, online and on smart phones. There is nothing wrong with this, and I'm sure some publishers are proudly proclaiming today that "we're on the iPad". They are, and good for them.

But this isn't what those iPad concept videos were about. That kind of content will come later.

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← Pixel Mags has 36 magazines available for the iPad today including Dwell.

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So is there no interesting content available for the iPad? Hardly. iPad buyers were excited that Netflix launched their app so quickly. Additionally, ABC has suddenly jumped out in front of the other networks by launching an app that plays episodes of their primetime shows, complete with advertising I might add. On Sunday my iPad went missing as my youngest daughter discovered Ugly Betty.

A look at the Paid App chart shows that Real Racing HD and SCRABBLE for iPad are winners. Many have misinterpreted this to mean that the iPad isn't going to be a serious reading device. That's like saying that the television is not a serious news broadcast player because viewers seem to prefer American Idol. The ABC Player is listed as the second most popular free app right now, with USA Today at number four. In fact, media apps make up 60% of the top ten. If anything, this shows the hunger for good content. Add in the apps from Zinio, Pixel Mags, AP News and the BBC and suddenly it looks like the media is dominating content on Apple's tablet.

Programmers, however, are the ones demonstrating the device's capabilities. Now that the games and utilities can be seen and learned from, media companies can start to get a feel for what works on a tablet. By the end of the year the iPad will an established product with between 3 and 10 million units sold (estimates are all over the place). Additional tablets will have hit the street, as well. Only then will we know whether the tablet is going to be a simply an extension of print, or like the web, a place where those that enthusiastically embrace the medium thrive.

McClatchy partners with WebVisible to roll out online marketing services nationally to its 30 newspapers

McClatchy announced today that it would be rolling out online marketing services throughout its chain to assist local merchants with online advertising. The services will be offered through WebVisible, a company that McClatchy has worked with in Kansas City, Mo., Tacoma, Wash., and Fresno, Calif.

A press release claims that the newspaper company has been able to grow online advertising significantly in the test markets and now plan to add a market a month, with Anchorage, Alaksa and Charlotte, N.C. markets recently added, with Boise, Idaho, Miami, Fla., and Sacramento, Calif. to follow.

"Online marketing is more than just showing up in search engine results, and McClatchy understands that its advertisers want a full solution that gives them visibility across the board," said Kirsten Mangers, CEO of WebVisible. "McClatchy has always been a forward-thinking partner for local advertisers, helping them grow their businesses by making sure they can be found where customers are looking. Expanding our relationship with McClatchy is tremendously exciting to us, as we trust that it will be for their local merchants."

Here is a video which explains WebVisible's services:

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I remember the amount of spec ads and other services we used to offer our customers in order to secure business back at the first paper I worked for, Hearst's daily in L.A. At a meeting I had a couple of years ago I suggested that our company needed to embrace this rather old school approach to securing advertising -- creating spec ads for web and e-mail advertising. This was in recognition of the fact that most of our customers were not advertising online, but had a desire to start. They no longer were resisting online advertising out of ignorance, but out of a fear that it would simply cost more and that their lack of experience in this area would show up in their efforts.

What they didn't want to do was pay for hiring an outside agency just for web. Many of these clients did not employ ad agencies at all as they were marketing within very defined markets. Many only created new prints ads once a year (at most), and rarely ventured outside their comfort zones. But they would sometimes experiment with web advertising when called by a company such as Multiview -- a company that specializes in creating online directories for trade associations.

Because of this, Vance Publishing last year created an online marketing division specifically to fill the void they saw. “We all know that in a recession, companies cut back on their marketing spend, but in this economy, companies also realize that they need to invest in the digital world for the future,” said Tom Denison, then the vice president of the new Vance Marketing Solutions division.

In this case, rather than handle this internally, McClatchy has brought in a company to do what newspapers used to consider standard practice: assisting advertisers create their ad campaigns. At the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, I would estimate that between the reps and the art department, we would create nearly 90% of all ads that appeared in the newspaper that were sold in the retail or classified departments. Only the major accounts or national advertising departments could expect that their advertisers would deliver camera-ready copy.

