The iPad isn't just for playing Angry Birds or scrolling through your emails, if you enjoy messing around with tracks and creating new mixes there are plenty of fun DJ apps to keep you amused. However, this DJ controller from Numark really takes the iPad's music ability to the next level, and although it's primarily made for consumers, it does give you professional controls and (fairly) professional sounds.

The huge station has a space for your iPad or iPad 2 in the middle so it can take centre stage, as well as jogwheels, pitch control, loads of volume buttons and many more controls that integrate with one of our all-time favourite apps, Djay.

The iDJ Pro also gives you access to the cloud and you can then download any track and start playing it within in seconds. It also comes with a mic and Airplay capability, allowing you to play your set over compatible speakers.

The pretty impressive station was unveiled at NAMM 2012 earlier this week, so you can't snap one up just yet, but we expect it'll be available later in the year.

If you're not sick of board games after playing Monopoly thousands of times with your younger relatives over Christmas, then you might be interested in iPieces, a quirky way to play classic games on your iPad.

Created by Jumbo Games, iPieces cleverly utilises the iPad's sensitive touchscreen to let you play some of the most popular board games, like Snakes and Ladders and Air Hockey. You simply buy a set of pieces, counters or fishing rods that then work alongside an interactive free iPad app with colourful graphics, noises and other surprises.

Although we love the idea behind iPieces, one of the main reasons iPad games are so appealing is that they don't need any extra bits and pieces to make them work, so it'll be interesting to see whether they prove to be popular, particularly if key components disappear under the settee when a little one starts to chew on them!

The iPieces sets will be available from Play.com and Amazon at the end of January, but you can get them from WHSmith's 'Travel' section in stores now.

There have been so many new tablet stands, cases, covers, sleeves, lights, bags and all kinds of other random bits and pieces launched over the past year that nothing really blows us away that much anymore when it comes to tablet accessories.

However, this bright new iPad and Galaxy Tab 1.2 case may just be the cleverest we've ever seen.

The Smart Stand Sleeve is from Connect Design and it starts its life off as a normal iPad sleeve with super protective material and magnets to keep it shut. It can then be twisted, folded and secured by the same magnets to make a 22 degree angle stand or a 45 degree angle stand, depending on what you're using your iPad for. What a clever, multi-functional and stylish little case/stand hybrid.

Available from Connect Design for $49 in orange red, dark brown and ivory too.

[Via Yanko Design]

There are plenty of stands, wall mounts and balancing accessories available to make watching TV shows, following recipes or playing games even easier with your iPad. However, most seem to be geared up for one particular scenario and only let you bend and twist a certain way before you get fed up and end up trying to hold your iPad yourself, which could lead to nasty food spilling or even worse, bath-related incidents. Ouch.

Well a new stand from R.A.T Music Stands called the Z3 will allow you to position your iPad at ANY angle ensuring easy viewing and a safe, scratch-free and water-free tablet.

Now if you're thinking the Z3 just looks like those metal sheet music stands you used at school, that's because the manufacturers are the world's leading designer and producer of professional music stands. Interesting, huh? Well they realised that their designs and technology could be used to keep other things in place, other than just music books.

If you're still not convinced (because let's face it, it does look a bit dull), the stand is fully adjustable from 40cm, right up to 137cm so you can use it while lying down, sitting or standing, it's got built-in swivelling capabilities, so you can turn it 360 degrees at any angle AND it folds into a neat bag in three simple steps.

Although it's probably great for meetings and giving presentations with your iPad, this means we can watch our favourite TV shows from the bath, which is the main reason it gets a big thumbs up from Shiny Shiny.

Available from Firebox for £144.99.

Ever since the iPad jumped into our lives we've written about a lot of different cases, accessories and related gadgets here on Shiny Shiny. So for our Christmas gift guide today we've collected together our top five cases for the iPad 2 that will keep tablets safe and dry, but also make excellent Christmas gifts. There's a mix of fancy, shiny, tough and practical, so take your pick!

Tip: You might have to order some of these from US sites, so if you're based in the UK get them sooner rather than later!

Click here to find out which our best all-rounder case is...

If you have an iPad you'll know that you are spoilt for choice when it comes to RSS and social curation apps. In fact we did a round up just the other day.

