Modern technology - iPad usability

iPad-only newspaper furthers media trend

Australian American business magnate, Rupert Murdoch has launched his new iPad-only newspaper in February. It emphasizes on the modern format of news via the Internet and no longer the traditional style of “hold and fold”. NewsCorp has rode on the successful name of Apple’s tablet in hopes to add another succession to existing publications like Fox News and New York Post.

It is a step forward in spreading news to society. Not just the youth, working class also prefer their news online. I feel that with the sea of people buying smartphones and tablets, it is only wise to move along with the trend and supply news from a medium they find relatable.

Another example of technology taking over the traditional way of doing things – booking airline tickets and hotels, you do not have to purchase them at the locations anymore. There has been an application on the iPad called Kayak (online travel service) that has the fastest flight search in the world (Muir, 2011). It provides you with a list of prices, airlines, durations and class with a simple interface on the tablet itself. Below is an example of the application's interface.

Source: (tnooz.com)

Under Kress and van Leeuwen’s semiotic landscape, there are various modes which are public communication available according to their uses and valuations (Kress & van Leeuwen, 1996). Some are more valued than others because of cultural or historical influences (Abrahamsson, 1999). For example, print is typically known as an authoritative source for credible news compared to online. Albeit so, this valuation seems to be taking a “paradigm shift” and online sources seem to be popular because of the younger generation and their acceptance of news due to “enculturation” of new media.

The iPad is a tablet that has great usability. Some of its special features include a read-tap asymmetry for websites, for content that is large enough to read but often times too small to tap (Budiu & Nielson, 2011). 

According to Brill (2011), it mentions that iPad users use their PC 39% less since they owned the iPad. Furthermore, a survey called the YouGov survey have determined that a total of 51% of users prefer to read from their iPad. Not too shabby comparing with the traditional print media as the diagram below shows.

Source: (txtever.wordpress.com)

References

1. Muir, N 2011, Plan Trips with Kayak iPad App, dummies.com, viewed 7 November 2011, <http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/plan-trips-with-the-kayak-ipad-app.html>.

2. Kress, G and van Leeuwen, T 2006, 'The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication', Reading Images, pg. 16-44.

3. Abrahamsson, K 1987, Landscapes Lost and Gained: On Changes in Semiotic Resources, Research in Human Ecology, viewed 4 November 2011, <http://www.humanecologyreview.org/pastissues/her62/62abrahamsson.pdf>.

4. Bidiu, R and Nielson, J 2011, Usability of iPad Apps and Websites – Nielson Normal Group, viewed 4 November 2011, <http://www.nngroup.com/reports/mobile/ipad/ipad-usability_2nd-edition.pdf>.

5. Brill, M 2011, Keep Taking the Tablets: iPad and iPad magazine sales statistics, viewed on 5 November 2011, <http://txt4ever.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/1245/>.