Robert Andrews at PaidContent reports on the latest of Rupert Murdoch’s print media holdings to get an iPad tablet app—the tabloid News of the World.
Andrews notes that the application framework it uses is a slow, awkward replication of the magazine’s original print pages that has to be zoomed in to read. And it is not simply the same price as its print companion, which previous appgazines have been, but actually 29 cents more per issue—with no indication that those who already pay for website access will get complementary access to the tablet version.
On the bright side, the more badly-done iPad magazine apps that come out, the sooner people will realize they just aren’t working that well and try something better, I guess.
It seems that Mr. Murdock is determined to prove that electronic publishing doesn’t work and that his customers are stupid. His current habit of charging more for electronic versions than paper versions shows a very poor vision of the big picture and considerable disdain for his customers as well.
He does control some very useful publications. I hope his lack of vision doesn’t shoot them in the foot.
Hey guys, you know what’s awesome? HTML. HTML is awesome. It does inline images, it reflows text to fit *whatever* screen, it’s easy to read, easy to write and… IT’S SUPPORTED BY EVERY DEVICE IN THE UNIVERSE!
WTF would they spend their time faffing about with a one-device-only proprietary interface to replicate their terrible paper layout when there’s already a standard that works on Ebook readers, tablets, PC’s and Mobile phones that any 12 year old can mark up for them?