You'll also know that the app that has been blazing the trail, Flipboard, has been a huge hit and can boast over 3.5 million downloads. And maybe that the highly regarded Zite (terrible name) recently got snapped uyp by CNN. There's even one integrated into the new (for the iPad anyhow) Dolphin browser.

Now it seems that Flipboard is going to have a rival and not just from a start up. According to uber Geek Robert Scoble Google is working on a news sharing app that turns social media and news content into magazine-like articles. Word is it is called Google Propeller.

"Google is working on a Flipboard competitor for both Android and iPad. My source says that the versions he's seen so far are mind-blowing good."

What I'd love is an RSS reader a bit like Pulse that intelligently harvests suggested links from your social media sources. Now that would be impressive.

British teenagers know their Apples
But not the ones you eat! A survey has found that 13- to 18-year-olds don't really know how much staple food items like eggs and a loaf of bread cost, but are bang on when it comes to knowing the cost of Apple gadgets. 80% of those survey knew the exact price of the iPhone4 in 8GB and 16GB writes theguardian.

Britain's cheapest tablets revealed
When it comes to tablets you usually get what you pay for but if you like many others can't justify spending £399 on an Apple iPad you'll be happy to learn there are good devices out there that won't cost you half a month's rent (if you live in London!). ShinyShiny's editor Becca has done the legwork for you and collected five tablets that are available NOW for under £100. Check out the complete list here.

iPhone 5 to be released on 15 October?
From an Orange to an Apple, it could be that the iPhone 5 is to be revealed in about a month's time after Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange's parent company France Telecom, let it slip that October might be it. Cue Apple's iPhone 5 PRs looking for ways to put a gagging order out.

Microsoft shows off Windows 8
Like a proud parent, Microsoft has been showing off the latest build of their Windows 8 operating system this week. If you weren't one of the lucky developers who got a glimpse of the OS's new tricks and features fret not, TechDigest can give you some insight on how to try Windows 8 before its official launch date. Or alternatively visit The Telegraph for some pretty images.

Pentax launches Optio RZ18 18x compact ultra-zoom camera
We love cameras here at ShinyShiny, so are understandably excited each time a new one hits the shelves. This week Pentax has launched a digital camera boasting an 18x optical zoom that fits in your pocket! It is available in black, pearl and orange and will be in-store from mid-October just shy of £200. Click here to find out more about the features.

Google brings voice command to British phones
Here's one for the lazy; British mobile phone users can now speak instructions to their phones with a little help from Google. The search giant has launched 'Voice Commands' that will allow you and I to dictate entire messages or issue instructions such as 'Navigate to' so that phones can show driving directions and behave like satnavs, writes The Telegraph. We only wonder how quickly the novelty will wear off and be taken over by annoyance of people wandering around shouting commands to their phones...

Home phones are losing out to mobile phones
A new study by TalkTalk has found that using the landline has been overtaken by mobiles, but that users still prefer voice calls to social networking. While those aged 25-34 have the most frequent contact with friends and family online, with 40% of the overall population saying the mobile phone was their communication tool of choice.

ASUS U46 laptop sports world's thinnest screen
There's always talk about fashion models being too thin, but can gadgets be too thin? At just 5.5mm thick, the 14-inch screen panel can tilt over the keys at different angles to widen the viewing angle. The notebook has a Sandy Bridge Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM. Too techie for you? Yes, I snoozed off when I started talking about processors and RAMs... What would be its competitor in Supersized vs. Superskinny: The Tech Special?

HTC brings out Sensation XE
Looks like HTC is churning out handsets faster than we can type... well handsets. Sensation XE is scheduled to hit shops later this September and boasts a 8MP camera and a front-facing camera for video calls. And to add to the splendour comes with a pair of lush Beats Audio in-ear earphones for listening to those tunes.

Another HTC - this time the leaked images of HTC Rhyme or the HTC Bliss
Aimed at female gadget geeks the Rhyme handset will arrive in a shade of silver and as the name suggests has changed to be a little bit less patronising. The launch event is planned for 20th September so expect more on this next week.