So, in the end, bringing outside help to offer web services is probably a very good idea. I can't help but marvel, however, how many third party companies are finding ways to make money off of newspaper and magazine companies by providing services one would consider basic: ad creation, electronic publishing solutions. No wonder then that many of these companies are beginning to decide to get into the content game. After all, they are already providing many of the services that would identify a company as media.

Zinio's iPad app: the easiest way to access magazines on the iPad; app will need updating, but that's the norm

Only a few magazine publishers were able to launch their own iPad apps in time for launch day on Saturday. So, for most iPad owners, the best way to access magazine content was through the free Zinio app.

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The Zinio magazine stand: the best way to access magazines on the iPad.  →

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Zinio wisely included six magazines with their first iPad -- hoping to hook readers and future buyers.

Let me start by saying that Zinio's app will need to be updated at some point (darn, there goes my chance to get this story included on their site!). The app crashed once on me, though that could have been caused by the iPad's rather low 256 megs of memory -- a shockingly low amount of RAM for a laptop, but probably sufficient for this tablet.

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← VIVmag's navigation page.

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Scrolling was a bit sticky, as well. But Zinio, I am sure, was like most developers in that they had to create their app without an actual iPad to work with. Because of this, there are some things they will want to refine, and some UI things they will want to work out. This will be the norm, and in no way should be looked at as a deficiency.

Since VIVmag made such a commotion because of the videos posted by Alexx Henry, let's look at how it all turned out. (VIVmag is a digital only magazine that can only be found on Zinio.)

First off, these magazines are not interactive magazines from a programming perspective. That is, this is not complex programing like you would find in either an iPad game or in some of the concept videos that have been posted. (You can find a number of iPad demo videos on the TNM YouTube Channel.) Instead, the VIVmag does a fantastic job of embedding QuickTime videos into their issue -- the best job I've seen so far.

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VIVmad ads for Kia and Wakaya Club & Sap have embedded video. →

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Almost all the ads found in this issue have embedded video, a testament to their ad staff for making sure their clients took advantage of this.

VIVMag also does a good job of using video and pictures throughout the issue. Layouts are mostly spread, read in landscape mode, but often link to features that are in portrait mode, where the reader scrolls down to continue to read. This is inline with the thinking found in the Bonnier concept video. It was BERG's Jack Schulze's thought that the reading experience on the iPad would be like the web where reading requires scrolling, rather than flipping of pages. (see video here).  The VIVmag issue on Zinio, therefore, involves both flipping and scrolling.

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← The layout for the feature seen in Alexx Henry's videos.

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Feature layouts contain a red "ViVify" button that is a link to the embedded content, mostly video. This is a good solution that is available in any flip book, so there is nothing really new here, just implementation for the iPad. But it should be said that most publishers don't go to this much trouble for their flip books -- they say they will do this, but ultimately don't push their editors and sale staffs to bring their flip books to life. Being electronic only, VIVmag sees this, of course, as essential.

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Quick aside: If Apple's iPad has been criticized as being a closed environment, then what about magazines and books on readers? I didn't hear anyone complaining that the Kindle didn't allow you to comment on Great Expectations. Face it, there are times when the lack of commenting and social network sharing is simply the norm. Can you comment on a song you here on a CD player? Can you share parts of a movie you are viewing on television? Sometimes devices are simply players, like a radio or iPod. When I buy an issue of Time magazine is there a way to contact the writer built into the magazine? No, I have to write a letter, or pick up my phone.

So, if the iPad, or the Zinio magazine reader, is going to be criticized for being not the interactive device some hoped, well, don't buy it and wait for something else. But stop whining about what it could have been and get on with deciding whether you want to create products for those who do own one.

Read More >

Monday morning briefs: Equipment Trader to drop paid model: Vance brings on new veep of eMedia

Equipment Trader goes free: Equipment Trader, which serves the construction and farming equipment industry, announced that beginning in May, their magazine will be available at no charge, as opposed to being sold through stores.

