Okay, it might be a stretch but let me connect the dots for you….
Brad Inman is the founder of Inman News, HomeGain, Turn Here, and more recently Vook. If you don’t know what Vook is, visit their website here.
So I was reading this post over at “The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs”, the post was titled:
Tablet Part Two: The true significance of the Tablet. Here’s an excerpt:
“The eventual goal is to have publishers create hybridized content that draws from audio, video, interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers, where paper layouts would be static. And with release dates for Microsoft’s Courier set to be quite far away and Kindle stuck with relatively static e-ink, it appears that Apple is moving towards a pole position in distribution of this next-generation print content. First, it’ll get its feet wet with more basic repurposing of the stuff found on dead trees today.
Italics mine on the “hybridized content.” Because that’s the key thing here. And that’s what Brian is getting at when he talks about “redefining” newspapers and other dead-tree products.”
Yes, I know that Dan Lyons (or Brian Lam for that matter) is not Steve Jobs. But doesn’t this sound like exactly what Brad is trying to do with Vook?
Brad was a keynote speaker at the recent CMLS. During the question and answer session he talked a lot about Apple. I asked him about Vook and Apple’s rumored Tablet and wondered if this wasn’t the perfect device for Vooks. All he would say is that he is always trying to “stay ahead of technology”.
Still not convinced?
So then I remember a Tweet I saw from Joel Berslem awhile back…
Joel is on Brad’s team at Vook.
Hmmmmmmmm……
For the record: I have no insight into Apple’s product plans. I do know that Vook works very well on existing Apple products. Keeping up with their existing technology keeps us plenty busy.
Vook looks really cool. I have always thought that books would be more informational and compelling if they had some more multimedia. People almost expect that in this day. I would also love for Apple to come out with a tablet. It would change the way that I do everything.
-Tyler
@Tyler
Curious how it would change everything for you… I have an iPhone and a laptop. I can’t imagine how a tablet (based on what we currently know) would make my life easier. At the moment, all that tablets are good for is web browsing and reading email. I sure hope Apple surprises me with a good reason why I need their tablet on top of my iPhone and laptop. Even Vook shows well on the iPhone. Apple has proven that nobody needs a bigger screen than what the iPhone provides.
Good eye Greg, and very interesting.
Kori
Here’s a related series of articles regarding Apple, the tablet, and the future of publishing by Bob Cringely. Very good read.
Part One: http://www.cringely.com/2009/10/apple-and-the-future-of-publishing-%E2%80%93-part-one/
Part Two: http://www.cringely.com/2009/10/apple-and-the-future-of-publishing-part-two/