Should mobile phones be banned on public transport?
We've all been there. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or where you are, there is always someone around ready to annoy his or her fellow London commuters with mobile phone. Many of these will be inconsiderate people playing their favourite (non-)music on the speaker - what ever happened to investing in a good pair of headphones? - but then there are those who decide to answer a phone call on the bus, overground and sometimes tube only to continue to talk LOUDLY until you or they get off. If just the mere thought of this makes the anger build up inside, know that you're not alone. A recent study found that more than 22% of commuters would welcome an outright ban on mobile phones on public transport. If this is the right way forward we don't know, but let's get the discussion going.

If you own an iPad it is highly likely that it is already teeming with apps. For me its Pulse for reading the latest news, Sky for watching the footy, Plane AR for seeing which flight is going where and Stick Cricket for when I want to create my own mini world Cup. I also dabble with Flipboard which appears to be becoming absolutely huge now.

However no matter how many apps I have there's one app that I keep coming back to me and that's Safari. I probably spend as much as 80% of my time on the iPad simply looking at web pages.

The Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger put it so well last year when he talked about on Radio Four about the iPad and publishing.

I can't give a direct quote but he basically said that he loved the device and thought that The Guardian looked great on it. In an almost off the cuff comment he then added that he thought the browser version of The Guardian looked so good and worked so well that it had made the company think twice about iPad apps.

Which is why I think that the arrival of the new version of the Dolphin browser on the iPad is quite a big deal. You may have heard about the browser as it is available on many Android tablets, but the move to the iPad and iPhone will take it to another dimension.

Although the iPad version is based on Safari it offers two key advances over the native app.

1 It has a Flipboard style social network driven magazine. If you want Flipboard within a browser it isn't a bad shout.

2 It offers gesture browsing. This is very cool. You create a sign or a letter by drawing on your iPad and assign it to a URL. When you want to go there you press one button draw the symbol and you are there.

It delivers true tabbed browsing too which will only available on the iOS 5 for the iPad that is due to launch fairly shortly.

So a really neat addition to the app store.

We've seen our fair share of iPhone and iPad cases here at Shiny Shiny, from the multifunctional to the crafty, the eco-friendly to the stylish, but there comes a time when we get a little sick of what something looks like and what fancy material it's made from. Instead we want a case that will REALLY protect our expensive gadgets, so no amount of throwing, stamping or water-related accidents will matter.

In recent months a number of brands have been launching cases that are real tough cookies, so in the event of a nuclear war there'll only be cockroaches and a whole army of safe, shiny Apple products left to re-populate the earth.

Gone are the days of iPads being solely reserved for that pretentious guy in the corner of the coffee shop.

Recently they've started to pop up in more and more unusual places, they're in our schools, on our buses and in our offices, which is actually no surprise given how compact, slick and intuitive the shiny little guys are.

So where might they be invading next?

Supermarkets
Where?
According to reports on The Next Web this morning, Sainsbury's is currently looking at equipping trollies with iPad stands and speakers.
Why?
Well we're not entirely sure why, but the initiative is being introduced by Sky to help promote a new service, so we're presuming people are going to be encouraged to watch TV whilst they shop. It's a nice idea but I'm not entirely sure how it'd really work in practice... I imagine there'd be a lot of horrendous trolley crashes and shopping mistakes.

Airlines
Where?
Earlier in the month T3 wrote about BA's plans to replace paper documentation with iPad devices on its flights.
Why?
Storing all kinds of flight information, such as seating plans and special requests would undoubtedly make the job of air hosts and hostesses much much easier giving them more time to concentrate on paying attention to passengers.

Bin lorries
Where?
Bury council has allegedly begun rolling out iPad devices to a number of refuse lorries in order to keep track of which houses aren't recycling or leaving their bins out on a regular basis.
Why?
Well, those who came up with the idea are claiming it'll be much easier in the long run and could stop documents going missing or getting wet and damaged. Although they're all fair points, it does seem like a waste of money for what looks like a fairly simple tracking system.

Museums and Galleries
Where?
The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney started integrating iPads into some of its displays last year and many more museums are starting to follow suit.
Why?
There are already plenty of iPad apps built for use in all kinds of galleries and museums, so it's no surprise they'd actually be introduced into some establishments. They present visitors with a really interactive way of learning about certain exhibitions and give them much more freedom than a static display or a tour with hundreds of other visitors.