"Information today is free. Now, so are our magazines,” said Mark Bondi, Director of Sales & Marketing. “This move is part of our larger plan to expand the value our equipment dealers receive. We are staying current with today’s marketplace and leveraging technology more effectively for our dealers,” said Bondi.

Equipment Trader is owned by Dominion Enterprises.

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Vance Publishing Corp. announced it had hired Dean E. Horowitz as vice president of eMedia. Horowitz has spent the past 17 years at Reed Business Information and was general manager of the construction group.

"Dean's background in digital business models is exceptional,” said Peggy Walker, president of Libertyville, Illinois based Vance. “He has solid experience in developing new digital products and services, along with a strong sales and marketing focus in both traditional and new media. He is the ideal person to lead our continuing efforts to expand our digital businesses and to integrate our brands across multiple platforms.”

Horowitz replaces Tom Denison who left Vance at the end of last year as veep of eMedia.

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That didn't take long: EMG Technology announced today that it will include the Apple iPad, launched on Saturday, as "an additional accused product" in EMG's previously filed patent infringement lawsuit against Apple Inc. The company's lawsuit is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

"EMG will take steps to add Apple's newly released iPad to the range of Apple products already accused of patent infringement in the case, including the iTunes Store, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV. The trial date is set for September 12, 2011," explained Shawn Hansen, an attorney who is representing EMG.

Elliot A. Gottfurcht, managing member of EMG said in a press release that "Apple refuses to pay reasonable royalties for its use of EMG's patents relating to navigating Internet mobile websites and applications, which were filed in 1999, several years before Apple's mobile patents were filed. Perhaps the reason lies in a statement Steve Jobs made in the 1996 documentary called Triumph of the Nerds, 'We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas.'"

The first mover advantage: small number of media apps give advantage to some; others wait to launch their apps

Media companies were a distinct minority this morning in the iTunes iPad app store. The Times, USA Today and a handful of others launched apps in time to be seen by new owners of Apple's tablet, but compared to games and books, newspaper and magazine apps were sparse. (And don't look for apps from media industry trade pubs or web sites, either.)

The media industry, being a conservative community, played wait-and-see. Some were expected to be there at launch (the NYT, for instance) and some proudly proclaimed they would be (NPR) and were. The Guardian, interestingly, did not launch a news app on launch day, but instead offered The Guardian Eyewitness, an app that can be found under Photography.

Few decided to launch early to try and establish first mover advantage -- and those that did, like the Times, did so cautiously with a scaled back app that probably disappointed more iPad users than wowed them.

One of those that launched on April 3rd was from the Condé Nast web site Epicurious. The iPad app from Epicurious was one of about 30-40 food oriented apps to be found on iTunes Saturday morning (including Order Pizza for iPad and the totally worthless iBum for iPad that somehow made it through Apple's approval process).

The Epicurious iPad app is a very simply, clean, usable app that takes advantage of the iPads added real estate, but none of its multimedia capabilities (more on this later). By launching first, Epicurious has staked its ground as the leading recipe and food app -- not because it is trying to do everything, but because of its brand name and ease of use. The free app plays it safe by keeping things simple: remember, the vast majority of developers worked with an iPad to test their programs.

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← Epicurious, by launching first, vies to be the cook's default iPad app.

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If this was a conscious decision then I think Condé Nast has been wise to go in this direction. That is, keeping things simple early so that they can launch before many competitors, but don't attempt to do things that simply won't work because of the limitation of developing in the dark.

Read More >

Review: New York Times iPad app has the feel of a temporary solution; limited content, no multimedia

The New York Times probably felt an obligation to have an app ready to go on Day One of the iPad era. Steve Jobs, after all, used their web site to demonstrate online browsing with the iPad during his product introduction. And sure enough the Times did not disappoint, getting their Editor's Choice app approved and online well before April 3rd.

There is no question that the Times app is gorgeous to look at -- but even Talking New Media looks great on an iPad! The glossy scene displays rich colors; the text is sharp and easy to read; and the whites are white, the blacks black (news photographers are going to absolutely love the way their images look).

But the Times app gives you the impression that this is an interim solution. By posting a free app that gives readers access to some content, they may be paving the way for a paid app, or a paid subscription app. In many ways, this limited content approach mirrors the Times news reader for the iPhone.

