First things first. There are options for creating digital magazines. We need to consider how the ultimate reader will view the final output. Will the viewer use a computer and browser? Would she prefer having something that she can read on her Kindle? Or how about something that can be read on any other e-reader device? But wait a minute. Do we really need to answer that question? Yes and no. Yes because we sure don’t want to waste time, energy, and resources (read=”money”) creating something that no one will use. No because if it’s not that much of a burden, giving people options — even ones that they don’t use — always makes them feel good.
But I digress.
There are two main categories for digital publishing:
- Browser-based digital replicas of printed pages, created by such companies as Texterity and Zinio. Replica pages give the readers the “feel” of a the print product combined with the multimedia bells and whistles. Samples here and here.
- Specific file formats that are compatible with ereaders. Amazon’s Kindle uses Mobi, a proprietary encoding. Other ereaders use ePub, which is compatible with a wide range of ereaders like the Nook and Sony reader as well as the iPhone.
But let’s not forget that there’s a third option out there. Here’s a hint and a half: “There’s an app for that.” That’s right, make a custom application for the Apple devices.
Because Cake Is Good 