The magazine department sponsored a panel discussion on ipad and iphone applications. They brought in Eric Gillan, director at Hearst Digital; David Griffin, visual editor at the Washington Post; and Jennifer Brook, designer for the New York Times iphone and ipad applications.
The discussion was really interesting. They talked about what makes good and bad applications. I really loved the analogies they used to describe a bad application. Eric Gillan said a bad app is the equivalent of an overstuffed turkey. The apps that try to everything, but end up doing nothing well.
It was really interesting to hear the difference between print, touch, and the web. The reason touch has been so popular is because it is similar to paper. Sliding your finger across a screen simulates turning a page of a magazine. This makes it easy for young children and older adults to use the system, while the computer uses unnatural controls for navigation of the content.
In the coming months the interface of ipad applications will mature, and give users an even more unique experience than print.