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Three pages from the Time's Editor's Choice iPad app.
At left: a feature page; middle: the second page of the feature
with an ad from Chase; right: the technology page.

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The Times iPad app is not just an RSS reader. The developers of this app didn't take short cuts by just giving iPad users pages of plain text, clearly some thought was behind their decisions. The pages are well design, though a little boxy.

It is what is missing that is interesting: no video, no multimedia of any kind. I know that the developers were probably rushed, but it is surprising that the Times did not go further.

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iPad users can watch full screen video from the Times web site, even without Flash.  →

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Sadly, the Times app pales in comparison to the way the NYT web site looks in Safari on the iPad. Readers on the iPad can view Times videos because they have taken into account the iPad's lack of Flash. A quick move and the video is full screen as seen on the right.

While I did not expect that the Times would create a whole new product for the iPad the way some magazine and book publishers were imagining their iPad apps, I did think that the Times would see the world's first tablet as a multimedia device and realize that the first app would have to contain multimedia, as well.

Perfect content for the Time's app might have been videos from Mark Bittman, who writes their Minimalist food column and who often creates video to accompany the column. This content, that can be archived and tailored for the iPad app without rush, would have fit perfectly with the way iPad users are expected to use their devices. The Times also has their own YouTube Channel which contains 5 "shows", as well as almost 1900 uploaded video -- wouldn't this be perfect?

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Left: the Opinion page; Right: a column

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One thing to keep in mind, though, is that for many developers, their initials apps are often like beta tests. When I touched the Times app for the first time, what happened? It crashed. Oops. But after that everything was fine -- if a little boring.  There is plenty of time now for the Times to make revisions to this app and, more importantly, begin to differentiate their app content from their web content. A tablet application is, after all, a separate product from a print newspapers, a web site, or a smart phone reader.

One reason the paper may have gone in this direction is that with their metered paywall coming online some time this year, they may have wanted a free option for the iPad. But the metered approach would still give web readers access to some free content -- about as much as what is available with the iPad app.

I think, though, that the developers of this first NYT iPad app will decide to introduce updates that expand and enhance their iPad offerings. But for now, the Times has done it: they've gotten there first and demonstrated they are serious about the format. I'll probably stick to viewing the NYT web site on the built-in Safari browser, though -- at least until this app is enhanced, or is replaced with a whole new approach to tablet publishing.

The obligatory unboxing photos

Unboxing photos are truly dumb. After all, everyone's iPhone, iPad, whatever, looks the same. The iPad I received this afternoon is the same as the next guys, right?

But it is a tradition, and who am I to go against tradition? So at right is an animated GIF of the unboxing, and below is the final set-up (kind of), all with TNM on Safari, of course.

My next post will look at the New York Times iPad app, but here are some quick impressions:

Fast. It is lightning quick. This is what you would expect from using the iPhone OS as your starting point. Set-up is very easy -- again to be expected. But for computer users who do not have experience with the iPhone this will be a very pleasant surprise. A new user is done with set-up in a couple of minutes and can be online or using apps in a matter of minutes.

This isn't a tech blog so let's do away with any in-depth review. Instead, I would point you to Andy Ihnatko's master review for the Sun-Times. Ihnatko is wildly enthusiastic about the device but acknowledges some of the things critics have said. He loves the iPad as an e-reader and clearly thinks the iPad is the direction personal computing is going.

Last thought: discussions of the iPad have become almost political. That is, there are those who simply want to hate the device for its supposed shortcomings -- no Flash, closed system, etc. OK, they have some points. But it seems that they now have a vested interest in their position, and they seem to feel a need to defend their turf, no experience with the iPad or other mobile devices not withstanding. What I don't understand is the position some others have taken: media writers who are supposedly covering the mobile media scene but seem to take great pleasure linking to any negative column they can find, even if the column is a silly rant (and there have been plenty of them). Oh well.

But one thing is for sure, if you really don't like mobile media, or talking and reading about tablets, web sites, smart phones from a media perspective . . . what are you doing here?

