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Mag+: The magazine's digital future

By Lisa Smith - December 17, 2009

in Tech | Video

Mag+ is an investigation of the future of periodicals in digital media. A collaboration between design consultancy Berg and the R+D department of magazine publisher Bonnier, this study is particularly relevant after the sad announcement earlier this week that I.D. magazine would be ceasing publication. It might also be considered another unofficial response to "The Future of Digital Reading, our 1 Hour Design Challenge produced with Portigal Consulting. In this e-reader proposal, Berg and Bonnier consider the magazine's particular way of parceling out content. Unlike the endless RSS feeds we are now all accustomed to, magazines give people a "sense that they've consumed an editorial package," something finite and episodic. At the same time, the flexible format of the e-reader allows periodicals to continue to art direct, with pull quotes, flexible layouts and pagination. Also refreshing is the insight that a mock page flip as a means of navigation doesn't actually work, and that the most successful e-reading experiences (emails, blogs, online newspapers) rely simply on scrolling. Get all the background information and see the compelling visualization in the video above.

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J.R.

14 years ago

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Something like this will only succeed with the blessing of strong, strategic partners such as the remaining magazine dynasties and other publishers, a la itunes arrangement with record labels. Fascinating.
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Michael Janzen

14 years ago

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So in a nutshell they are predicting that tablet devices will replace magazines. I suspect they will replace far more than that. Apple has been rumored for months to have a breakthrough tablet in the works. I suspect there's a good chance that we'll see Steve Jobs back at the podium at MacWorld in early 2010 showing it off... and that it will put single purpose devices like the Kindle to shame. If the predictions are correct Apple will continue to move into the old-school digital and print world drawing in new customers and inadvertently putting the old-schoolers out of business simply by following a steeper innovation curve.
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Drew Poland

14 years ago

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An idea like this could be used in a lot of different ways, and end up a kindle killer if executed correctly.
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