Project profitable?
Richard Branson's new daily magazine designed for the iPad has gone on sale today via Apple's iTunes store.
Destined for a big launch in New York tomorrow the magazine is called Project and is targeted at a broad international audience with an emphasis on multimedia features.
The blurb on iTunes describes Project as: "A revolutionary new magazine built specially for your iPad - packed worth international culture, entertainment, design, business and travel".
The first issue costs $2.99 or £1.79 and users have to download a free reader app. For the money readers get ‘a full month's worth of updating content' so as the magazine is a daily we presume that means new features every day.
The first instalment includes a feature on Jeff Bridges and Tron comprising an ‘electrified cover', video clips and an audio interview, taking advantage of the iPad's features. There is also a 3D tour of Tokyo, Jaguar's new hypercar plus music and food features.
Among the warnings that suggest readers should be over 17 are hints that the magazine could contain: mild fantasy violence, frequent and intense mature themes, mild realistic violence, sexual content and nudity and mild profanity or crude humour...all of which you might suggest given that the magazine's editor is the bloke who used to captain FHM, Zoo and Arena. Yet it seems as if Project is much more than a lad's mag.
Although few people have got the chance to read the magazine yet as it has only just launched, there are already a handful of comments on iTunes and most are complimentary.
One reader wrote: "Not like any of the other magazines on iPad. It's clearly designed with the iPad's user in mind...the images look great and the videos are really cool," while another said: "I purchased this to be an early adopter and was shocked that it is actually a decent product...overall a magazine designed right. Is this the future of publishing? I err with maybe."
However one disgruntled customer wrote: "Project attempts what Wired achieved 6 months ago. Crashed twice on first use and slow to load content."
Project is expected to launch in the US tomorrow and iPad users need iOS4.2 installed to read the magazine.
Here are a few screen shots of Project's cover and some internal feature details.
