iPad-Only Magazines, Newspapers Debuting Soon

A publication just for the iPad. Why? Why would you do something that is specifically for one device that just, frankly, not everybody in America is going to have, as much publicity as it may get? "Sitting with it in your lap and turning pages, as we have for hundreds of years." Why? This podcast is an interview of David Carr, a media columnist for The New York Times by Steve Inskeep, host. They talk about the new magazine, only avaliable on the iPad, British entrepreneur Richard Branson is unveiling and the iPad only newspaper billionaire Rupert Murdoch plans to launch early next year.
For more on this story visit:
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/30/131687816/ipad-only-magazines-newspapers-debuting-soon

Let's zoom in to this conversation a bit more.

Mr. CARR: Well, a couple of things you have to keep in mind, Steve. One is there's - what - 10, 12 million iPads and iPad-like devices out there. A lot of people say that four years from now there'll be a hundred to 120 million of them. The other thing you have to think about is it's not just a unique visual environment, it's a unique business environment. Out on the web, if you use the word subscriptions people flee in droves. They can't stand it.

INSKEEP: People expect it to be free, sure. Sure.

Mr. CARR: Right. But in and iPad environment, you expect to pay for the good stuff. And I do think that nomenclature is very important. When they get away from the word subscription and into the word application, well, that's a much sexier, much more friendly term.

Just a few things that struck me right away.

1. Granted, there are 10-12 million iPads and iPad-like devices "out there" but I wonder what percentage of these people are interested in the things featured in the magazines. what exactly will be featured in the magazines? Why will iPad users need the magazine if they can just surf the web for whatever information is offered. What is so unique about the magazine that would make the iPad user want to buy it? Who would want to flip a page when they could click a link? If I wanted to flip a page I would pick up a hard copy of a magazine but when I'm using the iPad I prefer to click.

2.   A lot of people say that four years from now there'll be a hundred to 120 million of them. Who is "a lot of people"? Should I count "a lot of people" as a reliable resource? Is this the same "a lot of people" that predicted that the effects of global warming wouldn't "be that bad"? (I mean it snowed during my spring break two years ago. I live in the Southern States of America.) In Web Technologies, we have had discussions about trusting on the internet i.e. trusting your sources and trusting the people who send you internet messages (phising). One of the major faults of the internet is how fast faulty information can spread.

3.The internet is a unique business environment. In Web Tech, we have talked about this as well. If we have to begin to think about how copyright laws are going to be revised of course we have to think about revising business strategies. The Internet allows a business to reach a bigger market, a wider range of people from all over the worls. The internet allows one to connect and collaborate with people they wouldn;t generally collaborate with. The internet is indeed a unique business environment.

4. Last but most striking . . . "sexier"? "That's a much sexier, much more friendly term"? Is he equating sexy with friendly. (That may explain a bunch of societal problems especially those among teenagers. You can't equate friendly with sexy. They are not the same thing!) and is sexy the correct adjective for this situation? i never expected to see the word "sexy" in an article entitled "iPad-Only Magazines, Newspapers Debuting Soon"