Adobe's Digital Publishing Suite (currently in beta) is being well received by the Magazine Publishing industry. However, I've heard time and time again from customers as I present it, "what about us?" Usually this means that they have a project in mind that goes beyond a magazine and they don't have to budget to pay a relatively high monthly hosting cost. Also at the same time these customers don't have the resources to build their own custom Apps and distribution model.
Maybe it's an interactive brochure, a portfolio, a newsletter, a company dossier, etc.? We're entering a world that is moving beyond "static" content and desktop computers. Adobe PDF revolutionized the way companies distributed documents in the 1990s. While it's still a great solution, let's look forward for a moment. What's next?
This is your chance to tell me (us) how you would use a tablet based document creation/delivery solution
First of all there has to be a universal way of getting the document onto tablets. With PDF you can be pretty sure that over 90% of the world has the Free Adobe Reader or ways of viewing a PDF. With Tablets/iPad, not everyone is going to want to or need to build a custom App. The current Adobe Preview Tool in the App Store is great because anyone can download it and view your Adobe .ISSUE files. However, loading documents into it currently requires iTunes and syncing if you're not using our hosted solution. Clearly there is a need to make this better and easier. Once we get past the "App" need, what do you want?
Give me some examples of how you would use a solution like this. What kind of documents would you publish?
Sound off in the comment section and make your case as to "what" you want to publish to the iPad?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlxqsN7HZyU
I would like to create interactive documents and share them for free with friends and contacts, no matter if they have an iPad, Galaxy or Xoom tablet. I could create portfolios, university presentations, valentine cards, etc. It would be great if there was a “bookstore” where we could upload and download all these files.
I would love to offer a small regional high school sports magazine subscription app … and I am sure there are great numbers of like minded folk that have great ideas for such vehicles, but Adobe’s hosting fees are completely prohibitive for smaller circulation numbers … we can’t all have the circulation of The Daily, Time Magazine, SI and WSJ … I’m all for sharing a piece of the pie with those providing a service to reach my goals … but we are talking much smaller pies here … for such publications the fees Adobe wants are just not in the realm of possibility to offer any degree of initial success …
I develop interactive training and elearning content using Adobe tools. Output is Flash, or Flash wrapped in a PDF. The iPad, and tablets in general, are great devices for consuming that kind of content.
I would love a version of Acrobat to work with legal PDF documents that we produce on an iPad. I’d like to be able to search, combine, OCR (I could still do this on a computer), bates, highlight, annotate, bookmark (and print bookmarks) on an iPad. We use Adobe Acrobat for Mac on a daily basis. I think attorneys need to use and know Acrobat, like their assistants know MSWord. And a secure way to access documents and re-upload after making edits. Sure there is GoodReader and Readdle, but I’d like to use the same PDF program I use on my computer (a Mac so I’d like a trial of Acrobat X for Mac too while I am asking:) I still have 9. We are paperless and the iPad is uniquely qualified for reading PDFs. I will likely look at whatever publishing app you provide and tweak it for our use. I like Adobe Ideas, but would love an Acrobat app. Many attorneys are discussing this.
Julie K
We would like to be able to publish our college catalog and other and other school publications to tablets and smart phone devices. To publish a college catalog containing video, hyperlinks, sound . . . it would be amazing, cutting edge and appealing to our prospective and current students. But the cost is a very real issue and currently Adobe has priced this customer base out of the market.
Great post Terry!!! I’m really excited about what Adobe is doing with the Digital Publishing Suite. There are so many ideas in my head. I’m a graphic designer for a book publishing company and having a book solution would be awesome. We publish a once-a-day inspirational product that would look great on a tablet. I would love to design an digital, interactive employee manual for our company. A behind-the-scenes book about a movie would be pretty kool too. There could be video, photos and parts of the score embedded to enhance the experience. My last idea is to bring back Choose Your Own Ending books. I loved reading these books as a child, but there was always the temptation to read all of the outcomes at once. In this format, I could focus on one option and when I’m done with the book, go back and read the anothers. Throw in some videos, illustrations and mini-games and I’m in heaven.
We do production work for a number of designers. Whether it’s menus for restaurant chains or price and specs for international tire manufacturer, the ability to produce what we now do in InDesign would be welcomed on an iPad.
At the moment we are working on a project that will enable companies with limited budget to publish their magazines on ipad (for starters),
We are heading towards second beta which is coming up nicely and should reach RC stage shortly afterwards.
