Hearst: Skiff E-Reader Targets Print Publishers, Advertisers

Kindle

After leaking some vague, tantalizing hints earlier this year, Hearst gave more concrete details about its new e-reader product on Friday, beginning with its new name: Skiff.

Due out in 2010, Hearst is touting Skiff as both a device and a software platform for viewing digital content from all kinds of newspapers and magazines, compatible with a broad array of portable devices, including Netbooks, smartphones and the new generation of e-reader devices.

The company is still negotiating with some manufacturers to get the software platform integrated into their devices. So far, it has deals to incorporate a Skiff "chip" into Netbooks and e-readers from EnTourage Systems, Spring Design and Plastic Logic.

If all goes as planned, Skiff will be able to display digital content on any device connected to the Sprint 3G network. Although it's primarily a vehicle for text-based content, it will offer substantial multimedia and interactive capabilities, allowing publishers to deliver digital editions incorporating, for example, dynamic updates of content.

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Hearst said Skiff will be compatible with content from other magazine and newspaper publishers and will allow delivery of digital advertising.

Even if they are not developing devices themselves, newspaper and magazine publishers are hurrying to create digital editions of their print products for distribution to e-readers. In the last few weeks, Conde Nast said it is developing e-reader software based on Adobe AIR for its big titles, beginning with Wired.

McClatchy unveiled plans to introduce Kindle-compatible editions of five newspapers: The Sacramento Bee, Charlotte Observer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Anchorage Daily News and Raleigh's News & Observer.

A recent study from Mediamark Research & Intelligence found that people who own electronic book readers are better educated and more affluent than the average American adult. E-reader owners are 11% more likely to own their own home, 87% more likely to have an annual household income over $100,000 and 111% more likely to have a bachelor's or post-graduate degree. In keeping with their tech-savvy reputation, MRI also found they are more likely to be heavy Internet users.

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