While billboards, banners, posters, and signs have long been part of the printers offerings, interactive billboards are breaking in with interactive ads that pedestrians can use a smartphone to download an app or send a text message to the company.  Wi-Fi is the key to these interactive posters.  A few companies are experimenting to see what the business model will be.  Google Inc., Nokia Corp. and France Telecom SA’s Orange are running pilot tests.  While not wide spread, interest is gaining ground.  Check it out. ...

Have you ever regretted a written text message or video sent to someone? Have you ever sent a joke or forwarded someone’s message and had second thoughts?  A new messaging service called TigerText may be the answer.  It sounds intriguing for those who fear the records they are creating. Both the sender and the receiver must have the app.  This app is available on iPhones, Androids and BlackBerry devices. Basically, the user sends a message/video and sets an expiration date; message travels across the TigerText network; receiver activates the expiration process upon opening the message.  Immediately upon expiration, the service writes over the file and no copies are stored or available.  I am going to find a friend to try this. What business could benefit from using this?  Doctors?  Lawyers?  Fund Traders? Alleged criminals that have their messages brought into court will wish they used it. How could our industry benefit from disappearing text? Users could be anyone who wants privacy.  Check out a review of TigerText: http://prnt.in/Z43  Here is the article in WSJ–http://prnt.in/Z4J...

 SMFG used Gary Vynerchuk as an excellent example of  building brand awareness to his wine business.  Gary was recently featured in an interview in Inc. magazine  (February, 2011). He has a great quote, “When it comes to social media, I think most companies are putting a couple of chips on the table.  I’m all in.  Engagement is key to building real relationships with people you do business with…”  Made me stop and think…am I all “in”?  Are you all in?  See the details of this interview… his energy exudes in describing the “The Way I Work.”  See http://prnt.in/Z4o I was impressed with his schedule and amazed at his use of TweetDeck.  Also wondered if he has more than the allotted 24 hours per day!  Note that he moved from his wine business to VaynerMedia.  Impressive....

I am monitoring the iPad not only from my personal reaction but also to the value that various apps have in relationship to the publishing business and any affects on printing.  Recently Richard Romano of  WhatTheyThink wrote an excellent article for Printing Industries of America The Magazine, In the article in the Forecast Part 1, Trends and Tactics, Romano’s article, “ E-Books Go Mainstream,”  he opened with a tantalizing  “Trivial Pursuit” question about “Who was the first author to sell one million e-books?”  This question was really a mechanism to illustrate the difficulty in actually paying attention and analyzing the use, purchase, and comparison to book sales that exist.  What all the attributed facts and illustrations proved is that e-books are impacting publishing and print products…not to mention our lives.  The general fact is that e-books are gaining ground in all book categories.   For the Forecast article see http://www.printing.org/page/4508  Since we are exploring the use of an app to download The Magazine and other publications, I am also monitoring the results of magazine subscriptions and use on the iPad.  In a recent article in WWDMedia  http://prnt.in/ZZt , the author points out that actual subscriptions to digital versions are going down rather than up. The author compares the strong initial digital sales to the diminishing numbers now.  So what?  Publishers and printers  (particularly of magazines and books) and cross-media service providers need to watch this trend so that we can match tactics with this knowledge.    So to my own reaction to books and magazines on the iPad:  Magazines.  Yes, I like the magazines on iPad especially since a user can launch into video’s and see more than just read content. On the other hand, I don’t want to pay for a subscription. (A reoccurring theme?) Frankly, as much as I read, I don’t really have the time or interest to click through and experience more fully the content but that is me! Particularly since I receive many magazines in hard copy, I want a complimentary copy of these magazines on the iPad.  Yes, I would be willing to pay for a digital copy but not at this time; and I only wanted to experience the newspaper on iPad. Newspapers fall into the same category as magazines…do you want to pay for a subscription?  I get three newspapers—Washington Post, Washington Times and the Wall Street Journal….the apps for these are available.  (WSJ is free; Washington Post is $1.99; nothing on Washington Times) on my iPhone and  I also get an RSS feed on my Google account  for news and magazines. How many versions in any form can I read and enjoy?      Books.  Readability is terrific, convenience is excellent…but I still have the cost issue and the fear...

Developing a new relationship—business or social, dallying in a crush (illicit or not) or indulging into an affair—all take time and effort. I’ve tried to make the iPad my friend, it has become a crush and borders on an affair—but I’m married to books. Does that make me “disloyal” when I enjoy a good read on the iPad? But I have learned that I don’t want to buy the digital books because the public library is also my friend. I check out both hard copies for the tactile reading adventure and audio books for to accompany my commutes—all free.  My home library, filled with old and new books, is my refuge—this habit is a life long affair of the heart.  I lent my iPad to a colleague, now my heart has grown fonder; I now miss the iPad. Emotions and technology?  Who knew?  In the coming weeks, I will share my experiences with the iPad apps and adapting to the ebook landscape.  What are your...