Some thoughts about Newsstand and all...

I think Adobe, Apple and publishers are solely regarding these Newsstands and Libraries as their holy outlet, and completely seem to forget how the user experiences them.

Icons in the Newsstand and even in the multi-task bar are eagerly showing covers of new issues – totally unclear in icon size, by the way. And they are overruling the fact that I might cherish the icon of the app as the awesome recognisable logo of the title. I don't get that same rapport with an ugly scaled down cover of an issue I might not have or want to have.

And while we're on it, where did that app icon of my title go ? Who said I'd like to have all my titles crammed into a nitty-gritty small Newsstand icon, which I have to open first, displaying all other titles as well on some wooden shelf ? Titles (and their apps) are about communities, publications I'd like to identify with. "Show me your Springboard and I'll tell you who you are." But in stead of letting me proudly sort my key titles on springboards and the less impressive ones in nearby and far-away folders, all assorted publications are now compressed into some wooden box, which I first have to open before I see... well, what do I see ? A salesman's dream come true. Efficient ? Yes, probably. Appealing ? No !

ADPS is all about blatantly selling stuff. Nothing wrong with that, but hey, it's MY iPad, these are MY app icons, and I regard purchased issues as MY property. Where have they all gone ?

Publishers are too eagerly trying to climb as quickly as possible to the same level of monetisation and customer retention, as they did with paper. And they seem to overlook that some aspects of their industry were annoying and even troubling. The 'unconscious' subscriptions (paid issues dripping in without ever being read), the crowded and loud newsstand, the tendency to burden me with more information and (sometimes unrrelated) offers than I can handle.

Oh yes, "Direct Entitlement", that's the New Godsend ! Maybe. And maybe I am willing to disclose my name, address, preferences, and anything else to you. But first, keep your hands off my iPad, my apps, icons and issues, and gimme back my apps and content. If I wanted a shopping cart, I would have got me an Amazon Kindle Fire.