Imago, a book production company with 30years experience, launched a new digital consultancy at this year’s London Book Fair. It is called iBiblios, is being run by publisher Simon Rosenheim and ‘Working with the very best experts in their field, iBiblios has the knowledge to offer everything from simple advice to detailed problem solving - to an industry moving at a frenzied pace’, (London Book Fair website, 2012). At the Book Fair, iBiblios was showcasing three apps including an ‘Image Recognition’ app which is, according to Rosenheim, ‘a first in publishing’ (Rosenheim on LBF website).
The visual recognition app is designed to bring the printed book to life, for example you could watch your recipe being cooked, or take the content from the book back to the subject matter itself, for example a monument could tell its own story or a painting could ‘come to life’. iBibilios say ‘We've developed a technology that allows your smartphone to ‘read' the page – to recognise what's there and to do whatever it is the publisher wants… Whatever the eye can recognise, we can too, and it's all augmented by the publisher's own content’ (Rosenheim, 2012). As far as I can tell, the visual recognition app uses technology similar to that of QR codes but steps it up and makes it easier to use for publishers and more accessible for consumers. Rather than a code in the back, which they more often than not won’t follow up, they are able to gain extra information throughout the print product and use fewer ‘actions’ to reach it.
iBiblios has also developed technology called ‘Near Field Communication’, (nfc), which lets you share information such as text, video and audio simply by touching your smart phone to an object. Furthermore, iBiblios is now able to put an nfc chip into a page meaning that a publisher could make their book ‘come alive’ in a different way for every different reader, as iBiblios put it on their website: ‘Read a book, watch a book, hear a book, play a book! And because the chip itself can be programmed, the ability to customise the experience to any imaginable use, is unparalled’ (2012). It is this customisability that makes the nfc technology so exciting, publishers from all genres will be able to make use of it – this could be a new lease of life for the print book.
The visual recognition app is designed to bring the printed book to life, for example you could watch your recipe being cooked, or take the content from the book back to the subject matter itself, for example a monument could tell its own story or a painting could ‘come to life’. iBibilios say ‘We've developed a technology that allows your smartphone to ‘read' the page – to recognise what's there and to do whatever it is the publisher wants… Whatever the eye can recognise, we can too, and it's all augmented by the publisher's own content’ (Rosenheim, 2012). As far as I can tell, the visual recognition app uses technology similar to that of QR codes but steps it up and makes it easier to use for publishers and more accessible for consumers. Rather than a code in the back, which they more often than not won’t follow up, they are able to gain extra information throughout the print product and use fewer ‘actions’ to reach it.
iBiblios has also developed technology called ‘Near Field Communication’, (nfc), which lets you share information such as text, video and audio simply by touching your smart phone to an object. Furthermore, iBiblios is now able to put an nfc chip into a page meaning that a publisher could make their book ‘come alive’ in a different way for every different reader, as iBiblios put it on their website: ‘Read a book, watch a book, hear a book, play a book! And because the chip itself can be programmed, the ability to customise the experience to any imaginable use, is unparalled’ (2012). It is this customisability that makes the nfc technology so exciting, publishers from all genres will be able to make use of it – this could be a new lease of life for the print book.
"So instead of trying to turn a book into a digital book, we need to look at things differently. We need to take the content to the user – and to use the technology in ways that even the visionaries who brought us these devices hadn't envisaged."
There is evidence too that iBiblios are enjoying success. Last month they ‘activated’ a fashion magazine in the Guardian. They gave otherwise static pages video, audio, information and special offers – Rosenheim said ‘even we were taken aback by how successful it was – 180,000 copies were distributed, and the free App download led to over a quarter of a million videos being viewed within a week. It's not surprising that advertisers are beating a path to our door’ (2012).
The success of iBiblios could mean big things for the publishing industry. Perhaps print books are not dead after all? iBiblios’ visual recognition and near field communication technology could provide an alternative to the eBook, a ‘best of both’ – the feel and smell of a print book with the interactivity and extras of an e-version. I think this could be the ideal for many people these days who prefer have a tangible book, one that is truly their own, but do not want to miss out on the wealth of extra information that could be available.
Word Count: 571
iBiblios, (2012), [website]. Available at: http://www.ibiblios.co.uk/#nearfc (Accessed 12th November)
Jones. P, (2012), Imago Launches ‘first in publishing’ Consultancy, The Bookseller. [online] 16th April. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/imago-launches-%E2%80%98first-publishing%E2%80%99-consultancy.html (Accessed 12th November)
London Book Fair, (2012) Imago launches new digital publishing venture: iBiblios, London Book Fair [website] no date. Available at: http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/en/Global-Elements/LBF-2012/2012-Exhibitor-Directory/Libraries/?coId=1845 (Accessed 12th November)
Rosenheim. Simon, (2012). Just say no – but not always, FutureBook. [blog] 1st November. Available at: http://www.futurebook.net/content/just-say-no-not-always (Accessed 10th November)
The success of iBiblios could mean big things for the publishing industry. Perhaps print books are not dead after all? iBiblios’ visual recognition and near field communication technology could provide an alternative to the eBook, a ‘best of both’ – the feel and smell of a print book with the interactivity and extras of an e-version. I think this could be the ideal for many people these days who prefer have a tangible book, one that is truly their own, but do not want to miss out on the wealth of extra information that could be available.
Word Count: 571
iBiblios, (2012), [website]. Available at: http://www.ibiblios.co.uk/#nearfc (Accessed 12th November)
Jones. P, (2012), Imago Launches ‘first in publishing’ Consultancy, The Bookseller. [online] 16th April. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/imago-launches-%E2%80%98first-publishing%E2%80%99-consultancy.html (Accessed 12th November)
London Book Fair, (2012) Imago launches new digital publishing venture: iBiblios, London Book Fair [website] no date. Available at: http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/en/Global-Elements/LBF-2012/2012-Exhibitor-Directory/Libraries/?coId=1845 (Accessed 12th November)
Rosenheim. Simon, (2012). Just say no – but not always, FutureBook. [blog] 1st November. Available at: http://www.futurebook.net/content/just-say-no-not-always (Accessed 10th November)