Miscellaneous items while waiting for the UPS truck

MacRumors is living up to its "rumor" moniker as iPad buyers go online to discuss the location of their iPads ("my iPad is still in China!") resulting in record traffic.

Where's Wired? Sad to see that Wired magazine did not get their iPad app online in time as only their iPhone app appears in a search. Depending on their print production schedule they may have chosen to wisely wait and work on a future issue instead. Their current issue, April, sports a picture of the iPad a feature entitled "Rise of the Machines; how tablets will change the world" (going a bit out on a limb there, don't you think?). You can find the story online here, and since the iPad has a browser (Safari) iPad readers will at least be able to read it online.

Week in Review: if it wasn't already obvious, no Week in Review this week. Normally I write the post on late Friday afternoon for posting Saturday morning, but since I'm working today . . .

Netflix: iPad buyers were very excited about the thought of Netflix coming to the iPad as the device is perfect (based on reviews) for viewing videos. In response, Netflix let it be known that a way to stream Netflix movies to the iPhone and iPod touch was in the works, as well:

Steve Swasey, VP of Corporate Communications, here. Terrific response to our news today about Netflix on the iPad. For those of you asking whether Netflix will be on the iPhone and iPod Touch: We wouldn't invite you to dinner without planning to serve dessert. In other words, we're working on it so stay tuned.

Users are reporting that the app is "quirky", but this is not uncommon for Rev.1 apps. In the case of the iPad, the fact that most developers did not have actual iPads to test their software with -- they had to depend on the iPad simulator -- means there could be a number of unstable apps out there. For iPhone users this won't be a big deal as users are used to having apps updated early on, but for some iPad buyers this could be a new experience. It will be interesting to see how many blame the device.

News apps: Not many newspaper made the launch date. The Times is there, of course, and Le Monde, as well.

One app that launched yesterday was the iPhone app from the Orange County Register. The app was developed by Handmark which will be launching iPad apps soon we hope.

USA Today, which has an app for the iPad live, also has a promotional video. While I find these videos rather hokey, it is nice, at least, to see a paper doing some sort of promotion of their mobile media efforts.

European newspapers hit the iTunes store

Although most of the anticipation concerning what newspapers would do on the iPad has centered on the Times, other papers such as USA Today and the WSJ now have iPad apps ready to go, as do at least two European papers.

The app from Le Monde will set you back 99 cents, and while I can read a little French and I wouldn't trust my translations, it appears that there will be a cost for content access over and above the cost of the app (I think you get that day's paper as part of the app cost).  Though clearly the French newspaper is targeting a local audience, they have decided to be there on Day One -- good for them. As you can see here, the layouts give you a newspaper-like look, while also allowing you to look at individual stories. There appears to be a video page, though the screenshots are not clear on this so I did not include it here.

The Italian newspaper Il Messaggero also has gotten their iPad app approved and in the iTunes store, though honestly I don't know why they bothered. The app is little more than an RSS reader and looks far more appropriate for the iPhone than the iPad. As it didn't look like much effort was made in developing the app, I didn't think screenshots were appropriate.

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I think that will be it for today. There is not much else to accomplish without an actual iPad in my hands. I see, however, that this has not stopped some from already giving us their opinions. Amazing how easy it is to pass judgement when one is completely ignorant on the subject -- things are always black and while, only facts creates shades of gray.  If you enjoy negativism, and you're interested in media news, I think you know where to go.

But I will remind those who are 100% sure about the success or failure of either the iPad, or media's efforts to create a market for tablet publishing, that it took the iPhone about six months following the launch of the app store to begin to transform the iPhone from an innovative cell phone into a media consumption device. While the iPad will be used as a reader starting tomorrow, I suspect we will need at least six more months before art directors and developers begin creating original content, and ways to display that content, for the iPad to show (or not show) its potential.

Have patience.

Google acquires online video broadcasting platform; purchase of Episodic a move into live streaming

What a pleasant surprise, writing about something other than the iPad. Of course, it if it's not Apple, it must be about Google.

Episodic today got to cheerfully announce that they have been acquired by Google (funny how happy people are just after they have just been given millions of dollars). Episodic is a platform for broadcasting live and on-demand video to the web or to web-based mobile devices.

