Punchcut

We're Punchcut - a user interface design company specializing
in mobile and convergent experiences across devices.

Books as Apps: What's the Big Idea?
By Ashwin Sodhi, Nov 15, 2010


Image courtesy of Doug Aghassi.

The New York Times has spent some time of late covering a new trend: books packaged as apps. Publishers are having trouble selling hardcovers, so they'll give anything a shot. Apps tap into a familiar marketplace and can do things "real" books and e-books cannot — or so the logic goes.

It'll chirp with the birds and blow steam alongside a passing train, and it'll banish characters from the room if readers don't like the way they smell. The question they should be asking: W...

9
Responses /
Apps, E-Books, E-Readers, Media, Publishing
Magazines and the Reading Ecosystem
By Gretchen Anderson, Nov 01, 2010

Two recent columns by Khoi Vinh and Mike Turro take on the future of magazines in a world of tablets. Khoi Vinh, former Design Director of the New York Times, argues that the current batch of iPad apps "run counter to how people use tablets today and, unless something changes, will remain at odds with the way people will use tablets as the medium matures." Certainly, the apps from magazines like Wired, the New Yorker and other Conde Nast publications are experiments in a new medium. What I appreciate is that, unlike when magazines went to the web, they are at least recognizable as magazines, with rich visual presentation and spreads that bring coherence to long, flowing text and images.

4
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Magazines, Media, Publishing, reading, Tablet
Learning from Video Games: Minecraft
By George Murray, Oct 07, 2010

Minecraft is an up-and-coming indie game sensation and has interesting lessons for the field of user experience design. From the game's uncharacteristically brutal premise to its overly simplified visual representation and mechanics introduction, Minecraft provides fertile grounds for UX lessons.

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Gaming, Media, Observations
Why iPad?
By George Murray, Jun 28, 2010

Social media consumption. (Photo: seandreilinger)

To most people I’ve encountered (outside the Bay Area tech scene) the iPad is a mysterious thing. The impression has been one of reluctant acceptance; as if individuals are unable to resist the accelerating march of technology. For instance, in a focus group, when asked about upgrading mobile phones I’ve heard something to the effect of "I don’t know what it does or what I could use it for but everyone’s getting them so I guess I will have to get one eventually." And technology marches on....

2
Responses /
Media, Observations, Tablets
EuroIA Summit Poster: Mobile Social Networking Insights
By Joe Pemberton, Sep 20, 2007

Social networking and mobile communities

Today at the EuroIA Summit, Barcelona, we will discuss insights from the Punchcut-funded mobile social networking study.

The poster lists the chief insights and provides a visualization of the users ages and their behaviors (text messaging, IM, email, photo sharing, blogging, commenting both using desktop apps and mobile devices).

The study insights and results were posted in...

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Data Services, Media, mobile presence, research, Social Networking, UGC
EMI Group to Rollout Premium, DRM-Free Music on iTunes
By Joe Pemberton, Apr 09, 2007


EMI keynote at CTIA Orlando

Eric Nicoli (CEO of EMI Group) hinted in his keynote at CTIA that his company had been “experimenting” with DRM-free music and said that their studies showed people would be willing to pay more for it. Last weeks’ EMI Group announcement of an iTunes deal will make higher quality, DRM-free, tunes available for $1.29. The new offering doesn’t replace the existing $.99 DRM versions. What’s even more user-friendly is that users who own DRM versions can upgrade their tracks for $.30 each.

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Events, iTunes, Media