Operating Tables
Where?
A doctor at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre told CNBC earlier in the year that he depends on his iPad on the emergency ward as much as his stethoscope.
Why?
It's apparently a way for doctors and nurses to keep track of records as well as find information about conditions and medicine that they wouldn't know off the top of their heads. Hmm. Comforting.

[Image via Yutaka Tsutano's Flickr]

Bored of looking at retreads of paper magazines on your iPad? Well you really ought to have a look at Once which debuted on the tablet this week. Its publishers have focused on making the most of what they see as the iPad's three core features for publishers - long form, well-written content, interactivity and most of all stunning photography - and the result is a superb quality mag app.

Once really does look superb. There are a series of features which have clearly been chosen for their visual appeal as much as an anything else. So we visit the town in the US where you have to be 55 to own a house, spend time on the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia and, rather controversially, accompany seal hunters in Greenland. It is the latter story that works the best. The images are superb - all glorious white vistas - though I have to admit the pics of lifeless seals did churn my stomach.

In many ways Once is a close cousin to the also excellent Trvl magazine, though Once has a lot more words and also more interactive features in the guise of clickable maps and audio clips. It is also relatively easy to use.

Anyhow the pilot issue of Once is available for free via the iPad and if you can get a preview of its content on the mag's blog here.

It is now several months since the iPad 2 debuted in US and UK stores, and since then Apple has apparently notched up impressive sales of its revamped tablet.

I must admit at first I was little cynical about the second version of the iPad. And I do think, especially given Apple's previous product development history, that we might see a lot more innovation on the iPad 3 (although you might have to wait a little longer to see that beauty).

However after initial misgivings I have fallen in love with the iPad 2 and would advise anyone deciding between an cut price iPad 1 and a sparkling new 2 to go for the latter.

Sure it is thinner, lighter and faster, but the real winner for me is the addition of the camera and in particular the apps that have been created for the iPad 2 that use it.

There are of course lots of photographic related apps that have been created for the iPhone that work really well on the iPad 2. The real gems though are the apps that have been created largely for the iPad 2 - like these three all of which incorporate a degree of Augmented Reality.

Ball Invasion

This is the most high profile of all the iPad 2 specific Augmented Reality launches. It is the first game to use a new system called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. This is a system developed in part by NASA for use in robotics, which allows an object (like, say, a drone) to look around, build up a picture of the world and then understand where it is.

So what the game does is it takes your surroundings and then turns it from the real world into a different way of seeing what's in front of you. Check the video to see it in action properly.

To be honest have found the game a little hit and miss. You really do need an interesting background to make the most of it. It'll be fascinating to see where SLAM goes in the future.

AR Plane HD

There's a version of this fantastic app for the iPhone, what is ace about the iPad version though is that it takes the app to new levels. Basically all aircraft carry data about what type of plane they are, which airlines they are from, where they are going etc, which is visible from the ground provided you have the correct equipment to read it. AR Plane HD lets you point your iPad at a plane in the sky and it then tells you that information. It might sound like a plane spotter only app, but it really does impress anyone who sees it. I have never really got this app to work well on the iPhone, largely because of the limitations of the screen. The 10inch display of the iPad resolves that problem and takes the app to a new level.

StarWalk

Like AR Plane, Star Walk, an app which shows the users what is in the sky above them, has been around for a long time in a version for the iPhone. The smart thing that the new-ish iPad 2 version does is that it takes an image of the sky above and then overlays on that image which stars/planets are where. Once again the larger screen of the iPad takes the app to a new dimension.

It only seems like yesterday that the iPad 2 arrived, but already there is plenty of talk of its successor. And if you are hanging on for iPad version three (better screen? faster processor? higher res camera?) you might have a little longer to wait.

According to DigiTimes, a shortage of Retina Displays (as seen in the iPhone 4 and expected to appear in the iPad 3) from suppliers LG and Samsung mean that the iPad 3 will now definitely appear no earlier than Spring of 2012. Also work on the new A6 chip is proceeding more slowly than expected too.

So it now sounds as if there will be no iPad 3s until at least 2012.

iPad magazines have been hyped hard, but the form is still finding its way. Many iPad mags I've looked at have simply been paper magazines dropped onto the tablet with little alteration except for maybe a video in the middle.

There's a lot more to be done with the format and Video Magazine Astronaut is one of the magazines doing it - it's the most innovative one I've seen so far. And very beautiful to boot.

