Its intuitive functions and a clear layout were decisive: The Main-Echo publishing company has commissioned ppi Media, a subsidiary of manroland, to develop and implement a mobile app for all its publications.

"We've been looking for a solution that creates added value – for readers, ad customers and for the publisher," says Ulrich Eymann, managing director at Verlag und Druckerei Main-Echo GmbH & Co. KG, describing their requirements for the iPad app. ppi's customized newsreader app will be available from the iTunes store as from January 2011. What makes the Main-Echo application so special is that it combines both a newsreader and an e-paper.

ppi's newsreader at a glance
The basic Main-Echo application consists of two functions: in the free section, topical online content is automatically imported via a feed-based XML interface and displayed on the iPad. In the e-paper section, it is possible to buy, download, read, archive and subsequently delete editions of different publications from the publisher either as individual copies or as a subscription. For optimum results on the iPad, the PDF files are already modified during assembly for displaying as an e-paper. It is also possible to view the weather forecast, traffic news, sports results and financial news via customized widgets. "Especially in view of declining ad revenue in print, we have attached great importance to good ad spaces along with intuitive navigation in our newsreader. The lower section contains a fixed ad space with exact dimensions. When you scroll vertically, the ad remains where it is, whereas when you scroll horizontally, the ad motif changes," says Norbert Ohl, COO of ppi Media. The basic package that the Main-Echo will be using offers different levels: for instance, after downloading, the functions in the PDF documents can be enhanced by linking content to the internet, to each other or within a PDF document. It is also possible to search in local archives.

An app that does more
Tablet PCs visualize digital content in a new, emotional way. They combine the advantages of newspapers, magazines and online content, since they are mobile and light, use brilliant colors and are always up-to-date. ppi's newsreader brings the best out of these features for both the publisher and its readers. "When we were developing this app, our main objective was to develop a highly economical solution with real added value," says Norbert Ohl, explaining ppi's motivation behind developing its newsreader.