Adobe Updates Digital Publishing Suite with Analytics, iPad Mini, Kindle Fire HD 8.9 Compatibility

Adobe is releasing the latest edition of its Digital Publishing Suite. Version 24 includes expanded device support and analytical capabilities, among other upgraded and new features.

Compatibility with New Tablets, Browsers

In recognition of the increasing popularity of tablet computing, Adobe now makes Digital Publishing Suite (DPS) apps developed for iPad2 by Single Edition, Professional and Enterprise users automatically compatible with the new iPad Mini. Adobe is also preparing for the scheduled November 20 launch of the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD by allowing DPS apps to be compatible with the device as long as developers create a 1900 x 1200 folio.

Furthermore, any DPS-created content socially shared by a reader can be viewed on Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8 web browsers. And readers of DPS-created content using iOS devices can download a folio and perform other tablet-based activities outside the app while the folio downloads, as long as the app is updated to R24.

Analyze This 

App usage analytics for Site Catalyst users provide data such as number of times an app is opened, how long readers use it, number of days it is read and times of peak usage. Site Catalyst users can also analyze URL data such as how many readers click on hyperlink overlays associated with a URL and web content overlays, as well as how URLs are opened (i.e., via browser, app, etc.).

New analytical capabilities also provide insight into reader data such as type, model, OS, manufacturer and screen size of reading device, as well as the type and carrier of the device connection used.

Let It Flow 

Workflow enhancements allow designers to simultaneously update multiple articles, resume publishing after an error from the point of failure rather than the beginning and select folio orientation in advance. In addition, error messages include links to relevant Knowledge Base articles. 

Adobe ‘Leans Heavily’ on Digital Publishing 

The Next Web feels Adobe is “leaning heavily on its digital publishing efforts” with this latest update of Digital Publishing Suite, as well as other recent DPS activity such as the Single Edition which does not require coding, released earlier this year. The Next Web also endorses Adobe’s embrace of iPad mini apps with version 24 of DPS, citing observers who predict “the iPad mini will become the most popular model, leaving the larger version for more specialized use cases.”

Fending Off App Press

While an IT provider as established as Adobe doesn’t have to seriously worry about being pushed out of the way, Adobe may have the challenge posed by App Press in the back of its mind as it unveils the latest, greatest iteration of DPS. In June, App Press, the provider of a Web-based CMS designed to enable the creation of code-free iOS and Android apps, positioned itself as a direct competitor to Adobe DPS.

Promoting its platform as having no software to install and a user interface that resembles Photoshop, App Press is clearly targeting users who seek convenience and flexibility in developing iOS and Android apps. The vendor touts its signature platform as providing app developers with a “blank canvas” where they can upload content layers with touch-enabled functionality. “Hotspot layers” allow links within the app or to external sites with linear or non-linear navigation.

Ultimately, App Press will likely be used by more artistic designers while Adobe DPS will remain the favored tool of more corporate enterprise designers, but even an artist might like access to detailed analytics and streamlined workflow.

 

 

Source : cmswire[dot]com

Agility Launches Cloud-Based Web CMS Suite for Magazine Publishers

Having provided web content management solutions for major brands over ten years, Agility is now launching a new, cloud-based Magazine Publishing Suite that is optimized for online magazines and blogs. 

In February, Agility announced a template-based solution for online magazines that's strikingly familiar. It appears the suite was first announced at this time, but is now officially launching.

CEO Michael Assad said in a statement that the Suite “follows the success we’ve had with our CMS platform in the media and publishing space,” and that it “saves months of setup time and tens of thousands of dollars over traditional web publishing systems.” He added that the Magazine Publishing Suite is intended to help publishers who are “struggling to find their footing online” make the transition to digital versions of their properties.

Media-Heavy Sites

The Toronto-based company said its Suite was developed over five years, and has been built on its experience of working with large media companies and serving millions of page views.  

The system is oriented toward media-heavy sites that offer frequent updates of images and video, as well as text, and the company said it was the only online publishing suite specifically intended for media sites (we'd argue with that, pointing out Atex as another example). The company’s customers currently include Glow Magazine, Canadian Bride, Clean Eating, Oxygen, Oprah Winfrey Network and W Network.

The Suite is designed around nine areas that target website performance — layout and navigation, advertising and ad placement, search engine optimization, content merchandizing, social media integration, content syndication, mobile, community and performance.

Subscription Integration

The magazine-specific features include the ability to integrate the system with major magazine subscription systems, and a built-in module for showcasing magazine issues. The CMS is also oriented toward continuous content updates, has support for articles, blog posts, galleries and videos, and can import content from the publisher’s current Web CMS.

