Fear Not: Solution is at hand to combat too expensive and complicated publishing tools.
There are giants in the relatively new field of digital publishing. And, increasingly, the perception is that only giants belong there. The iPad is barely six years old and really not much is standard, normal, or even defined. But an uneasy trend is emerging, good for business but bad for consumers, and that is the development of new solutions that are prohibitively expensive and designed to exclude smaller companies.
One digital publishing solution bucks the trend. Affordable, very sophisticated, always improving, Twixl Publisher is a great alternative to solutions such as Adobe DPS, now integrated in the new and amazing (but prohibitively expensive) AEM Mobile (Adobe Experience Manager)
Twixl Media is a mature solution well established in Europe and gaining traction in the US. Currently a plug-in for InDesign and also an app builder (and hosting/distribution), it is available at a fraction of the cost of building an app with DPS. For example, one multi-issue app and unlimited single-issue apps is under 2K per year and includes hosting, distribution and analytics.
Twixl built a tool, also a plug-in, that automatically converts most rich media created with DPS to Twixl. This is important because it allows for an easy conversion from DPS to Twixl, in an environment already familiar to the user, InDesign and InDesign’s interactive tools.
Rods and Cones introduced a new division in 2013, offering training and design services for digital magazine and catalog publishers. Twixl is the solution of choice but we are brand-agnostic and will direct our customers toward the right solution for their needs. We launched Rods and Cones in 1996 offering color management and workflow solutions to the graphic and printing industries. We believe that digital publishing is a ready-made income resource for printers whose customers express the need for a digital version of their print content.
For designers, it is also the perfect solution as it does not require coding, just the use of software applications they have used throughout their careers, and a bit of training to allow Twixl to leverage them.
Far from being left in the dust with the launch of AEM Mobile, Twixl is launching its own customizable app solution, available in June. Twixl Publisher v5 will enable the publisher to choose between a traditional workflow which is to make their magazine available as one product, or a new workflow whereby the app is customized to distribute individual articles (as well as the whole magazine), other types of files like PDF, HTML, RSS feeds, movies, audio, and more. It’s a very exciting direction that will enhance the tablet and smartphone experience.
If you would like to discuss this story, please contact Erica Aitken at Rods and Cones. She will gladly answer any questions you may have about digital publishing solutions.
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