Episodic also has analytics and the ability for broadcasters to monetize their viewers with ads inserted into live streams.

"Episodic and Google share a common vision for video on the Web," the company wrote on its site. "Online video will be ubiquitous, engaging, entertaining, informative and effective. Both teams place value on creating a great experience for viewers and on delivering a powerful and flexible platform for publishers, marketers and advertisers of all kinds. We’re very excited to join the talented team at Google and to continue creating great experiences for viewers and powerful platforms for publishers, marketers, and advertisers."

Photoblogging Friday - 13

Photoblogging Friday will post early today so that I can still post updates, if necessary, concerning iPad newspaper and magazine apps. PbF continues with a photograph our resident photography editor Dean Brierly selected before departing for a trip to Japan. This post should have hit the site two weeks ago but the deaths of photographers Charles Moore and Jim Marshall delayed this post on the work of Jeff Alu.

Dean recently interviewed Alu recently for his Photographer's Speak web site.

Jeff Alu is a freelance digital artist and photographer who spends most of his free time roaming California's desert areas in an open-ended journey of personal and visual exploration. His black-and-white photographs play with lighting, scale and perspective to transform the mundane into something ominous and alien. Visual equilibrium becomes a tenuous concept, as the viewer tends to feel trapped between dimensions of reality and surreality. Yet no matter how unbalanced things become, one is invariably seduced by the dark poetry of Alu’s post-apocalyptic visions.

Read the entire interview here.

Old media fights back! "Nothing can save us, we are doomed to complete & utter destruction. Now go away"

T his is downright painful to watch, but here it is anywhere.  Here we have two old media types, and mean old media types, stating with confidence that "no, the iPad will not save print media".

Well, I know very few serious commentators that have said that a single device would save print media. But, come on, one of these guys, Alan Murray, represents the WSJ, a company that plans to charge iPad users more than the cost of a combined print and online edition -- and he is supposed to have a clue? The other, columnist Jon Friedman, says "If everything is free on the web, you're not going to be able to sell people an expensive app, they'll take the free stuff." Ah, Jon, who is charging for an expensive app? The WSJ. Of course, if you use Murdoch as the model, you'll say the iPad won't fix the problems of print media. But who is taking the "let's charge a fortune" crowd seriously anyway?



For a different view, digiday:DAILY's John Gaffney has an interview with National Geographic’s Paul Levine, SVP, Corporate Strategy, Development and Extended Platforms (what a title!). “We don’t think there’s ever been a better time to be in the publishing business, and yes, we’re very excited right now,” says Levine.

And, yes, the National Geographic Society already has one iPad up on iTunes, and their magazines will be available through Zinio.

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NYT used single-sponsor approach for its first iPad app; worked with Medialets to develop 2 new ad units

The New York Times released a press release today announcing the iPad TNM looked at yesterday.

The "New York Times Editor's Choice" app will feature a single sponsor, the credit card Chase Sapphire. This avoids the whole issue of integrating display ads into the iPad -- at least for the time being.

It buys the Times some time, something they have seemed to desire. The Times announced, for instance, that they would go to a metered system for its web site, but pushed off the implementation of the paywall until later in the year.

"This app provides a great opportunity for advertisers to use the latest digital technologies to reach The New York Times's affluent and loyal readers," said Denise Warren, senior vice president and chief advertising officer in the release. "The Editors' Choice app launches with a full-page vertical and horizontal interstitial ad that provides a large interactive canvas for our advertisers."

The Times worked with Medialets to develop two new ad units which the Times claims will "leverage the creative capabilities of the iPad."

Tablet Publishing for magazines debuts: a first look at apps from Condé Nast and Bonnier

Here is a first look at the new GQ and Popular Science apps for the iPad. Although screenshots really won't give you an idea of what interactivity the Condé Nast and Bonnier magazines have incorporated into their tablet versions, one can see the layouts, menus, and the like.

