Time Inc. is planning the launch of an experimental customizable magazine called "mine."The Associated Press reports that "The magazine is free, but the print edition is limited to the first 31,000 respondents, while an online version is available for another 200,000." Here's how it works: You pick five titles from a list of Time, Sports Illustrated, Food & Wine, Real Simple, Money, In Style, Golf, and Travel + Leisure. Then "mine" editors decide which stories from each will make it into your customized magazine.
The magazine is designed to bring the user-oriented customization of RSS feeds to print but you have to admit: It's pretty lame. First of all, it's not really customized. There are a total of 56 combinations available in all compared with an infinite number of news feeds available online.
Here's the thing: When it comes to customization, print will never be able to come anywhere close to the user experience offered by the internet. Its only hope is to attract readers who want the structure of supposedly smart, sophisticated editors deciding what it will be good for them to read. The future of print is not in customization because that's a battle it will never win.
You can read more about the magazine here.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-18-2009 @ 5:59PM
Jim L said...
THIS:
"Here's the thing: When it comes to customization, print will never be able to come anywhere close to the user experience offered by the internet"
Is one of THE stupidest comments ever made.
I'm sick of tired sitting in a chair workinf on a computer all day, so lying on the couch, reading a decent magazine is very pleasurble.
4-14-2009 @ 8:24PM
Susan said...
I have to agree with Jim. I like lying down and reading, sitting at the table with a cheap magazine and reading while I eat messy food, etc.
Unfortunately, however, "Mine" is a joke. I chose five magazines, from a vast selection of eight, and they sent me a magazine that included 2 that I'd indicated no interest in. Pathetic.