"The Future of 'Print'?"

"Is SI’s Dazzling Tablet Mag The Future of ‘Print’?" So asks MinOnline in describing the concept for the next-generation Sports Illustrated magazine.

The video above is vaporware at this point, but represents real possibilities around the corner as multiple companies prepare to launch so-called digital tablets next year. Apple is among them, but others such as Wonderfactory and Plastic Logic CrunchPad are also thick in the game.

As a consumer and content creator, I love the concept: Rich, detailed and interactive content -- whether news or advertising -- that can be updated on the fly and on the go. They're not repurposing the magazine, they're reinventing it. And unlike a lot of the shiny objects we see online today, products like these are true game changers, no matter if they're niches initially because the tablets are expensive, the content scarce or whatever.

But as a business person and someone who has a good idea what it takes to create a slick product like this, I cringe that there was only one reference to advertising in the S.I. prototype. Creating such rich content week in, week out -- or daily, if you ditch the print-driven weekly production cycle -- will cost tons of money, which means the advertising has to be there from the get-go and not an afterthought. Subscription costs alone likely will not pay for the content production.

And I also wonder whether we're starting to see long-term segmentation in platforms, with print, desktops, gaming consoles and mobile devices all cornering their portion of the media landscape. Print is a killer app, and will be for years to come for a sizable audience that likes the predictability, the simplicity. Desktops and gaming consoles are wonderful social vehicles. But for many people, a digital tablet might be too much, too complex, too intense. There's a reason the Kindle is popular: It does a few things very well without the whiz and bang; it's an escape from the chaos in our lives, not an amplifier.

These are exciting times we live in, but for those people in the traditional news business, these are the challenges -- and opportunities -- that really make one pause. My head is spinning, both in a good and bad way. Anymore, that seems to be how life is.

Update on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 9:18 AM by Logan Molen

Got an email from a smart guy at Gannett's Detroit newspapers -- which is doing some great work now, and planning into the future -- who asked about my Plastic Logic reference. The reference to Plastic Logic -- which is in the e-reader business -- was total brain fade on my part (cranked the post out too quickly). I meant CrunchPad, and have made the fix in the original post. 

Update on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 11:03 AM by Logan Molen

Fast Company reviews two new tablet PCs due to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronic Show next month (sadly, I can't attend this year -- there's a room set aside for e-readers, tablet PCs and the like). 

Thumbs up on one, thumbs down on another, as well as an update on the weird Crunchpad debacle. Worth a quick read. 

Comments

[Billy Simkins]

This platform finally opens the doors for print and digital to mesh. Much better than even a computer website can do. You bring up a word that puts a lot of this into perspective; "predictability." This concept bridges the gap between those who want more and those who who want more of the same. Most people want their information mobile. The Iphone and Blackberry, as cool as they are don't deliver the impact or in-depth feel of a printed publication. On the other hand, the printed product doesn't offer the streamline interaction that people are starting to crave. One thing I like about this presentation is how the product allows the user to choose the content style that best suits them. The idea of real time content changes is ground that hasn't really been mastered by any media outlet, especially in advertising. Ordering food on an interactive menu and presenting advertising and content outside the square boxes we see now excites me even thinking about it.

But as fancy as this piece is, it means nothing if media outlets can't find a way to pay for it. Still nice to see a platform where the media just might be able to thrive.

[Logan Molen]

Good points, Billy. I know you're frothing at the mouth as you envision the possibilities.

One thing that I think will be a key factor is size and heft. Smartphones and even Kindles are fairly light and can fit into a handbag or backpack. I think a key to the success of any tablets will be whether they feel comfortable in your lap or hands, or whether they can be easily tossed into a backpack or bag. The flash and bang is one thing, but as Steve Jobs has shown us, elegance and convenience really puts things over the top in terms of consumer acceptance and loyalty to content streams. Something tells me whatever Apple delivers will be pretty cool right out of the gate.