College Newspapers Could See Future With iPad
With technology constantly evolving, every industry has to adapt to keep up; the newspaper industry is no exception. One of the biggest steps in the world of newspapers has been moving to the web as another format to deliver the news. It provides real-time access for real-time content, and allows for a much larger audience. However, there is a new medium on the block to target: Apple, Inc.‘s iPad.
There’s a lot of buzz in the tech and news industries on how this new device might change, or even better, revitalize the industry. With the New York Times demoing its own iPad app, where does this leave college newspapers?
We can only guess as of now. After doing some research, I see no way on how to get into the iBooks store. However, since Apple is using the open ePub technology, it is very easy for any college newspaper that uses InDesign to get their paper into the proper format. Assuming that Apple gives an easy way for organization to create an iTunes/iBooks account, it should be possible for college news publications to be available on the device.
The future looks bright; with all these possibilities, there will hopefully be no reason for a college newspaper to not be in print, on the web, and in the palms of people across the country.
Update: It appears that formatting in InDesign may not transfer over to the ePub format. However, it is smart about how text-linking occurs, so stories will still be put together properly. I will do my best to report when more information is available.
5 Responses
The Torch looks great on an iPad! I like the new device even more seeing it like this.
I think the potential is unlimited — it just takes creative young people like yourself who care about newspapers to keep them relevant for a long time to come in many formats (print, web, iPad, whatever). The content newspapers provide is too important to ignore as technology evolves.
I think something like the iPad has potential to get picked up by mainstream readers, i.e. those subscribing to the New York Times, but college papers have a chance to really shoot the gap and get there before some other biggies.
Whether or not students will own iPads and therefore be able to read them, this could be something to at least embrace.
My hope is that students see the potential of the iPad. As more and more services are offered in web-based forms (a la Google Docs), I think these smaller, mobile computers will take off. Also, given that it can have a keyboard attached to the bottom, it could be really useful in a classroom setting.
And we can only hope that *if* the iPad is adopted by students, college newspaper are quick to fill the gap that I bet corporate newspaper won’t be able to fill (at least as quickly): embracing new technology *as soon as it comes out and is in use*.
“Also, given that it can have a keyboard attached to the bottom…”
Problem is, there is already a device with a keyboard attached, it’s called a laptop. Apple is not attempting to change the market, they are trying to create a new one. Time will tell I suppose.
I would have liked to see a new OS at least..
The money will be where the company that creates the tools that permit the “iPad-i-zation” of newspaper and magazine content. Think PDF on steroids.
The sports illustrated demo on youtube points the way. Newspapers and magazines, presented that way essentially restore the monopoly in that total control over the content is re-established. Unlike current web standards where everything is easily cut and pasted and linked to..if you REMOVE the ease of that, yes it will still be possible to copy the photos and text but it becomes much harder.
Remember Napster? It was just so easy to start it up, look for a tune, click on it and hey! I’ve got a copy!…
By putting content in a proprietary, hard to copy format you get a similar kind of control over news and photos and video.
Yes..people can transcribe it and do screen captures, and find arduous ways around it. But it is WORTH MORE to you as a publisher to have someone paying to read it than it is to have 5 ads next to it paying you 23 cents.
Follow the money…and how to make it.
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