We’re pleased to announce that Igor Smirnoff, NewspaperDirect’s Vice President, Digital, is a featured panelist at this year’s BlackBerry World, the largest annual gathering for the BlackBerry ecosystem. Igor will outline the business opportunities that RIM’s current and future products, including the upcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphone, represent for publishers.

Igor is participating in a media panel at BlackBerry World 2012: “Quality Profitable Opportunities for Publishing Partners on BlackBerry.” The panel discussions will cover several areas, including: development options, how to work with publishers, and providing a compelling user experience. NewspaperDirect has long been a supporter of the BlackBerry platform, and recently launched an updated version of its flagship news app for mobile devices, PressReader for BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0.

Event/panel details:

• BlackBerry World 2012
• Media panel: Quality Profitable Opportunities for Publishing Partners on BlackBerry
• Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 9:00 a.m.
• Tampa Room

Igor has been with NewspaperDirect since 2003 and is a recognized expert in the formulation of effective cross-platform and multichannel strategies for leading publishers around the world and focuses on the development of the company’s newspaper and magazine publisher network, partnerships with mobile and tablet device manufacturers, as well as with major telecom operators and software companies. Today, working closely with 2,200 publishers in 96 countries, as well as many market partners, he is actively involved with the development of an industrywide strategy for migration of publishers’ printed business into the digital realm.

NewspaperDirect is pleased to announce that barcode authentication is now available for libraries currently using the Library PressDisplay service. Additionally, libraries now have the ability to set up remote mobile access to Library PressDisplay for their patrons!

As the world’s largest aggregated newsstand for libraries offering over 2,100 full-content newspapers and magazines from 95 countries in 54 languages, the addition of barcode authentication and mobile access means one thing – easier access! As most libraries already know, improved accessibility and availability is a must with more and more patrons demanding anywhere, anytime access to their digital services.

With barcode authentication, patrons will have the ability to quickly and easily access Library PressDisplay using their library barcodes or student IDs. If your library is interested in implementing this authentication method, you’ll simply need to contact NewspaperDirect or your local Library PressDisplay agent with your library card algorithm. In addition, libraries interested in setting up remote access to the service also have the opportunity to do so through a simple URL referral.

Several libraries have already taken advantage and so should yours!

“In 2011, Library PressDisplay was the most accessed resource of the digital library portal by Consorzio Sistema Bilbiotecario Nord Ovest,” says Paolo Lucini of CSBNO, Italy. “Patrons were very happy about the quantity of newspapers in the service and the way it was possible to access them!”

If you or your library would like to learn more about the Library PressDisplay service, Library PressDisplay barcode authentication or remote mobile access, make sure to visit with NewspaperDirect at the following upcoming conferences:

• SLA-AGC 2012 in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain from 11-14 March, 2012 (in partnership with TechKnowledge)

• Bibliostar 2012 in Milan, Italy from 15-16 March, 2012 (in partnership with Nicola Cavelli of International Book Sellers)

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a meeting with the NewspaperDirect team in Manama or Milan, please email us at libraries@newspaperdirect.com.

We’re extremely excited to announce that PressReader has won the “2011 Best App Ever” award – iOS newspaper category – as voted by the readers of 148Apps!

Providing readers with over 2,000 full-content newspapers from 94 countries, PressReader beat out notable apps including The Daily, Flipboard, Guardian iPad Edition, NY Times, USA TODAY, and The Wall Street Journal Mobile.

We are committed to continually innovating to exceed the expectations of our readers and publishing partners,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “PressReader 3.0 with SmartFlow technology is just one step in our journey to an unparalleled reading experience for newspapers and magazines. We are delighted with the award because it tells us we’re giving readers what they want — the best news-reading experience on the iPhone and iPad. I am looking forward to offering that same experience on every platform we support in the very near future.

Created by the editors of 148Apps to celebrate the best mobile apps and games available, the goal of “The Best App Ever” Awards is to gather together the favorite apps of real users. For each category, the winners are voted for in both iOS (iPhone and iPad combined) and Android divisions.

Thanks to each and every single one of our users who voted! Here’s hoping we win in both the iOS and Android categories next year .

Cheers,

-Michael

NewspaperDirect Inc., the world leader in multichannel newspaper and magazine content distribution, has released PressReader for Android for the newest hot tablet from Amazon: the Amazon Fire. When the Amazon Kindle Fire ships tomorrow, users will be able to activate the Fire’s built-in Amazon Appstore app to download PressReader and start reading complete digital replicas of their favorite newspapers from around the world.

PressReader for Android runs on Amazon Kindle Fire and on the latest Gingerbread- and Honeycomb-based phones and tablets, offering newspaper fans around the world a portable and engaging read of the more than 2,000 full-content newspapers and magazines from 95 countries and in 51 languages that are available through NewspaperDirect’s PressDisplay.com digital newsstand. Among the titles available for download every day are: Al Jazirah, China Daily, Daily Mail, L’Equipe, The Hindu, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, National Post, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Star (Malaysia), The Times of India, and The Washington Post.