Contact us and I’m sure we will get into agreement
iPad? How about the Android Tablet users! How about a tool that ports iPad apps to Android (yeah, I know its impossible)? Then how about just sending an image created from your dslr to the same places you can with PS or LR without all the hassles.
Android support is a given and in the works.
Speak of the devil: http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/2011/02/android-honeycomb.html
Hallo Terry, I am a freelance DTP’er (DeskTopPublisher) and would love to develop my skills and become a ePP’er (eBookPublisher) & iPP’er (iPadPublisher). Therefore i would like to publish my portfolio on a iPad. With the possibility to publish (a downloadable verision) on my new website and ability to publish/show/send it to customers & prospects.
Also want to offer my customers and prospects a eBook or/and iPad version of their publications, like interactive brochures/catalogs, annual reports, training manuals and books.
I edit the Scarabs newsletter, which is about all things having to do with scarab beetles, and is free. I made a test issue using the Digital Publishing Suite. It would be nice to have tools that are easier to use, and perhaps be seamlessly integrated into InDesign.
I was able to take a 7-page article from our PDF version and place it on a single screen on the iPad. This was done by having the text in a scrollable window with inline graphics. Images of various beetles mentioned could be displayed by pressing one of several buttons (with the beetle’s name on them) which were grouped to the right of the scrollable text/photo window. This solves a nagging problem in PDF versions: synching text with photos. Often, the first paragraph of text mentions photos 1-10, so the reader must turn several pages ahead to view those photos. Inline graphics in a scrollable frame solves this. Plus, everything looks better on the iPad!
Video content is another big benefit of the .ISSUE format. Many people take video with their phones, so we expect to soon start receiving videos with articles. I am not a video expert, so simple editing and sizing are challenging. Placing a cover photo on the video (or image pan) seems way too awkward and difficult.
It would be nice if the Adobe Content Viewer could download free .ISSUE files from the Internet without having to go through iTunes.
Given all this, the results are spectacular. My hat is off to Adobe!
I am the web editor of a college magazine. We have already created an interactive iPad edition and showed it using the preview app, but we want to be able to get it to people on campus cheaply.
I still would like to see a simple $2.99 to $9.99 presentation app(like keynote or a flash catalyst app) and poster/flyer creator app(maybe a lite version of indesign).
I want to be able to use indesign with all the “flash” interactivity. Convert all the flash content and functionality into the current html5, css3 animation, and javascript interaction or the final product converts to xcode. That way we can create what ever we want. 1 page flyer 3 page brochures 100 page magazine.
Then let us be able to export out as an ipad app and submit to apple or sideload. That’s it! Keep it simple. Give us the option to purchase additional features on the backend.
There needs to be better interactivity with the current DPS. It’s just too limited IMO. Great start but its not going to make it in the current form.
I listen to ipad podcast and I have heard a lot of complaint about DPS mags.
IMO DPS seems better suited for custom presentation/interactive brochures that can be emailed or downloaded for clients to use present to others on their ipads.
I would love to see a companion app that will allow the client to make some edit to the folio files.
Similar to how you can design a website in dreamweaver and clients can use contribute to make edits.
I also think a presentation app is an excellent idea! In my initial test of the current DPS, the material I used was from a presentation and the presenter saw what I was doing and loved it. Unfortunately, if they were doing a presentation to a room full of people, there is no easy way to get the screen on a projector. I think with the new presentation view inside of InDesign, this is a great next step. Export your interactive .indd to an iPad presentation.
I want to publish my portfolio as a app Magazine just once,
I have been testing chec out my ipad mag using DMP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEvEeYeP0Og
I agree with ButchM.
First let me start off by saying that if I have misinterpreted how Adobe will handle the capability of the end user to create a publication in Indesign and then create an app using the Digital Publishing Suite and then being able to sell that app/publication then forgive me. But my impression from everything I have read is that if you are a big publisher and have lots of money then you your golden.
I think it is unfair that you spend the money to purchase tools like Indesign and then get left out in the cold if you want to create a newsletter or magazine app to sell but can’t because you cannot afford to pay Adobe the monthly cost and issue fees.
Yes Adobe will get their money from big publishers but if other users are like me in that I’m willing to split a little bit of the money made with Adobe off of the publication/newsletter apps that I would create why would Adobe turn this revenue away. They do have a pay as you go issue but the additional monthly fee of $699 is prohibitive. Maybe the difference could be the big publishers are buying the rebranding capabilities while us small fries can use the Adobe branded app viewer.