The GQ app appeared in the iTunes store last night and is a universal app -- meaning that there is one listing for the app for both the iPhone and iPad. The app recognizes which version it needs to deliver. It means, as well, that if you own an iPhone, you would have access to the content on both devices with one purchase.

You can find the app on iTunes here.

Condé Nast also has an iPad app for Epicurious. Cooking iPad apps and cook books customized for the iPad hold tremendous potential. Magazines like Saveur would be in a world of hurt competing with Condé Nast iPad products. But Saveur was brought into the Bonnier family a few years ago -- and we expect great things from Bonnier on the iPad.

The first iPad app from Bonnier that has shown up in iTunes is from Popular Science -- find it here. The app is specifically for the iPad as Bonnier has been slow to introduce mobile apps. The only iPhone I found using a search for "Bonnier" was for Islands -- they may have more in there somewhere. The Popular Science app will set you back $4.99 which gives you the April issue. The magazine's mechanism for purchasing future issues is show below-right.

iPad: good for making salsa, too

Gawker posted this video this morning: Stephen Colbert bragging about his iPad last night on his show. He demonstrated that the device has many uses, including apparently making salsa.

He also confirmed that, just like the iPhone, the iPad can not make calls (ouch, AT&T can't like that one.)

Did BBC 'accidentally' release an iPad app? App shows up in iTunes, but landing page is offline

Here is a mystery for you. A few days ago the BBC Trust announced that the BBC would hold off on releasing their iPhone apps due to concerns from the UK's newspaper association, the NPA.

Today, however, the iTunes app store shows that the BBC will have its own iPad app. Here is the link (iTunes link).

Also strange, a search for the "BBC" and "iPad" pulls up this site, a cached page, care of Google. But clicking directly to the page gives you an error message.

Well, in any case, the app store now has an app from the BBC. We'll see if it is still there on Saturday. On the app page in iTunes, the app links to a "support page" -- but really just goes to a "feedback" page,

At left is the cached page -- at right is where the link currently takes you.

First look at the NYT iPad app; free app only offers limited access, will paid version be next or subscription?

With app developments occurring at quick pace, please expect less new posts, and more updated posts. Thanks.

The New York Times iPad app has made its first appearance is the iTunes store, and while it is impossible to review before Saturday, it does give a glimpse of the Times strategy.

The app is called "NYT Editor's Choice" and is designed specifically for the iPad.

"Enjoy the award-winning journalism of The New York Times with the unique functionality and navigation of the iPad. The Editors’ Choice application offers a limited selection of news, opinion and features that are automatically updated to your device."

The app claims to offer readers "unique display of media content", as well as offline reading. Readers can share content through e-mail, though no social networking sharing seems to be included.

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←  NYT Editor's Choice iPad app.

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The app is free, but with content limited. I would assume that the Times would opt for a subscription option to access full content, but we'll have to wait and see. A more complete review of the app will follow the Saturday release.

Other news apps that have appeared:

• The WSJ's app has just appeared and is free, as expected. But word is that accessing content will require a subscription.

• USA Today, another free app that appears to give full access.

• NPR's much anticipated app, a hit on the iPhone. In addition to viewing and listening to the news, the app gives iPad owners  access to public radio stations and on-demand programing. A must. (Can you tell I'm thrilled this will be available on launch day?)

• Both AP and Reuters will free apps.

• There are also several RSS readers that are paid apps, ranging from $2.99 to $9.99.

• As of yet, no Instapaper.  (Update: Arment's Instapaper Pro, at $4.99, has been approved and is now in the store. Here are two screenshots. Congratulations Arment.)

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Advanstar signs deal to offshore production with HCL Technologies; B2B media firm to eliminate 100 positions

Advanstar Communications has signed a deal with HCL Technologies to take over production duties at the B2B media company.

According to WNMT in Duluth, the company will be eliminating 100 jobs as HCL takes over production duties and shifts them to India.

"In this highly competitive media marketplace, we need to focus on the things that we do well, creating a valuable platform for our clients, while handling other functions through partnerships or outsourcing agreements that will provide the economies of scale we need to operate more efficiently," said Chief Executive Officer Joe Loggia in a release.

