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Introducing Engadget Distro!
Say hello to Engadget Distro. At its most molecular level, it's nothing more than a series of ones and zeros, cobbled together in a compiler and made to look like words and images on Apple's iPad. But in reality, it's something far greater -- something that the entire Engadget staff couldn't be more proud to have their names on. Distro is the week in technology news, distilled down and reformatted into a beautiful, offline view that can be enjoyed anywhere. You know, like one of those regional jets still awaiting their rightful Gogo injection. We've got a team of designers and editors toiling around the clock to assemble our best long-form feature content and reviews, re-wrapping it in a fashion that takes full advantage of a little thing called "multitouch." As of now, we've got plans to launch Distro on the iPad soon (as in, super soon!), but you can bet we're already hammering away on versions for the other major tablet platforms. Rest assured, we're as eager to finish them as anyone, and yes, they'll all be absolutely free of charge. For those who find themselves a touch overwhelmed with the sheer torrent of news that occurs in this space each and every day, Distro offers a relaxing, peaceful alternative. Sort of like morphine, but available sans a prescription. We'll be showing off a sneak peek during tonight's live Engadget Show (tune in here!), and we'll be sure to keep you abreast of our launch date as it draws closer. For now, have a look at what Distro will bring in the video after the break. We hope you enjoy. %Gallery-134423%
WoW Magazine ending with issue 5
It looks like publication delays and deadlines were not the worst of the World of Warcraft Official Magazine's troubles. Issue 5 of the oft-late magazine will be its last, and subscribers have been sent emails with redemption codes for a refund or a package of the six pets from the Blizzard pet store. You are apparently only allowed to get a reimbursement if you request it in writing by Sept. 30, so check your email soon if you are a World of Warcraft Official Magazine subscriber. The World of Warcraft Official Magazine was a pretty cool resource when it came out, but with print media for a game that changes so often and critically as World of Warcraft, the magazine just could not keep up. It is a shame, however, to see anything of this caliber end. I think I speak for a lot of readers and WoW fans when I say that the magazine had a lot of potential. Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
CNN reportedly buys iPad magazine app Zite
Techvibes is reporting that CNN is buying Vancouver-based iPad magazine app Zite for up to US$25 million. Zite is an iPad magazine app that aggregates news based on your personal preferences. Personalized magazine aggregator apps are becoming increasingly popular on the iPad. Other similar apps to Zite include Pulse, Flipboard, AOL Editions, and more. All the apps basically work in the same way: you input your preferences for the stories you want to read, or the app reads your preferences from social media sites and presents you with news stories. CNN's interest in Zite as a stand-alone news aggregator would be an interesting departure from its video-heavy iPad app. While that app does also have print stories, it's possible CNN wants Zite for its underlying technology to incorporate into its existing iPad app, allowing for a more personalized experience for its users. Or, who knows, perhaps CNN wants to get into the magazine aggregator business on all its own, though it would be rather self-limiting if CNN only used its own sources for the aggregator app. After all, the appeal of such apps is that they pull news from multiple news sources around the web. At this time, Zite is still available as a free download from the App Store.
Maxim HD for iPad to halt production, will re-emerge via Mag+
Maxim stirred up some fears among the early 20-something male demographic when it announced that its iPad app Maxim HD would no longer be updating past the June issue. This led many to assume that Maxim was leaving the iPad as a digital distribution platform. Well fear not, frat boys, Maxim PR rep Nora Garrity told AllThingsD that the company is simply switching to a different publishing framework which is used to translate the magazine into iPad format. Up through the June 2011 issue, the iPad edition of Maxim was assembled using technology from Bite Sized Candy, a digital publishing house that counts Outside, Epic, and Reader's Digest among their clients. When Maxim relaunches on the iPad this fall, the magazine will use Mag+ as its digital publishing platform. Mag+ has a significantly larger client base than Bite Sized Candy, including such popular magazines as MacWorld Sweden, Popular Photography, Popular Science, and FHM Norway. No word yet on the exact date Maxim plans to launch again on the iPad, but in the meantime if you are looking for pictures of hot girls I recommend you check out something called the Internet.