Key features of PressReader for Android include:

• Access to 2,000+ full-content digital newspapers and magazines from 95 countries in 51 languages, all available from a single application
• Presentation of complete digital replicas of newspapers and navigation using thumbnails or tables of contents
• Automatic daily download of favorite publications for offline reading
• Touch-driven: flip, pan, rotate and zoom articles and photos
• A rich graphics full-page view and a convenient text view for individual articles
• On-demand narration of news stories
• Sharing of articles through email, Facebook and Twitter
• Support for on-board hardware acceleration on Honeycomb-based devices
• Integration with an existing PressDisplay.com subscription

NewspaperDirect works directly with publishers to ensure their newspapers and magazines are made available on PressReader the moment that they are in print. Often, PressReader users can download their favorite daily publication before it’s on newsstands or their neighbor’s driveway.

PressReader gives Amazon users what they’ve been missing: hundreds more of their favorite newspapers in a consistent and immersive reading experience, all within just one application,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “This move means we’ve also significantly broadened our offering to publishers. The availability of PressReader in the Amazon Appstore means that millions more tablet users will have instant access to the wealth of premium news content only we can offer in this fast-growing digital distribution channel.

Availability and pricing
PressReader for Android and Amazon Kindle Fire is available as a free download from Amazon Appstore for Android. New customers receive seven trial issues for free. Most individual newspapers and magazines available through PressReader can be purchased for $0.99 per issue, or downloaded in conjunction with a paid subscription on PressDisplay.com. For full details on subscription pricing, visit the PressDisplay.com subscription page.

NewspaperDirect announced that the company’s PressReader application will be preloaded on BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. The PressReader application, which is optimized for the BlackBerry PlayBook and currently available on BlackBerry App World, gives users instant access to more than 2,000 news publications from 95 countries.

Top daily newspapers from each country will be available, including: Chicago Tribune, Daily Mail, International Herald, Irish Times, La Presse, La Tribune, Le Journal de Montréal, Le Monde, National Post, The Australian, The Guardian, and The Globe and Mail and The Washington Post, to name just a few.

PressReader takes advantage of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s high-resolution display to present newspapers as complete digital replicas of printed editions. Users can swipe from page to page to get a quick overview of the news — just as they would with a real newspaper. Any article can also be magnified or displayed in an easy to read text view.

Feature highlights include:

•     Flip pages in portrait or landscape mode as if reading a paper publication
•     Pan/zoom articles and images, and view them in high resolution
•     Easily navigate publications using page thumbnails or tables of contents
•     Read full articles in text view or using the built-in text-to-speech feature
•     Online publication search and automated daily download of select titles
•     Article sharing on Facebook and Twitter
•     Integration with an existing PressDisplay.com subscription

The PressReader app helps satisfy our users’ demand for convenient access to premium news content,” said Martyn Mallick, vice president, global alliances and business development, Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry PlayBook is the optimal platform to showcase digital news, and we’re pleased to be working with NewspaperDirect to make PressReader readily available to our customers.

NewspaperDirect is committed to giving readers convenient access to premium news content on their device of choice,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “With PressReader pre-loaded on BlackBerry PlayBook, users have instant access to over 2,000 full-content newspapers from 95 countries with just one click, and our publishing partners can enjoy immediate brand exposure to a growing channel of new readers, at no operational cost.

Availability and pricing
Most individual newspapers and magazines available through PressReader can be purchased for $0.99 per issue, or downloaded in conjunction with a paid subscription on PressDisplay.com. For details on subscription pricing, visit our subscription page.

In a move that emphasizes convenience and choice for readers of Spain’s top newspapers and periodicals, the biggest ever editorial alliance of Spanish publishers have joined forces to present all their newspapers and magazines under one digital roof. Kiosko y más (www.kioskoymas.com), which was recently launched in Madrid, unites Vocento, Prisa, Godó, Zeta, Axel Springer, RBA and other groups — publishers of some of Spain’s most popular newspapers and magazines — and presents them in a single online destination that is accessible on a wide range of desktop and mobile devices.

30+ newspapers and 60+ magazines are available for immediate delivery in the Kiosko y más digital newsstand, all presented in their original, as-printed format. Native apps for both Apple iOS and Google Android are also offered, enabling any of the publications to be read on these industry-leading smartphones and tablets. Support for additional mobile operating systems and devices is coming soon.

“NewspaperDirect is an outstanding partner for us on this project. They have the technology, experience, proven track record and aggregated, multi-platform capability that allows us to give our users a rich, pleasurable reading experience that truly delights,” said Juan Luis Moreno, chief of digital strategy at Vocento. “The NewspaperDirect Team does all the heavy lifting, managing the integration and all technical aspects of Kiosko y más and the mobile applications. This allows us to focus on delivering unique, high-quality content to our readers around the world.”

“Kiosko y más represents an important step for the news publishing industry. By forming alliances of this nature, publishers can offer readers the content they love, packaged in a rewarding experience that can be delivered across all platforms and devices,” said Alexander Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “We applaud this move, which is truly visionary and a benchmark model for other countries around the world.”