Let's say straight off: It's an art magazine about short films and documentary not a commercial blockbuster. But it does some things very nicely, and all of us could learn from them.

Three successful features of Astronaut:

Putting Content into Packages
Mixing up words, pictures and video is what almost all iPad mags do, but this does it really well. Content is split into mini chapters -with easy-browse photos and some pull quotes to tease you in, then as you slide through the pages, getting drawn in - you reach the hub video page, where you can watch a short film or scroll through accompanying text. It thinks about the user journey well, and lets you skim or go into depth.

Surprising touch interaction
The simple page-turn is fine, but Astronaut goes a lot further in letting the sweep of your finger perform different functions - pulling photos and slides over, pulling fragments of pages over, or letting sections of the page slide away to reveal a photo gallery or suchlike. It generally creates a varied and interesting experience with lots of ways into the page. Making it more like a place to explore around in than a simple linear next-page-next-page journey.

Great content
Yes. This old chestnut. It's the core of any good magazine, and its very good here. This is an art-film mag - the photos are beautiful, the films are really good in a concentrate-a-bit kind of way. All basic rules of iPad mag design are observed - pictures go right to the edges, play and pause buttons are large enough to be finger-sized.

Drawbacks:
One criticism I have is of the homepage which isn't clickable. Navigation from there is solely by a bar at the bottom.

Takeaway:
love the structure of this. Just gear content at this level of quality and you have a winner and think about how you can lead readers deeper into it.

$3.99 on iTunes
or visit the Astronaut website

With the iPad becoming more of a staple item in people's lives these days - I sure would like the third generation iPad that is rumoured to be announced in not too long - one dilemma us women will face is where and how to bring it with you. It's not big enough to warrant its own over-the-shoulder full-on laptop case, it's too small to keep in the pocket of your blazer, and while that designer bag fits it perfectly you have to be careful of keys scratching the screen.

Luckily, there are quite a few iPad covers available to keep your favourite gadget scratch and smudge free while still looking fashionable. So whatever you are after, I'm sure you'll find the iPad case that is just right...

Introducing Technode; the new, free quarterly digital technology magazine from the editorial team behind Tech Digest and Shiny Shiny!

Available on all iOS devices as an app, as a web edition and PDF version for other operating systems via Magcloud.com and also as a traditional print edition too, each issue will focus on a key tech trend, with this first issue giving an overview of gadgetry in 2011 as a whole.

You can also read Technode online via Scribd

Check out the video above for a closer look at what's on offer.

How To Get Technode

Technode is available as a free iPad and iPhone app, as an online edition, and available for other tablet and smartphone OS's via Magcloud. Alternatively, you can order a print copy by clicking here, though this service comes at a small charge. We also plan to have a Kindle edition for future issues too.

We hope you like it! Any feedback can be left at Technode's Facebook page.

We have reached an interesting point in the development of iPad magazines. Companies that had initially been hugely enthusiastic about the format, like Conde Nast, are having second thoughts and slowing down their adoption of the platform. Other publishers remain very cynical.

At the same time companies like Future Publishing are citing the iPad as one of the key reasons for significant growth of its digital division.

We are also starting to see indie publishers begin to create dedicated content for the iPad, including Shiny's sister company Sutro Digital which unveiled its first iPad magazine Technode a couple of weeks ago

It is clear that many media companies see the iPad as central to their future digital strategies. Yet there are still many key questions about the development of iPad publishing that remain unanswered. Here then are six core issues that I think will determine whether the iPad magazine becomes more than just a showcase for some whizzy new technology.

1 Do people want content curated in this way?

A few years ago I was adamant that consumer magazines were a redundant concept that had been superseded by the immediacy and engagement opportunities afforded by the web. Now I am not so sure. Content curation seems to be making a real comeback whether it be Flipboard on the iPad or paper.li and its many rivals. Personally I like the concept of having a magazine of content created by someone who is very knowledgeable about an specific subject. I am not sure however if existing concepts of magazine translate into the digital arena.

Publishers need to play on the strengths of the new formats. Longer reads, interactive graphics and intelligent use of video to complement features are all things that arguably work better in the context of a digital magazine than they do on the web. Maybe what will also work is if publishers offered magazines with themed issues. Obviously long-tail content that doesn't date quickly is important too.