Time Inc. aims to please advertisers and your eyes, making all mags tablet-friendly by year's end
Do you love reading Time magazine on your tablet, but wish you had the same luxury with all of its related offerings? Oh boy, do we have fantastic news for you. As it stands, select Time Inc. publications are supported on the iPad, Android Marketplace, TouchPad, and Next Issue Media's store, but now the company has announced plans to make all 21 of its mags available on tablets by the year's end. Furthermore, support for the Nook Color will be added by the end of August with digital versions of Time, Sports Illustrated, People, and Fortune. Current subscribers to the print editions won't be left out either when it all rolls out, as they'll be able to opt-in for free upgrades with digital access. The decision is apparently tied to increasing "digital reach" for advertisers, but hey, ad-support isn't totally lame. Right? Full PR just past the break.
Editions iPad app: yet another way to ingest your technology news (and Engadget!)
You've seen us on Flipboard, Boxee, Roku and even the world wide web. And now, you can see even more of us, slotted between some of the world's greatest technology sites in Editions. It's a snazzy new iPad news app, taking its place alongside a smattering of formidable alternatives while presenting a highly customizable view. Upon first launch, you're presented with a veritable plethora of options, enabling users to create an "Edition" consisting of local news, technology, business, politics, etc. You're even able to add and subtract actual news sources from within a category, amongst other subtle personalization tweaks. Of course, you can download our app on a handful of platforms, but if you're looking for a bit of variety (and really, why wouldn't you be?), hit the source link to give 'er a go. It's free, after all. Update: Seems to be US-only for now, but we're told it'll hit the UK and Canada "in the coming months." Disclaimer: This app was created by AOL, who keeps the lights on around here.
Cosmo For Guys viral marketing video is a head-turner (video)
We don't know iPad Head Girl's name, or what she really looks like under that clever environment-reflecting helmet. What we do know, however, is that our mama didn't raise us to go stroking people's faces in the street -- which is exactly what one unseemly chap eventually does in the viral marketing video after the break. Is he an actor on Hearst's payroll, remitted an hourly rate to feign fascination with their new Cosmo For Guys iPad magazine, which magically appears on the poor girl's face? By all means, analyze his forward behavior and make up your own mind. But if you're only into couture, darling, you'd better look away now.
The New Yorker has sold 20,000 annual paid iPad subscriptions
The New Yorker has sold more than 20,000 annual paid iPad subscriptions since Conde Nast overhauled its iPad magazine strategy in May. 20,000 readers are now subscribed to the annual US$59.99 iPad-only edition of the quintessential news, social, and literary magazine while every week another 5,000 people buy single issues of the magazine for $4.99. While this is good news for Conde Nast, it also reflects heavily on The New Yorker as a magazine and speaks to its digital distribution strategy. Of all Conde Nast's iPad magazines, The New Yorker has achieved the highest subscription rates by eschewing the interactive and sometimes annoying eye-candy content and navigation other digital magazines have been using in their apps. As The New York Times points out, "The New Yorker, a magazine that has always been heavy on text, took a different tack from its peers. Instead of loading its iPad app with interactive features, the magazine focused on presenting its articles in a clean, readable format." In other words, even on a device like the iPad, the content and skilled editorial decisions of a magazine seem to matter more than distracting visual flair like page curls, flips, and transitions. Pamela Maffei McCarthy, The New Yorker's deputy editor, told The New York Times, "That was really important to us: to create an app all about reading. There are some bells and whistles, but we're very careful about that. We think about whether or not they add any value. And if they don't, out the window they go." Good advice.
Zinio 2.0 for iPad adds in-app purchasing, free article preview (video)
If you're reading magazines on your iPad, there's a fairly good chance that you're using Zinio. Released today, version 2.0 of the Zinio app for iPad makes it easier to hand over those newsstand-like per-issue fees with in-app purchasing, while also adding a variety of free preview content, including access to current articles from thousands of top publications. The app's new Explore section hosts this new free content, which updates daily and includes stories from magazines like Esquire, Rolling Stone, and Elle. The new app also features significant performance boosts, like we saw with last month's Android update, in-magazine shopping, and advanced bookmarks. Another update in the coming months will bring social media capabilities, such as bookmark and article sharing. We'd still love to see lower per-issue and subscription rates, but we're happy to welcome free article content in the meantime. Jump past the break for a video overview, along with a sneak peek at those social media features with Zinio CEO Rich Maggiotto.
EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion
Issue 24 of EVE Online's quarterly official magazine EON hit the shelves this month, bringing a fresh dose of internet spaceships to coffee tables and bathrooms everywhere. Produced by MMM Publishing and written by a growing cast of writers from within the EVE community, EON provides something solid for fans of EVE to hold on to and acts as a snapshot in time or record of the game as it evolves. Recent big news stories and nullsec wars are detailed in each issue, along with editorial pieces, fiction, interviews and guides. The latest issue is a wormhole special, with a huge focus on 2009's incredibly successful Apocrypha expansion and the hidden wormhole systems it brought to EVE. In addition to the second part of Pottsey's background on the ancient Sleeper race locked away in wormhole systems, the magazine contains testflights of the four strategic cruisers produced from materials discovered in wormhole space. A fantastically insightful article on the making of Apocrypha also delves into the gritty details of how CCP put its entire weight behind one incredible expansion during a time of real world economic turmoil. Skip past the cut for a breakdown of everything in EON Issue 24 and my impressions from reading through it.
Zinio adds full Froyo and Gingerbread support, now available for all Android devices
Earlier this summer, Zinio released its reader app for a small handful of Android tablets, bringing more than 20,000 full-format magazine titles to the Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and a half dozen other slates. Now, the app is available for all current Android 2.2 Froyo and 2.3 Gingerbread devices, including tablets and smartphones. At launch, you'll have access to a dozen free current issues, including ESPN The Magazine, Maxim, and Robb Report. You'll be back to paying full rates after downloading those 12 single issues, however, so prepare for a bit of sticker shock when you're ready to hit the subscription page.
Create content-centric iPhone & iPad apps on the fly with GENWI
The iSites.us site has rebranded itself today as GENWI (the name of the parent company) and expanded to offer iPad app creation in addition to iPhone and Android apps. With a straightforward CMS engine, the service lets you create either mobile HTML5 web apps or true native apps around your content, delivering a digital magazine experience without coding or extensive development chops. The core of GENWI is a feed aggregation/cloud content tool that website owners or publishers can point at their feeds (including RSS, ATOM, iTunes, or custom XML and homegrown APIs) to automatically update content within the app. Publishers can easily categorize and reorganize the app's sections, insert custom announcement posts, permit social media sharing, add images/rich media (audio or QuickTime/MP4 video) and more. Like any good app platform, advertising services are bundled into the system. The new iPad instance provides many more visual customizations, as befits the larger real estate of the tablet apps. While the instant HTML5 apps and the native iPhone/Android apps can be completely skinned and graphically customized, the iPad GENWI apps can be rearranged and laid out in more sophisticated ways. Customers also have the option of designing a full HTML5/CSS skin from scratch and plugging it into the GENWI platform. GENWI's low-end plan charges US$99/month for the app back-end services, covering up to 100K app interactions (page views, etc.); you submit the apps through your own Apple developer account, which is a separate $99/year cost. If you want to deliver the iPad experience, though, you're looking at the $499/month Professional plan; that puts this service out of the reach of most casual publishers and hobbyists. Back in March, our colleagues at Download Squad did a full rundown on the 'Instant App' authoring within GENWI (then branded as iSites). Check it out here. Show full PR text GENWI/iSites debuts fully customizable iPad app creation and management solution GENWI enables media publishers to create and manage highly interactive, social, and real-time updated newspaper, magazine, printed promotion, and catalog apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod and Android Smart Phone Devices July 13, 2011 – Los Altos, CA – GENWI (http://genwi.com), the premier cloud-based smart phone and tablet app publishing platform, today launched its new iPad app publishing solution and an enhanced mobile Content Management Server (mCMS™). The new iPad app publishing platform offers one of the easiest and most versatile cloud-based solutions for creating iPad apps on the fly, and the service caters especially to the needs of traditional and digital media publishers, broadcasters, promoters, and catalog publishers. The new iPad solution is fully customizable and offers a tailor-made, branded experience for publishers. The unique flexible client architecture, adding new content and updates to apps in real time, helps publishers to create visually stunning and live updated media apps. Optimized templates and themes are offered to help jump-start the design process. Custom design development capability based on HTML5 and CSS is also offered as an advanced option, allowing publishers to create almost any user experience or design imaginable. Media publishers can rapdily transform a print magazine into a visually stunning and custom branded tablet app. With the new mCMS™, publishers can add content through Quickpost™ or from various sources and in numerous formats, including -- Media RSS, iTunes RSS, ATOM, XML, Restful API's, CSV, In-design, and PDF. The mCMS™ media engine will crawl, parse, analyze, and aggregate content in real time and deliver it to a wide array of mobile form factors, tailored for optimal viewing and user interaction based on the device characteristics. mCMS™ also offers the ability to curate the aggregated content, edit, and organize it for various devices. "The mCMS™ media engine has mapped over 60 million posts and 100 million images