Assuming you're not living under a rock, you've probably heard about Apple's rumored tablet device. Now, while this product does not yet exist, there's certainly been a lot of speculation on its form factor, software, interface, and more. One of the most interesting questions, at least to me, is: what would this rumored tablet do? Why would it exist? Apple doesn't – ever – develop products without the mass consumer in mind. And since Jobs returned, the expectation is that every product will be a unique experience. So niche consumers or specific vertical business applications are out. A scaled up iPhone is out. A simple e-reader (like the Kindle or Nook) is out. A Macbook without a keyboard is out. A re-baked Newton is out.

So what will this thing do?

Well, two groups have put together compelling design briefs on what a "next generation digital magazine" might be like. And interestingly, one of these, Time Inc., is rumored to be in talks with Apple. My guess? From a user experience standpoint, these are starting to get fairly close to what we'll soon see. Think of the iTablet, or whatever it's called, as a combination of an iPhone, with access to a similar (the same?) app store, and a dramatically improved e-reader. For the iPhone-esque portion, this tablet will do everything an iPhone does, except make phone calls, and will provide a significantly larger screen and more computing power, which should open up even more exciting applications, games, and more. For the e-reader, think of something completely new. Something that is not designed to put static content on a page, but rather will present a unique and immersive experience for the reader. And here's the key: a unique experience that the reader will pay for. Want to read basic web copy for Sports Illustrated? That's free. Want the physical magazine? Just subscribe. Would you like to get all our premium content, immersive experience and behind the scenes insight? That will cost you $0.99 and is available only through iTunes on Apple's Tablet. And maybe it will look something like this:

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

-posted by Paul

Tags: ereading, itablet

This video is all sorts of awesome.



-posted by Paul

Tags: fonts