2 How can publishers get reach?

Up until now the major problem facing publishers has been getting their iPad magazines to as many people as possible. Early figures, from the likes of Wired, looked hugely promising, now however it is clear that those first iPad magazines were bought by early adopters looking for content to showcase the screen and operating systems of their smart new gadget. Away from the tech world figures for consumer/women's titles have been generally very poor.

Inevitably as sales of the iPad grows - forecasts are that 45 million will be sold this year - there will be more readers of the iPad magazines. However publishers do need to look beyond the iPad for growth. Sales of Android based tablets are likely to overtake Apple tablets sometime within the next 24 months. So producing content that works on a number of platforms - all tablets, smartphones and even standard Windows PCs - is a must for publishers. So far sales of PDF style magazines have been unimpressive this however might change as consumers get more used to the concept of digital magazines.

One obvious way of increasing the reach of iPad/digital magazines is to dispense with the cover charge and make them available for free. This is not a model that I expect mainstream publishers to readily embrace, however the indie sector has however by and large offered their magazines for free and looked for other ways to fund their iPad projects. Publishers obviously lose out on sales revenue, but offering iPad magazine content for free does have some very significant advantages over charging for it. Firstly the number of downloads should in theory be higher than paid for ones, especially as the new titles establish themselves. Secondly it means that the magazine content can be offered in a variety of options. So Technode, for example, is available on other tablets PCs as a PDF via HP's Magcloud service, or as an online read or download via document site Scribd. It has given the title a reach it might otherwise not have had if limited to the iPad.

3 What type of magazines are going to be most succesful on the iPad?

So far the focus on iPad magazines had largely been on high profile consumer titles with technology and male interest magazines (which I guess reflect the demographic of iPad buyers) leading the way. It'll be fascinating to see how successful fashion titles are on the iPad especially given their huge following online. I do think that the iPad and digital editions in general present a real interesting opportunity for business to business publishers. they can save money on print and postage costs while taking advantage of the iPad's superb graphics reproduction.

4 How can publishers monetise the content?

The big question for the mainstream media is 'will they still be able to charge for their magazine content?' In the long run I think the jury is out on this. What I think we might see is a re-run of the cover mount/CD-ROM tactic of the 90s with companies offering additional features/downloads and freebies to entice readers into parting with their cash. Future Publishing is already doing this in a very effective way. Personally I think there is an opportunity for publishers to charge for iPad magazines, though maybe not at the level that they currently charge. It was interesting too how quickly Project, Richard Branson/Seven Squared's iPad showcase went from a paid for title to a freebie.

Away from cover prices the other obvious route to monetisation is via Apple's own advertising system iAds, but this is a nascent platform and may only provide a small part of an advertising solution. Companies can fill the magazine with print style ads - like the mainstream media companies do. However I personally think that cramming an iPad mag with ads is a real turn off for the reader. Besides, even if they wanted to most small companies do not have the sales teams to achieve this this. There are many great third party sales agencies for the web in the UK, but very few of these are geared up for selling this type of inventory.

Which brings me to what could well turn out to be the ideal solution for small and niche publishers - sponsorship. If a brand takes over a title it could be hugely effective for that company as well as delivering an ideal solution for the publishers. Sponsorship could be delivered in a number of ways - from subtle branding on each page through to advertorials, competitions or video content. This would fit in well with the excellent engagement figures magazines of iPad mags - Technode has an average engagement time of over 30 minutes per reader. From a consumer perspective a brand enabling a publisher to offer high quality magazine content for free is a powerful message, especially when the branding is subtle and engaging. The sponsorship could work across different platforms too and be effective in PDF versions as iPad ones. A really great example of how this works is The Economist's Intelligent Life iPad magazine which has been sponsored each time by Credit Suisse. Virgin's Project magazine has also inked deals with companies like American Express.

5 Is the iPad the future for branded content?

I think iPad magazines and digital editions really are the future for branded content. With print and postage cost spirally ever upwards digital editions are ideal for displaying branded content. They are also good news for customer publishing agencies in that it enables them to maintain the concept of the magazine that has served them so well for the last couple of decades.