from more than 30,000 publishers who have signed up with GENWI. We are currently serving 1,500 active apps for our publishing partners on iPhone and Android smart phones, and now we are proud to expand to the fast-growing iPad market. GENWI has observed high repeat usage along with the millions of downloads and app views per month", said Rahul Patel, Co-Founder and CTO. With the mCMS™ media engine and GENWI's flexible client architecture, the flow, navigation, and content organization can be revised instantly and made immediately available to app users. Apps do no have to be resubmitted to the app stores for approval and users don't have to upgrade their apps for small changes and content updates. This allows companies to create apps on mobile devices that are much more flexible and continuously upgradeable much like a SaaS product in the web space. "The GENWI's mCMS™ combined with the flexible client architecture is a unique offering for the publishing industry to embrace the iPad and expedite the transition from printed publications and static PDF reader apps to interactive, social, and real time-updated apps" said PJ Gurumohan, Founder & CEO of GENWI. GENWI also offers several in-built monetization features such as Ad Engine and local business coupon management for media publishers. In-app subscriptions based on iTunes payment system will also be offered. The mCMS™ also offers analytics to measure the engagement of the users at various levels. Downloads, app interactions (views and shares), location analytics etc. that can be filtered by device types and time are in-built into mCMS™ dashboard. GENWI's mCMS™ and iPad app solution will be offered on a usage basis (app interactions). An iPad app, iPhone, Android, and HTML5 (iSites™) app could be developed and deployed with a limited version of mCMS™ at $500 per month based on usage. For custom mCMS™ and advanced features additional fee would be applicable. About GENWI GENWI http://genwi.com is the premier cloud-based platform for Smartphone and Tablet app publishing. GENWI currently has 1500 Apps active on its platform and growing rapidly. GENWI's unique architecture enables rapid creation and deployment of either native or HTML5 (iSites™) Apps, with virtually no programming while incorporating rich media capabilities and real-time data. The solution has comprehensive real-time analytics that provides insights into Apps usage and engagement, and Apps can also include various revenue generating capabilities for businesses like ads, coupons, in-App subscriptions etc. Founded in 2010, GENWI is a privately held firm based in Los Altos, CA. For more information, please visit www.genwi.com
Panasonic debuts UT-PB1 e-reader tablet, spices it with Android flavor (video)
Listen up, bibliophiles. Current e-readers don't have enough pizazz for ya? Panasonic's Japan-bound prototype e-book reader tablet may just be your fancy. According to DigInfo, the UT-PB1 was recently shown-off at e-Book Expo Tokyo sporting a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, micro SD slot, webcam, and WiFi, all running atop a dual-core processor. Being Android-based, there's confirmed support for basic apps like email, but it's hard to tell just how restricted customized the build will be. The reader will have 600 "previewable" titles to get you started, and Rakuten's e-book store will serve up content and real-time updates -- via a custom API -- in August when the service goes live. Panny's remaining coy about specific price and release details, but before you get back to that hardcover on your desk, head past the break to view it in action.
Zinio brings Tegra hardware acceleration to Honeycomb tablets
Zinio's smartphone and tablet apps make it easy to bring a lifetime's worth of magazine content with you on the go, but performance has been inconsistent, especially when navigating through pages or zooming into photos and text. The company's latest app improves upon both critical elements, however, taking advantage of the Nvidia Tegra chip in your Mototola Xoom or Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to smooth out page transitions and pinch-to-zoom. Nvidia posted a side-by-side comparison video demonstrating the improvements on a pair of Xooms, and there's clearly a noticeable difference. You can try it out for yourself by downloading Zinio version 1.10.3641 from the Android Market, or jump past the break for the demo.
Kobo eReader Touch does more than words, handles Sudoku and web browsing on the side (video)
The Nook WiFi may have been rooted to play Angry Birds, but Kobo's competing eReader Touch Edition can apparently show off its gaming capabilities with factory settings. It turns out that aside from the Nook-like embedded web browser we uncovered in our review, the e-reader also comes pre-loaded with Sudoku -- perfect for some pattern deducing fun between reads. YouTube user codystheory has posted a video showing the quick sequence of taps needed to access the game, and we can definitely say it looks much easier than installing a custom ROM. We've placed the short clip after the break if you'd like to see for yourself. [Thanks, Nate]
UK GQ subscribers will get iPad version for free
Conde Nast has told Pocket-lint that UK subscribers to its print edition of GQ will get the iPad version of the magazine for free. Currently the UK GQ Magazine iPad app is a free download, but users have to pay £2.40 per issue. However, Conde Nast is working with Apple to bring annual subscriptions and more a la carte options to the UK edition of GQ on the iPad. When it does, subscribers to the print edition will get the iPad edition for free. Conde Nast's decision to give the iPad edition of its magazine away for free to subscribers mirrors the decision by Time, Inc to give away its iPad editions to annual print subscribers. While iPad editions of magazines are starting to catch on, it looks like the magazine publishers have realized that current print subscribers wouldn't be happy if they had to pay for the digital editions of the same magazine they already get in the mail.
