Categories
Magazines Technology

Digital as Expensive as Print to Produce?

To produce? Maybe for the content itself (although for the most part, content is shared between the two), but one of the biggest selling points for going digital is to save on printing costs and distribution. I do still have problems with some of the points this piece from Forbes brings up though on the content production side of things. I get that producing videos for a digital edition adds costs, but the idea that including more photos in the digital edition also raises costs is ridiculous — we’re just getting to see more from a shoot, the parts that usually end up on the cutting room floor.

The question of bandwidth could be an issue, but really, is there actually an alternative to releasing magazines for the iPad than through the iTunes App Store? The article gives Zinio as an example, suggesting that all magazines sold through that device are doing it through its own servers. Is Apple really not getting any cut from sales that are done through the iPad app though? If so, then I guess we can expect to see the release of a Conde Nast (or Time, Inc., etc.) app, that will house all of its magazines.

Update: A reader suggests that the point about the photos is not so ridiculous, considering that most photographers are paid for each photo published. I assumed they were paid for the shoots.

Categories
Meta Music

Codex 04

It’s a new episode of Codex (04), my weekly music podcast, recorded on a late Saturday night (past midnight), not that this piece of information has anything to do with anything.

Below is the playlist for the show, as well as a link for download, and you can also subscribe to the RSS feed so as not to miss any episodes (and apologies, but it seems that the feed didn’t update properly last week, but it’s now fixed).

Codex 04 (33.8MB)

1. Röyksopp – “Eple”
2. Daft Punk – “Derezzed”
3. Tricky – “Murder Weapon”
4. Bear Hands – “Crime Pays”
5. Familjen – “Det Var Jag”
6. The Wombats – “Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)”
7. Magic Kids – “Superball”
8. Bell – “Dialtone”
9. Freezepop – “Science Genius Girl”
10. Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) – “Do You Love”

Categories
Technology

Bonnier’s News+

Bonnier’s Mag+ — a concept for a magazine on tablet — was all the rage when it came out earlier this year, and now Bonnier follows that up with another new concept, News+, this time presenting what a daily newspaper could look like on iPad. Again, some really interesting ideas here, and I’m wondering how closely the upcoming Daily digital newspaper from Apple and Rupert Murdoch will come to looking like this. (via Cédric Riveau)

Categories
Magazines Technology

Still Can’t Download Wired in Background

Well this is disappointing. One of the things I was most looking forward to with the 4.2 iOS firmware update for iPad was the addition of multitasking, and therefore the ability to download stuff — like gigantic issues of Wired — in the background. Sorry folks, switching to another app after you start the download simply pauses it, waiting for you to return. Come on Wired, fix this. And if you’re wondering, this month’s issue clocks in at 351MB, so we’re on a downward trend in terms of size at least.

Categories
Technology

The State of Digital Comics

Comics Alliance posts a comprehensive look at the current state of digital comics, or as they better describe it, “seven points of conversation we need to be having about digital comics.”

Categories
Events Magazines Technology

Edit 2010

Jeremy attended — and participated in — last week’s “Edit 2010” magazine publishing event in Warsaw, and includes a nice round-up of what was covered, especially on the Adobe digital tools front.

Pictured, an earlier issue of Gym Class Magazine that was on display as part of a magazine exhibition. Make sure to pick up the latest issue!

Categories
Events Meta

Last PKN in Tokyo for 2010

Tomorrow night (Wednesday, November 24) isn’t any old PechaKucha Night, nope, it’s actually the last one of 2010, since December is always a skip month. So come on down to SuperDeluxe for what is looking like a great night of presentations, including my pal Ian who is promising to give away free stuff, and Audrey who will be talking about TOO MUCH magazine. If you want to say hi, just drop by the front either before or during the beer break, as I sit at the front next to Mark and Astrid.

Categories
Technology

Sexiness OK with Apple if in 360 Degrees

Remember the problems Esquire encountered this month in releasing its latest issue on iPad? Looks like as long as your content involves topless women that you can spin around 360 degrees, then Apple is A-OK with it — as seen in the amazing new feature included in The Sun‘s iPad app. (via Grids)

Categories
Meta Music

Codex 03

Another week means another episode of the Codex (03). You’ll find the link to download the episode below, as well as the playlist, but remember that you can also find all of this info at the show’s home, and also subscribe to an RSS feed, so as not to miss any future episodes.

Also, as I mention at the end of the show, I’m going to soon introduce a new segment I’m calling “Codex Coda,” in which I invite someone to contribute a short 3-track set to the show. I’ve already asked a few people to do them, and so I’ll be adding them to the show as I start receiving them.

Codex 03 (33MB)

1. Dom – “Burn Bridges”
2. Baths – “Aminals”
3. Lullatone – “The Bathtime Beat”
4. Deep Sea Arcade – “Keep on Walking”
5. The 1900s – “Babies”
6. Tegan & Sara – “Walking With a Ghost”
7. OK Go – “White Knuckles”
8. Of Montreal – “Enemy Gene (ft. Janelle Monae)”
9. Antony and the Johnsons – “Fletta (ft. Bjork)
10. Teddybears – “Chrystal Meth Christian (ft. The Flaming Lips)”

Categories
Events Magazines

TOO MUCH Launch Party

Last night marked the official launch of TOO MUCH magazine at HAPPA gallery in Nakameguro, and man was it ever fun. Such a terrific gathering of people, and everyone seemed really happy to see Editions OK FRED finally be in the magazine business again.

Although it still doesn’t appear to be for sale online, it should be soon enough, and I’m sure you’ll be spotting it in Tokyo’s better bookstores. At the event they were also selling a separate pamphlet that features Japanese translations of all the articles (remember, unlike the bilingual OK FRED magazine, TOO MUCH is English-only).

Above, the two creators of the magazine, Ay2 and Yoshi (and of course, my fellow Radio OK FRED co-hosts), and just behind the glass you see Cameron as well, who edited the issue.