I really hope Adobe does something for mom and pop publishers that is fair and cost effective for all involved. I really want to be able to create magazines, newsletters or even books that are made into apps using the Digital Publishing Suite and then sell that app. Cross platform capabilities are a must as well.
Thanks for listening and hopefully I haven’t misquoted any information.
I am photographer, and I would love to create photo albums for the iPad. I would like these to contain both images and video. I think my clients would love this!
Hy,
I just finished working for a magazine on digital ipad developed with adobe, which talk about professional photography. is in English and in Italian with a revolutionary system of publication. In fact you have twice the content (one in horizontal and one vertical) and is at the first place in Apple Store in Italy as Apps ipad news area.
I strongly recommend it to you.
is called “Jumper photo magazine”
http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/jpm-magazine/id416769676?mt=8
marko
I recently did a Media Guide for A NCAA Div 1 Basketball team. It included video interviews, links, interactive photos, etc…they loved it, but the current structure is just not cost effective. I think the need for a single publication solution is what is needed. I want to be able to produce a annual report for example that could be loaded on the iPad before the meeting that everyone could then have access to. The tools are great, it just needs a solution for the smaller publications and one time pubs.
Accessibility and minimal file size are key. Also, is there, or will there be, a non-profit and/or educational institution discount for university publications? For example, my university is interested in producing a magazine app, and this could be a good solution.
Why are Adobe iPad magazines not accessible? Why are they so large in file size? Why do they lag?
I think the idea is really great, but the execution still needs much improvement.
I was wondering if Adobe could build an APP (like Adobe Content Viewer) for Ipad/MAC/WIN that just work on Android/Linux. Something like Adobe Reader, but that supports .FOLIO documents, so we could produce all kind of stuff using Adobe Digital Content Bundler and distribute it anyway we like – just like we do with PDF today.
You just have to download and click on .FOLIO document and it opens on the Reader – simply as that!!!
The fees that Adobe is considering to charge is a problem to Designers that just want to use this powerfull tools to create a simple piece of work (or even just ONE project).
Today Adobe has the focus on the big editorial market (as like woodwind does), but I belive that in the future they will find a way what will allow us to publish our work just as we do with PDF.
Hey Terry, thank you for hear us and open your blog to this kind of discussion.
I would like to know if is it possible to make a cover magazine on Indesign CS5 for ipad with a big video background…
As a designer and publisher of Military History Guidebooks (but this would really apply to all travel guides), I would love to be able to create an E-Guide that was open sourced and worked on all tablets – that’s critical.
it must allow for Enhanced photo options (you could see it larger if you wanted), references (links) that you could immediately click to, dynamic map making abilities, google earth options down to street level so you knew you were looking at what the guide is pointing you toward, and finally video – embedded video from any source (provided you had a connection). the ability to bring this together would make for incredible imagery and radically increase the experience of the tour.
Thanks for providing the open forum…
matt
I would be interested in developing products geared for special needs children (and adults). Including but not limited to, interactive games, educational tools, interactive books, and more. Having 2 special needs kids (1 with aspergers and one with motor delays), I know how hard it is to find things to help teach at home and resources available for teachers, educators and parents in general. I feel that there is a major lacking in things available to this special group of people that can help them learn and enjoy even small things, and have a strong interest in helping fill that gap.
My main concern though is making things affordable, because everything I have looked into to help me get things published/distributed is far out of my financial reach and most families with special needs kids (at least the one’s I know and have worked with) are already highly impacted by the costs of medical care, and special needs living costs.
Great article, and I look forward to seeing how things develop and progress in the near future!
Terry, here is the solution to resolve the monthly fee price problem as everyone will agree that the additional monthly fee of $699 is prohibitive for anyone who is not selling a big magazine for iPad.
Follow me it’s very simple: why don’t you have a monthly fee which will depends of how many copies would be distributed/downloaded? Adobe could say, for instance (it’s just an example) that until 10000 downloads of the issue it would be free, then between 10000 and 25000 it would be a certain price, from 25000 to 50000 another price, etc… up to big dowloads numbers that magazines for iPad like, for instançe, The Daily, can have with hundred of thousands of downloads for each issue.
Nobody needs to be a genius to understand that it’s not fair to have the same monthly fee for big corporate publisher and, let’s say, a simple photograph who just want to create a nice magazine with his last photo reports, just for the pleasure to share his work in an elegant way (and, yes, eventually to also sell it and make money out of his work)
Now the question is, of course, how does Adobe control the numbers of downloads? Very easy (and probably the only way to do it): the issues which would be create with the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite would have to be uploaded for distribution on an Adobe web site, server, etc… with no choice to do it in another way. This way, Adobe would be able to know the “numbers” of downloads and ask for a fair fee depending on these numbers.
