I am in Konstanz Germany attending the challenging, exciting and motivating Small Giants International Summit.  It was a thrill to discover that the Editor and Publisher of, Dumbo Feather, a terrific independent magazine out of Melbourne are attending the conference as well.  Talk about a small world.

The Small Giants organisation grew out of a book, Small Giants, by Bo Burlingham.  I read the book when it was first published and highly recommend it. While all the case studies used are US companies, their situations relate to Australia.

Part of Bo’s contribution during the first day of the conference was to discuss, from his perspective of being a journalist working for a magazine (Inc.), the challenges to the print model and how the business needs to react and is reacting to this for its future and the future of the community in which it serves.

What makes this conference different to so many other business conferences is that participants are expected to contribute as much as speakers.  We are all learning off of each other … about leadership, business and mojo – what makes a business attractive to others.

The conference is relevant to the challenges newsagents face for it is all about being accountable and stepping into challenges rather than denying their existence.

Check out the window display at an office products store in Geneva. I thought it may have been on show for nostalgia. Inside they had more typewriters. It brought back memories of toiling on similar devices many years ago. It left me with the feeling that having to work harder to complete a document back then made the result more treasured.

Apple has sold 25 million iPads since its launch just over a year ago.  I got the sales numbers from Tablets Planet.

The uptake of the iPad has been considerably faster than the uptake of the iPod.  Check the agenda for just about every publishing conference and the iPad and tablets more generally are high on the agenda.

The new Apps from Fairfax for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald are better than the News Limited Apps, much better in my view.  Indeed, I rate it as the best Australian newspaper App at the moment.

I like the navigation.  I also like the attention to photos and video (although there could be more of this) – this is a great way to show off the difference between the iPad platform and print.  I had scanned the print edition yesterday before looking at the App and there is no doubt that the App was more enjoyable because of more consistent production quality.

The technology bells and whistles aside, the future of any news App will come down to the value perceived by the consumer.  If Fairfax produces content which reports without fear of favour, which does not try and run political agendas itself (like Fairfax is currently doing with Vic. Police matters) and which leverages the flexibility and immediacy of the digital platform then I am far more likely to be drawn to it over print and over any App from a publisher not ticking these boxes.

I still rate the App from APN for The New Zealand Herald as my favorite newspaper App but The Age App is a close second.

I’d encourage all newsagents with an iPad to download the currently free App and play, check out the competition.

Will I pay for a subscription? Hmm, too early to say.  However, I’d note that I do not currently pay for any newspaper or magazine Apps as I am not using my iPad for this type of content.  The only content I am purchasing is music and books.

On the Apps more generally, I wish they would use digital media to grow their audience than using the already challenged print medium.

Apple’s new iIOS 5 operating system includes a new newsstand feature which: organizes your magazine and newspaper app subscriptions in Newsstand: a folder that lets you access your favorite publications quickly and easily. Click on the image for more details on what you are going to be able to do on your iPad and iPhone.

While Apple has come late to the newsstand space, it’s here now and on a mission, just as it was six years ago on the iPod device platform.