Adobe Digital Publishing Suite
For many books, ePub as a digital format is too limited. For instance if the layout is important and especially if you have added value to enrich your publication with like extra images, video, audio, links...
Often one immediatley thinks of custom-built applications but they are usually in a whole different price range and device or platform dependant.
Adobe aknowledges the need to fill in this gap and developed the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. This suite, consisting of an InDesign plug-inand a set of online services, offers the capability of creating enhanced, rich and interactive publications.
This publications are .folio files and they are, not unlike PDF, platformon independant. They can be read on different platforms with the Adobe Content Viewer (available for free in the AppStore). This viewer can even be customised to a publisher or a specific series of publications.
The most widely known example of the use of this technology is Wired Magazine.
Adobe Digital Publishing Suite:
- Based on InDesign CS5 source files
- Include features like audio, video, slideshows, panorama & 360° images, pop-ups, links...
- Content is platform independant, Viewer per platform/device
- Wide range of graphic and visual possibilities
- In-app sales and marketing
Workflow
Crius Group, being an Adobe Solutions Partner, has been involved since the beginning of the beta testing phase. Just before the summer of 2010 we started exploring the technology and in the meantime we have acquired quite some experience with it. The InDesign functionalities and possibilities are well-known to us as we've been keeping up to date for quite a while now.
Creating .folio files demand a very specific workflow. It must be mentioned that doing this really only makes sense if there is supplementary content or interaction available to generate added value for the consumer.
- Ideally disclosure through .folio is already considered in the conception phase of a publication, that way certain aspects can already be taken into account in the initial design.
- The source is always InDesign. Existing files are optimised for tablets (i.e. deleting bleed) and a seperate file is created for every chapter.
- When desired a second layout is created so that a publication can be read on the tablet in both orientations (portrait and landscape).
- If necessary extra content is created and/or edited for use in the publication.
- Extra content like audio, video, slideshows, 360° images and other is added in InDesign, along with pop-ups and alternative screens.
- The publication is composed, metadata added and eventually everything gets bundeld into a .folio file.
- The .folio file can then be sideloaded onto the iPad with iTunes or can be pushed through Adobe to a customised Viewer app.
Viewer
As mentioned earlier a specific Viewer app can be developed for your publishing house, imprint or series of publications. This is done in cooperation with Adobe.
Once the Viewer is ready it is usually offerd for free in the AppStore. Adobe then offers services to push .folio files to reader through the Viewer. This means your audiance does not have to look for your content themselves once they've installed the Viewer.
These facilities also offer wide tracking and measuring services thus providing you with invaluable marketing data!
Crius Group training
"Never stop learning"
More informationTestimonials
"What our customers say about Crius"
More informationCrius Group on Twitter
-
Twitter
3 weeks 1 day ago from CriusGroup
"#CriusGroup haalt innnovatiesubsidie van IWT binnen voor de bouw van een digitaal/app management systeem - thx @KurtPeys en andere collega's"