Believe me, this would be the best way for Adobe and for its relation with creative people. But the fee definitely has to be totally free for “poor people”, and Adobe should make a higher monthly fee for big corporate publishing. Make the rich corporations pay more, they can afford it, and make it free or very small fee for creative-but-not-so-rich people. This is not socialism, this is simply being human!
Not only it is the right thing to do but this will be a tremendous operation of public relation from Adobe, the creative-but-not-so-rich people will thanks Adobe forever for this. Adobe must have a long term vision, for Christ’s sake, not a short term vision only to make more money “right now!”.
What do you think of this idea, Terry?
I am interested in the Unleashed Dx000 reviewed on the site for geotagging my pics on my Nikon D7000. It doesn’t look like this is available in the U.S. Does anyone know otherwise?
Wonderful Terry! Would this work on other iOS devices? Could I publish to the iPhone? I would need to layout the publication twice, one for the iPad and another for the iPhone but dies this process support the iPhone or iPod touch? I am really interested in porting my publication to any and all iOS devices as well as android to increase market penetration.
Currently the only iOS device supported is the iPad.
Ok. Thanks Terry. The way you said “currently” gives me a glimmer of hope.
I’m a photographer looking to possibly produce a brochure with images, video and etc. And if there’s other ideas to help photography business then I’m all for it.
I work at a medium-sized University (in the US), where I am responsible for developing software training for staff, and producing tech documentation for our enterprise software. Here is what would make it useful for us (and probably many other universities/ colleges):
1 – a software package, such as the current DPS beta, capable of producing .ISSUE files (from InDesign fies, sold as a regular production software (single license fee, without subscription-based distribution platform, the same model as currently used by Adobe for CS5, or Acrobat X, or any other content production software; priced similarly to other content production titles; perhaps included in one future version version of CS 6?).
2 – a good “reader” app for iPad (such as improved version of Adobe Preview App), available for free or for low cost ($ .99 to 4.99) from the Apple iTunes App Store. I am thinking about an app that would do for .ISSUE files the same thing that made Good Reader app the golden standard for PDF files on iPad, that is: in addition to A – syncing through iTunes, the ability to B – download the .ISSUE files directly from the web/URL (through right-clicking the link on a website, and selecting “Open in Adobe .ISSUE Reader” or similar), or from C – a service such as Dropbox or Box.net; D – the ability to do in-app basic file management (group in folders, rename, or delete); and – last but certainly NOT least – E – the ability to display content on external screen / projector via iPad-to-VGA adapter (good Reader does all that for PDFs).
3 – the ability to generate a self-contained app (=content, packaged / wrapped in a reader), for submission to Apple iTunes store, for a reasonable, ONE-TIME fee (say, $200-400, comparable to a cost of short-run print brochure), if the app is distributed though the Apple app store (especially if distributed as a FREE app).
The current pricing structure (monthly subscription fee, PLUS a per-download fee) makes it impossible for us to consider this solution, and without knowing what the future pricing model (if different from present) will be, we can’t justify relatively high development costs for content that may not be useable in the near future.
As a children’s book author, I would like to make digital versions of my out-of-print and new picture books with full-bleed illustrations into a book-like format. (It’s available now with the fixed-layout iBooks, but AFAIK it’s not an easy option from InDesign.)
In addition to the above, I would also like to take photographs in the field, do color correction, vignetting, resizing, etc., write and format the text, finalize the layout, export as an EPUB file all in the tablet… then be able to upload the finished book to wherever. Okay? : )
I would use it to create a series of a new kind of children’s book.
Here is a demo: http://jeangralley.com/books_unbound
As a picture book writer / illustrator I’ve been at work on these and eager for the time when they could be seen on a tablet.
We are a small niche publisher of a magazine for those interested in the canine performance events. We have been publishing since 1971 and recently moved to an online WordPress format due to the costs of publishing and distribution in print. Because of the market that we cater to our subscription base will continue to be limited. It is so difficult and frustrating to know that technology exists which could serve our customers well, yet we can’t access it due to exorbitant fees from large publishing companies. Balancing costs is a daily struggle and we need to restrict our content to a subscribers only policy. We need a solution that will allow us to publish to a digital market yet protect our issues from excessive sharing by customers.
I think a lot of apps like Adobe, Presspad http://presspadapp.com/ and others allow magazines, comics, reports, books and documents to be published.