Apple gives in to publishers, changes policy on in-app subscription prices
It looks like Apple has decided to make some pretty major changes to its App Store Review Guidelines -- and, in particular, to its controversial in-app subscription policy. Under the new guidelines, publishers will be able to offer subscriptions to content outside of the App Store, as long as their apps don't include a "buy" button that directs users away from Apple's marketplace. Under the previous version of the policy, which was set to go into effect at the end of this month, app owners offering subscriptions outside of App Store were required to sell equivalent, in-app services at the "same price or less than it is offered outside the app," while giving a 30 percent cut to Cupertino. Now, however, they can price these in-app subscriptions as they see fit, or circumvent the system altogether, by exclusively selling them outside of their apps. Apple will still receive 30 percent of the revenue generated from in-app subscriptions, but won't get any money from purchases made outside of its domain. Theoretically, then, publishers would be able to offer in-app subscriptions at higher prices, in order to offset Apple's share. This is how the new rules are worded: 11.13 Apps that link to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, such as a "buy" button that goes to a web site to purchase a digital book, will be rejected 11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content. Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app. It's important to note, though, that Apple hasn't made any changes to its policy on sharing user information. Publishers had been lobbying to gain access to subscribers' credit card data and other personal information, which they see as critical to applying a TV Everywhere model to online publishing. With today's concessions, though, these demands may become less insistent.
Financial Times web app debuts for iOS, more tablets to come (video)
It's not often that we get the opportunity to mention the Financial Times and Playboy Magazine in the same sentence, but the two publications do have at least one thing in common: App Store aversion. Today, the FT launched a new, entirely web-based app, designed to circumvent iTunes (and Apple's 30 percent revenue cut) altogether. The paper says its single, cross-platform app will allow it to issue updates with more frequency, while reaching an audience that extends far beyond the iOS realm. Though the subscription service is only available for iPhone and iPad users at the moment, versions catered for Galaxy Tab, Xoom and PlayBook users are coming soon. Perhaps more important, however, is what this move could mean for other publishers -- many of whom haven't taken too kindly to Apple's subscription revenue and data-sharing practices. FT managing editor Rob Grimshaw says his paper has "no plans to pull out of any apps store," but if the system proves viable, it could open the door for others to pursue their own, similarly HTML5-based ventures, in the hopes of retaining full revenues and access to subscriber information. We'll have to wait and see whether this iTunes exodus ever materializes, but in the meantime, iOS users can hit the source link to enjoy the new app, available for free until July 14th. Others, meanwhile, can head past the break to see a demo video, narrated in appropriately dulcet, British tones.
Time Inc. exec makes the leap to iPad startup Flipboard
The New York Post is reporting that digital journalist Josh Quittner is leaving Time magazine to join startup Flipboard as its new editorial director. Flipboard is a personalized social magazine app for the iPad. You can enter your Facebook and Twitter accounts and follow any number of sites' RSS feeds, and the app presents all the tweets, status updates and articles to you as a digital magazine. The fact that Quittner, who covered the digital revolution for 15 years at Time Inc, is leaving underscores a tectonic shift happening in the traditional publishing industry. It seems that those in the know feel secure in their beliefs about the future of publishing enough to leave established outlets for what they think is the future of the industry. Like many, I've said it again and again, publishers need to embrace the future if they want to keep up with all the ways people consume media nowadays. When veterans like Quittner, who also worked at Fortune and the now defunct (best magazine ever) Business 2.0, start jumping ship, it seems apparent that a tipping point from print to digital is closer than one thinks. [via iPodNN]
Gourmet Live now available for iPhone
Gourmet Magazine closed shop a few years ago and has lived on through its Gourmet Live app for the iPad. A little less than a year after its iPad app debuted, the company rolled out an iPhone version. Both the iPhone and iPad app lets you browse recipes and read articles from their large collection of food-related content. The system uses a single login so all your saved and purchased content is available on both iOS devices. The iPhone app also has push notifications and integrated support for Twitter and Facebook. The Gourmet Live app is available now for free from the App Store.
