Time Inc. Peers into Digital Crystal Ball and Future Looks Good

When Markus sent the Black Web 2.0 staff a link to TechCrunch’s video of Time Inc.’s shiny new tablet, I immediately replied all saying “Must…touch…it…” Wiping the drool off my chin, I can say that the video is impressive. Using Sports Illustrated for the mock-up, the video shows TechCrunch writer, Erick Schonfeld navigating the digital incarnation of the magazine with relative ease. The swiping action used to flip through the pages appeared to be quick and responsive. But the real star of the show has to be that navigation wheel that shows up at 00:49 of the video.

The wheel is a menu showcasing all the viable content that’s related to the article. With a tap of the screen, you were able to check out video, twitter feeds, and related statistics. There was also an option to favorite and share the article via the usual social networking avenues. Another slick feature was the in-line photo browsing that allows users to scroll through a myriad of pictures without leaving the actual article. As Sports Illustrated editor Terry McDonell points out this is a great value add. Instead of having to choose just a few great shots per article each month, now magazines can show all the great content that readers would normally never see.

So now that you’ve seen a little taste of where magazines could be headed in the future, imagine what this technology could do for Sports Illustrated’s sister publication Essence. As you know, I’m not fond of the current layout on Essence.com. I’d much rather have a consistent style guide that runs across the digital and print properties. And truth be told, I still think the current layout looks like who did it to what and why?

If Essence were to adopt the new digital format, that hideous feature bar that’s kind of floating in mid-air would float off, never to darken my comp screen again. Instead I’d be checking out the slick menu featured on the right side of the content and cherry-picking what I want to read. Multimedia like “Michelle Obama’s Daily Diary” and the video gallery could better integrate into the overall content instead of being one-off choices. The in-line photo feature would be perfect for those additional photos we never get to see. Who wouldn’t want to see more pics of Anika Noni Rose or Jennifer Hudson getting ready for their closeups? Better yet, can you imagine totally blown out how-to features in the beauty section complete with step by step photos without worrying about space limitations? Hell, I’m still trying to master the smokey eye. I need this technology now!

While this is still only a concept, I’m hoping, wishing, and praying that this becomes a reality sooner than later. With print publications still struggling to get a foothold in 21st century-style information distribution, this new model can only help the transition. Hopefully Time Inc., isn’t toying with us and doesn’t have us chomping at the bait like we were for TechCrunch’s tragic CrunchPad. We can only wait and see.