There are also such functions as Latest Articles, including an automatic update to the most recently published items, Popular Articles, Polls and Contributor Workflow to channel writers’ submission into the editing/publishing process.

Using the CMS, Agility said that a new site can be ready for business in as little as five weeks.

The delivery process, which is covered by a $1000 setup fee, involves consultation with Agility’s experts, design of a site skin, content deployment from a current site and training. The system is priced at $300/month, with additional charges for tech support by phone, support for external contributors and other add-ons.

 

 

Source : cmswire[dot]com

WoodWing Enterprise 8: New Collaboration Tools, Support for Adobe Creative Suite 6

WoodWing's Enterprise 8 multi-channel publishing system has been released. It includes new collaboration features, performance updates, and support for Adobe's digital publishing system.

Because WoodWing is popular among newspaper and magazine publishers, support for Adobe Creative Suite 6 — particularly its two key components, InDesign and InCopy — should be welcome.

New Features + Future Release Teased

One of the main highlights of Enterprise 8 is an annotation feature that will look very familiar to long-time users. Commenting on in-progress documents is now possible, notes can be approved or rejected, and comments can be answered. 

New collaboration features like commenting on in-progress documents had been requested by WoodWing customers.

Under the hood, performance updates have made uploading large files into Content Station up to three times faster. That's because WoodWing has added the JSON and AMF protocols in Enterprise 8. AMF is the format used by Adobe Flash, and that means Enterprise 8 can build Flash movies across all devices.  

Additionally, Enterprise 8 has made some internal changes to accommodate any future upgrades or support for publishing industry requirements. Woodwing has hinted that those future updates could include better reporting and digital asset management tools. 

Also inside Content Station, the Planning Tab has been extended to allow issues to be created across channels. This should speed up starting tasks and creating dossiers (what WoodWing calls articles or stories). The final new feature is a tool for setting up a specific workflow for archive files (such as zip files) or presentations that may have an alternate route in the workflow.

Adobe-WoodWing Partnership

For the past year, WoodWing has been an Adobe partner on its Digital Publishing Suite, and that is one reason for the tighter integration of Flash and InDesign. However, with the addition of the JSON protocol, Enterprise 8 is also more extensible with other third-party software. That means any of WoodWing's authorized partners can integrate Enterprise 8 and Content Station with their preferred add-ons.

 

 

Source : cmswire[dot]com

WordPress Aims for Twitter-type Functionality with Liveblog Add-On

Web publishing platform WordPress is attempting to provide users of its VIP service with Twitter-like instant blogging functionality through its new Liveblog Add-on. The add-on enables users to post updates from the front end of their site, without using the WordPress admin dashboard.

In addition, Liveblog viewers will see the new updates automatically, without having to refresh their browsers. Liveblog authors can drag and drop photos into the Liveblog area without needing to navigate to separate browser tabs or windows, and all posts (including existing ones) can be turned into Liveblog posts. Users can preview posts before making them live.

That Familiar Tweety Feeling

In a short promotional video on the WordPress VIP site, the narrator states, “When liveblogging an event you need to report news as quickly as it happens.” A screenshot of a sample Liveblog post reads “We’re entering the building now. The atmosphere is electric!”  And although WordPress does not specify whether there is a character limit or if so how many characters are allowed, the video describes the add-on as enabling “short-form posts” and a screenshot shows a reminder to keep the post short.

Clearly, the add-on is designed to make WordPress competitive with Twitter as a means of providing quick, real-time commentary and updates. This is not necessarily a bad idea, but Twitter has become the second-most-popular social networking platform in a short time period, so WordPress has its work cut out for it if it intends to seriously challenge Twitter for marketshare.

Twitter also has the advantage of the numerous third-party apps that have been developed via the Twitter API that make it easier to manage and use as a promotional tool. However, Twitter recently tightened its API rules to the consternation of many industry participants and observers.

There are also many live blogging third-party plug-ins available for WordPress, and it will be interesting to see how WordPress attempts to either take advantage of or minimize their popularity in spreading the use of the new add-on.

WordPress Acknowledges Bug Issue

One issue which WordPress needs to quickly resolve is a bug in the Liveblog Add-on identified by VentureBeat. According to a VentureBeat article, saving a featured image can eliminate saved liveblog posts without warning or error message. A WordPress spokesperson told VentureBeat a fix will be available shortly. VentureBeat also reports another bug which can make liveblog postings invisible to readers.

WordPress VIP clients GigaOM and Local TV provided feedback and contributions during the beta testing phase for the Liveblog Add-on and the code has been completely open-sourced for self-hosted WordPress. Open source code is available at the WordPress.org plugin repository and on github.

 

 

Source : cmswire[dot]com