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Mag+ Take On the Possible Future of Magazines

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Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

As the future of printed magazine is being curved into its possible digital form, we’ve seen several takes already. How many of these future gadgets have came out  anyway? Let’s see, recently there was the CrunchPad which became the JooJoo. Then there was the rumored Apple Tablet, Time Inc’s Tablet Magazine, Wired Magazine and even Sports Illustrated showed us their own digital magazine reader.

Now here, we got another take on this  – Mag+. This digital magazine was being  conceptualized and developed in cooperation with Popular Science magazine’s publisher Bonnier.

Mag+ features scrollable articles which are placed side-to-side in kind of mountain range and are delivered electronically on the device per issue. Very much like how printed magazines arrive on our hands.

Another feature of the Mag+ is its ability to flip through articles shifting focus and by tapping icons displayed on the screen. So, Mag+ is definitely a touchscreen magazine tablet.  It will treat magazine articles in appealing format, so as to elicit long-time interest from readers. Very much like how printed magazines look like, glossy and colorful.

Of course this is still a concept. But considering the increasing interest on digital ebook ereaders and magazine readers, it is most likely that the Mag+ will actually become a reality.

Actually it should. Mag+ looks pretty sleek and cool. It can even give the current crop of ebook readers a run for their money.  The only possible contender that I can see is Apple’s tablet, if in case it goes to production.

Originally posted on December 17, 2009 @ 8:47 am

Joo Joo, the Web Slate Formerly Known as CrunchPad Gets Previewed

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Remember the CrunchPad? Well, in case you didn’t catch the news yesterday, said tablet has just been christened Joo Joo, the web slate, tablet or whatever you may want to call it.

Now here’s the news, after announcing that they are pushing the release of the JooJoo after their deal with Michael Arrington didn’t work out, Joo Joo’s developer Fusion Garage has just demoed that actual tablet/web slate to CNET as Fusion Garage’s CEO showed his Joo Joo.

From what we can observe from the video, the Joo Joo functions and behaves like Time Inc’s tablet device which was demoed recently as well. You would really think that both machines are one and the same.  Are they or are they not the same device?

Anyway, CNET has the following observations about the Joo Joo – slim and pleasing to hold hardware, gorgeous screen display, curved plastic back, slim and thin form factor and has no any other buttons except the power switch.

In addition, the JooJoo is loaded with a Linux-based OS but not to perform as a full operating system: Linux is only integrated to launch the web browser.  Fusion Garage should have worked out a deal with Google, as the Chrome OS definitely fits the Joo Joo to a tee.

Additionally, Joo Joo’s browser can run Flash scripts as well as HTML extensions. It won’t run non-web apps though.

In other words, Joo Joo is basically a made-for-web device with a hefty price ($499). Anybody willing to shell out that amount must be pretty rich or simply gadget-savvy-geek.

There’s no doubt that the Joo Joo is a pretty cool and innovative device. But I couldn’t help but plea with Apple to hurry up and brings us the rumored Apple Tablet please.

Originally posted on December 8, 2009 @ 2:44 am