"Because of its impact on our employees and their families, this was not a decision we made lightly. Given the many challenges facing the business-to-business print industry, we must change the way we do business in order to continue to provide maximum value and service to our customers," Mr. Loggia said.

HCL Technologies also offers digital publishing services, though no mention of the company taking over web duties was mentioned in the release. As a result it appears this is purely a cost savings measure. The loss of production personnel, however, will severely limit Advanstar's ability to compete going forward in electronic publishing unless the company decides to create a New Media division.

In September of last year Advanstar reached an agreement with its lenders to lighten its debt burden, shedding $385 million. The company is another B2B owned by Veronis Suhler Stevenson -- this time in partnership with hedge fund firm Anchorage Advisors. CEO Joe Loggia joined Advanstar when his company, MAGIC trade shows, was acquired. He became CEO in 2004.

Ferrets as a solution to broadband woes

The Telegraph today reports that "(S)pecially trained ferrets are being used to deliver broadband to rural areas following groundbreaking techniques used by an internet provider." Virgin Media, it appears, has been using the animals for years to lay cables for its broadband services.

"The ferrets wear jackets fitted with a microchip which is able to analyse any breaks or damage in the underground network." reports the Telegraph.

"For hundreds of years, ferrets have helped humans in various jobs," said Jon James, director of broadband for Virgin Media. "Our decision to use them is due to their strong nesting instinct, their long, lean build and inquisitive nature, and for their ability to get down holes. We initially kept the trial low-key as we wanted to assess how well the ferrets fitted into our operations before revealing this enterprising scheme," the Telegraph reported James as saying on April Fool's Day.

First iPad Reviews: consumer-oriented reviews only lightly touch on the device's impact on publishing industry

OK, the first reviews are in, so what have we learned. Not much, other than reviewers love the term "laptop killer" (or some variation of the same). The fact is that the early reviews from people like David Pogue and Walt Mossberg are positive, but pretty much useful when considered from the perspective of a publishing executive trying to decide whether to go all-in when it comes to tablet publishing.

From a consumer's perpective, the reviews have been wildly positive so I suppose that says something about the chances the device will be a hit. The only terribly negative comments I've read have come from the comments area from those who really have something against Apple -- and who, of course, did not receive an iPad to test.

Well, I'm sad to say, neither did I. Despite being an Apple customer since early 1983, Steve Jobs did not see fit to send me an iPad (I'm shocked I say, shocked). So here are some of the early reviews for you to read. This list will be updated with reviews that appear from time to time, and will be included here only if there is some relevance to publishing (for instance, it talks about the iPad as a reader of newspapers, magazines or books in some sort of meaningful way):

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Andy Ihnatiko, Sun-Times: iPad is pure innovation - one of best computers ever
A quick overview, very positive. First in a series.

Andy Ihnatiko, Sun-Times: iBooks is worth the price alone for iPad as ebook reader

Another in his series of reviews, this time concentrating on iBooks and the reading experience. "Apple got it right. I can’t think of anything exceptional that they’ve added to the reading experience but do you really want the reading experience to be anything other than “read page, turn page, repeat”?"

Steven Levy, Wired: Apple's iPad: One Small Step for Tablets, One Giant Leap for Personal Computers
"Until you actually hold it and interact with it, you can't appreciate how its scale makes the iPad a different animal from the iPhone and the Touch. There's something about the size and interface that engages you almost primally in reading, viewing video, web browsing, playing Scrabble and other activities."

David Pogue, NYT: State of the Art: Looking at the iPad From Two Angles
Positive, but damning with faint praise. Very negative about iPad as a reader.

Walt Mossberg, WSJ: Apple iPad Review: Laptop Killer? Pretty Close
Very positive, but approaches iPad as a notebook replacement. Enthusiastic about the iPad as a reader.

Guess I shouldn't leave out this one from actor/writer/comedian Stephen Fry:

Stephen Fry, Time: The iPad Launch: Can Steve Jobs Do It Again?
Steve Jobs makes the cover of Time magazine for the launch. Fry writes "Douglas Adams is not alive to see the closest thing to his Hitchhiker's Guide that humankind has yet devised."

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