Lazy print to digital conversions

Just because someone offers a solution to take and digitize your print product doesn’t mean it’s actually a good idea. Take Outside Magazine, a magazine I’ve recently subscribed to and enjoy reading. I was excited to see they offered an iPad edition and downloaded the app.

While the app store preview showed a prior edition, I thought that was just for example and yet post purchase I see that the only issue available digitally is the same one – and one I’ve read previously as a subscriber. Even so i thought it would at least be interesting to see how the iPad edition worked…. Not so great. It was obviously an easy conversion … I’m guessing with minimal manual intervention.  As you can see below, there was absolutely no thought on how to handle links to online content.  In the case highlighted below, there is no way to click on the link or even capture the text.  Not cool.

Outside_Mag_iPad

Mag+

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

This is a really slick prototype for a future e-magazine reader.  I really like how they are not looking to make it play video or fake the page turn.  The experience is focused and lets you enjoy reading – yet in a beautiful digitally enhanced manner.

I recommend playing the video back in fullscreen mode.