6 Will technology make the concept of an iPad mag delivered via the app store redundant?

This is a very tricky question. We are already seeing both mainstream and indie publishers using HTML5 technology to create editorially-driven apps that are accessible via browsers and don't need to be downloaded via an app store. I think we will see a lot more of this type of experimentation in the coming months with publishers creating online magazines that are dynamically updated, possibly on a daily basis. It is likely to once again ignite the debate over what is a magazine and what is actually a website.

At the same time Apple's recent creation of the Newsstand store for digital magazines will strengthen its relationship with publishers as well as increasing sales of magazines as consumers can find them more easily. However ongoing friction between publishers and Apple around data and subscriptions could force some media companies hands. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

Article originally published in Wallblog

Facebook are releasing an iPad app in the next few weeks according to the New York Times. Facebook have held back from releasing an official iPad app over the past 16 months that the iPad has been out, meaning that lots of third party apps have jumped into the space.

Apparently the app has existed internally for a while, but Facebook have held out from releasing it, possibly to give them more leverage over Apple.

Features of the new app include full-size photographs and what a user described as a very slick user interface.

It's clear that there's a lot of manoeuvring and backstabbing going on in this space. Yesterday's big story was that Facebook is planning an html5 version of their site intended for tablets and mobiles which would bypass the app stores of Apple and Google.

See more: Facebook's Project Spartan and How it Could Kill the Apple App Store

The guru of web usability - Jakob Nielson - has turned his probing tactics to the iPad once again and done a deep report into how people use it and what apps and websites work well on the 'Pad, and why.

The report tested 26 iPad apps and 6 websites and examined closely how its core 16 testers actually interacted with the device. It's a must read for anyone in the business of making iPad apps or websites - and is available for free download here.

We've done a quick 10 point digest:

1) Websites often work better on iPads than iPad apps

2) Websites seemed to offer a better user-experience than the current crop of iPad apps for two reasons:
- The apps contained less content than the websites.
- The app design was confusing or the app made the user work more.

3) Buttons are often too small. What Nielson calls a "Read-tap asymmetry" is a particular problem on websites, which means that at a level where content was large enough to read, buttons were too small to tap. Buttons should be 1cm-by-1cm on apps

4) When to choose an app rather than a site: If your service requires substantial interaction. It's easy enough to use a website to read text, navigate around and watch video. More complicated stuff like entering text, making bookings would be better done on an app.

5) Don't forget the back button! This can lead to real confusion and frustration.

6) Headlines are important on iPad magazines apparently users spend a lot of time browsing headlines and will only read a few stories. So it's worth forefronting a list of headlines to navigate in the design of your mag.

7) Users don't like typing on iPad. iPad really is a sit-back experience. People use it to consume content on it - videos or text - with email being a "slight exception". It seemed users would actually avoid things that involved typing, like registration processes.

8) NO SPLASH SCREENS - let the user go straight into the site/app. Splashes get tired very quickly.

9) Too much navigation: the flipside of not being able to work out where you are is having too many buttons. Nielson singles out content popovers as being unnecessary and off-putting to the viewer.

10) iPads are shared devices - design apps for multiple users.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

The latest statistics on iPad magazine engagement show that readers will spend 5 times longer looking at a magazine's app than they will looking at its website.

That's a significant increase in time. And a coup for the iPad mag supporters among us.

Developers TigerSpike who have made apps for the Telegraph and the Economist said that users spent approximately 20-30 minutes looking at the iPad app of a given magazine or paper, which was roughly five times longer than the 4-5 minutes they'd spend on the same magazine's website (as calculated by PaidContent.)

I hate to say that I'm wrong about stuff, but maybe I wrote these little mag-apps off too early. I love the open web, but I'm starting, slowly to see some point in iPad magazines.

However, I'm sure the number of page impressions on the web will still be much higher than on iPad because more people will have PCs than iPads. I don't think we'll ever get to a stage where iPads outnumber normal computers.

But advertisers love engagement, so a committed iPad reading audience - even if it's small - might be of great value to content creators.

I still maintain some qualms about these magazines though, because there's also stuff like Flipboard, a beautifully presented RSS reader for iPad - which will whiz you together an automatic magazine out of your favourite blogs. And it's free -- and the content updates every time you refresh it.

And then, there were some gloomy sales figures around the end of last year..

I'm not totally sold yet.

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[via PaidContent]