Sideways Is A Magazine Built For iPad

It's hard not to envision a day when magazines are all made primarily for digital devices like the iPad. The form factor is right, digital gives all sorts of multimedia freedom, and I'm sure publishers are dying to cut down on production costs.

In what is surely the first of many, Sideways Magazine is a new start up that is designed and written specifically for the digital tablet. Unlike traditional print media, or even most of the stuff on the iPad, Sideways tells its stories with a blend of "video, audio, photos, text and even maps." For example, the current issue (October) features a map based story by Professor Dinty Moore, director of creative writing at Ohio University, about his run-ins with famed author George Plimpton. In the article, each location that you travel through in the map offers up a new tale in the story, turning a typical story article into more of an interactive experience.

The issue also includes:

* Special spy gear advertising section with deep links to retailers, enabling instant purchase of advertised items
* A look at which colleges have the best fictional alumni
* Interactive guide to chili peppers and hot sauces with do-it-yourself recipe
* Feature article on how social media improves writing
* Overview of tablets being released as rivals to the iPad
* Feature on best ways to watch video on the iPad

“We created Sideways to demonstrate the iPad’s multimedia capabilities and deliver features that are immersive and engaging in ways that traditional magazines are not,” said Jim Sweeney, editor-in-chief of Sideways. “We continue to evolve the publishing platform for mobile devices with the October issue.”

Each issue of Sideways is available, in part, for free in the App Store and can be fully unlocked via in app purchase. Check it out, I think you'll like it.