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Everyone’s buzzing about the Silicon Valley start-up that’s supposedly developing the next big thing for the newspaper and magazine industry—a 8.5-by-11-inch Kindle-type touchscreen e-reader that will allow you to view and read newspapers and magazines from anywhere (through a wireless network). Made entirely of plastic—and appropriately named Plastic Logic—the first models aren’t expected to reach consumers until 2010, and will display ‘zines and ‘papers in standard black and white. Expect to wait longer for your magazine spreads to hit the e-reader’s screen in full, glorious color. Publishing houses hoping to have their content on the Plastic Logic reader have to partner with the company so their articles will be available to consumers through the Plastic Logic Content Store (think iTunes, but for articles). Also, check out Time magazine’s recent article on the device, and yesterday’s article in The New York Observer.

Industry buzz content, e-reader, magazines, newspapers, publishing, technology, wireless

Last month was the best February yet for magazine launches, according to Samir Husni, aka Mr. Magazine. In a recent blog entry, he reports: “81 new titles appeared for the first time on the nation’s newsstands in February.” Husni, who is launching a Magazine Innovation Center this August, attributes the surge of launches to publishers thinking “out of the box” and exploring new options for print and subscription models. These publishers have responded to the recession with innovation and creativity, and we applaud them.

Industry buzz innovation, launches, magazine, publishing, recession, Samir Husni