tablets | Internet Marketing Blog

Forget tablets, e-readers are where the growth is at: report

Since Apple unveiled the iPad to the world, tablet devices have attracted an immense spotlight. To some, they represent the future of computing, publishing, advertising and, well, life as we know it.

But is the smoke from the tablet market obscuring even bigger fires elsewhere? According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, e-reader ownership is growing much, much faster than tablet ownership.

by Patricio Robles 29 June 2011 12:47pm 6 comments

Note to publishers: you don't need an iPad-specific website

When it comes to tablets, traditional publishers have a dilemma: the numbers make it clear that the money is currently in native apps, but for publishers struggling to survive, giving up 30% of revenue to Apple, along with valuable subscriber data, is a tough pill to swallow.

So many publishers are trying to have their cake and eat it too. How? By building web apps that look and feel like native apps.

by Patricio Robles 27 June 2011 15:01pm 2 comments

Number of U.S. tablet owners to double by early 2012: report

Despite the hype, tablets are still most accurately described as a 'niche' market. But that market is expected to grow really, really fast.

That's according to a study (PDF) conducted by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) and Frank N. Magid Associates, which sees 54m Americans owning or using tablets by early 2012, up from 28m today.

by Patricio Robles 23 June 2011 16:43pm 1 comment

Google's new Chromebook: too little, too late?

Even if tablet computers, namely the iPad, aren't killing desktops, notebooks and kittens, many in the tech and marketing industries express the sentiment that the tablet is going to be the source of fundamental change in many markets.

So where does that leave Google's Chromebook, which the search giant unveiled to the world yesterday?

by Patricio Robles 12 May 2011 16:12pm 10 comments

Tablets aren't killers: report

Thanks to Apple, we know that there's a market for tablet computing devices. But what we still don't know is how the growth of tablet devices will impact the usage of other computing devices.

Some, not surprisingly, believe that the tablet is a killer. A popular meme on this front: the iPad is killing netbooks. But is that really the case?

by Patricio Robles 06 May 2011 13:07pm 6 comments

HP TouchPad: the iPad's first real contender?

The market for tablet devices, which basically didn't exist at this time last year, is now a major focus for just about every large computer and mobile manufacturer.

Yet despite this, one company is reaping almost all of the rewards: Apple.

by Patricio Robles 10 February 2011 15:00pm 3 comments

iPad magazine strategy: recycle old content?

Many print publishers hoped that the iPad would do more for them than it has done thus far, but that doesn't mean that the iPad, and tablet computing in general, doesn't have potential.

The challenge: figuring out a strategy that works. Trying to charge more for your newspaper on the iPad than it costs in print doesn't seem all that sensible, and creating tablet-only dailies doesn't exactly come off as a smart investment given the economics of the publishing business today.

However, Condé Nast might have stumbled upon a concept that might be a viable part of a larger strategy: take old, existing content, repurpose it and sell it as a new product.

by Patricio Robles 12 January 2011 14:18pm 1 comment

Traditional publishers just don't get consumers: report

Most traditional publishing executives have bought into the idea that digital is crucial to the success of their publications in the 21st century. But despite the fact that most of them are increasingly embracing and investing in digital, few are seeing the kind of results that would indicate good times are back again.

A new survey of 476 publishing industry professionals and 1,800 consumers conducted by Harrison Group sponsored by Zinio might just hint at why: publishers are simply blind to what consumers really want.

by Patricio Robles 07 January 2011 13:01pm 5 comments

The Independent releases iPad app for 'i'

The Independent last week launched an iPad version of 'i' the compact, reduced price version of the newspaper.

The app currently has an offer for five free issues if users register, but will charge £1.79 for 10 issues or £2.99 for 20. I've been seeing how it works...

by Graham Charlton 29 November 2010 12:59pm 0 comments

Murdoch and Branson: blinded by the iPad's glare?

In the run-up to the launch of the iPad, there was a lot of talk about the impact Apple's tablet computing device would have on traditional publishers. For some, including publishing execs, the iPad was seen as potential source of revitalization for newspapers and magazines.

While it remains to be seen whether or not the iPad will be as beneficial to traditional publishers as many hoped, it has become clear that finding success on the iPad isn't any easier than finding success in the broader market.

by Patricio Robles 26 November 2010 10:57am 1 comment