Hasta La Ideas

This Monday morning’s blogosphere buzz is all about how Financial Times has confirmed Apple’s forthcoming tablet device, apparently slated for September. Interestingly, the 10-inch-screen-boasting “oversized iPod” has been designed to use technology to bring people back to two dying media formats: The LP record and the book.

Older readers that purchased LPs in their youth will remember it as a vastly different experience than downloading MP3s; the 12″ format meant eye-filling, splashy album covers, filled with legible liner notes printed on 12×12 (or x24, or x36) paper. The “album experience” was a three-parter, with music, purty artwork and text to read. Now that that experience is long gone, Apple hopes to bring it back with technology.

Apple is working with the four largest record labels to stimulate digital sales of albums by bundling a new interactive booklet, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads, in a move it hopes will change buying trends on its online iTunes store.

…”It’s all about re-creating the heyday of the album when you would sit around with your friends looking at the artwork, while you listened to the music,” said one executive familiar with the plans.

…”It’s not just a bunch of PDFs,” said one executive. “There’s real engagement with the ancillary stuff.”

Apple is also allegedly in talks with book publishers, and while no details or quotes are provided in the FT article, a tablet device competing with the Kindle is a no-brainer. Will keep you posted as we learn more.

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