Project Magazine's Second Issue Impresses

Magazine subscriptions are in decline because by the time the latest issue gets to the newsstand, the information it contains may be outdated. This doesn’t change when publishers try to repackage paper magazines for the iPad. Sure, they might add some fancy HTML5 features like videos and music, or “bonus” pages. In the end, it is mostly the same magazine, with a significantly higher price. Billionaire wunderkind Richard Branson is testing these challenges with his new iPad-only magazine, Project. Issue No. 2 of this inventive endeavor has just been released. While Project’s premiere issue with Jeff Bridges on the cover garnered lots of attention, this subsequent issue just impresses. Sometime between reading about the curious Bear Grylls or Russia’s doomed Space Mirror it hit me; Project is like nothing else on the market today.

Since it isn’t a rehash of some tired paper magazine, the stories are fresh. In fact, the developers often tweak articles during the course of the month if current events warrant it. How cool is that? This new issue includes articles on HBO’s Entourage, plus a great piece called “Game Changer Paper.” In this article seven of the top books of 2010 are reviewed; some even come with a free chapter or two to read.

I strongly recommend downloading Project so you can see what it is all about. Project is attempting to reboot the magazine publishing business for the iPad Age. So far, Branson is doing a terrific job. The Project app is available for free; each issue is available as an in-app purchase for $2.99.

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