To read the entire press release, please click here.

Cheers,

Michael

With the inclusion of PressDisplay.com to Deutsche Post DHL’s newly launched eKiosk, Germans using the digital service now have access to over 1,000 international newspapers from 90 countries in 46 languages.

With the added service, users can instantly access and read full digital replicas of their favorite international newspapers the moment they’re published – all from the eKiosk homepage!

While users will immediately benefit from the unparalleled selection of titles PressDisplay offers, this is yet another example of how NewspaperDirect can help publishers reach world readers through unique online distribution channels (see MSN PressDisplay for a similar example).

With publishers continually attempting to bolster both readership and revenues in less than favorable economic times, partnering with NewspaperDirect, the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization will allow them to do just that.

With little effort and at absolutely no operational cost, PressDisplay helps broaden readership by providing same day, full content digital editions to readers on the exact platform they wish to read them – on their PCs, Macs, laptops, iPhones, iPads, Blackberrys, tablet PCs, mobile devices and eReaders.  Add to this the fact they can access these titles through distribution channels such as the Deutsche Post eKiosk and it becomes clear why PressDisplay really is the easiest and most hassle free way to grow your business in today’s publishing world.

Isn’t time for your publication to get on board with PressDisplay as well?

For more information, please email NewspaperDirect at digital@newspaperdirect.com.

Cheers,

-Michael

With the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland causing mass air transit delays across Europe and the rest of the world, hundreds of thousands of stranded travellers missed receiving their daily printed newspaper from home.  For many of those travellers however, NewspaperDirect and PressDisplay.com, helped make this a complete non-issue.

Having caught word of NewspaperDirect’s unique offerings during the height of the travel crisis, Global TV BC visited NewspaperDirect discovering that regardless of where you live, travel or vacation, NewspaperDirect and PressDisplay make getting your favorite local newspaper a breeze – online, on your smartphone, on your tablet computer, eReader or in print.

The Global TV segment aired on Friday, April 23^rd – check it out below!

With a growing list of over 1,500 publications available, NewspaperDirect’s offerings let individuals enjoy same day full content publications from anywhere in the world making them perfect for travellers, expats, students, environmentally conscious readers or anyone wishing to get the news on their latest electronic device.

Learn more today!

Cheers,

-Michael

Korean based Neolux Corporation recently announced a partnership with NewspaperDirect that will see PressDisplay.com’s list of over 1,500 newspapers and magazines available on their 3^rd generation NUUT Book.

With the NUUT Book, subscribers can download titles directly from PressDisplay using the export to eReader functionality via USB cable or by using the NUUT’s built in WiFi capabilities.  Here are a few quick features/specs the NUUT offers:

• Sleek, ergonomic design
• 6” e-Ink display including 16 levels of grey scale
• ARM 11 CPU operated at 667MHz
• 256MB internal memory, 1 G user memory
• SD or SDHC external memory (up to 32 G)
• Audio output, USB connection
• Supports eBook, ePub, PDF, TXT, JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, MP3, WAV formats

The NUUT Book will be available throughout Europe by mid April, distributed exclusively by Sweden’s Royal-Line AB at a cost of approximately 2,900 KER, 300 EUR or 400 USD.

As always, NewspaperDirect’s goal is to make PressDisplay’s growing list of publications available to subscribers on as many platforms as possible.  So whether you’re at work on your PC or Mac, on the go with your mobile phone or at home relaxing with your latest eReader, one thing is for certain, catching up on all the latest news has never been easier!

Enjoy the NUUT!

-Michael

Are you a PressDisplay.com subscriber and (or soon to be) an enTourage eDGe owner?  Rejoice!  Today at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, a new partnership was announced between NewspaperDirect and Entourage Systems Inc. that will see PressDisplay’s 1,500+ newspapers and magazines available on the eDGe via wireless or USB connection.

“Partnering with NewspaperDirect allows us to provide our customers with a robust catalogue of US and international newspapers, satisfying their media consumption needs even further,” said Asghar Mostafa, CEO of enTourage Systems. “The enTourage eDGe is an ideal platform for PressDisplay fans, allowing them to engage content when on the move like never before.”

As the world’s first dualbook with hinged E-ink and LCD screens, the eDGe offers several features that make it an appealing choice to consumers by:

• Combining the functionality of eReaders, tablet netbooks and notepads
• Providing users with an exceptional newspaper and magazine reading experience with a large 1,200 x 825 pixel, glare-free E-ink screen
• Supporting story annotation using the stylus or text – either by hand or using the virtual keyboard

These points, and the fact that PressDisplay is available on such a diverse range of platforms, are reiterated by NewspaperDirect’s CEO, Alex Kroogman:

“The dual screen and exceptional viewing quality of the enTourage eDGe makes reading a newspaper while on the go an even better experience.  As the leader in expanding the number of ways consumers can access newspapers and magazines, we are continually adding new devices, and we’re delighted to add the enTourage eDGe to our line-up. The moment a device is supported by PressDisplay.com, it’s also made available to NewspaperDirect publishing partners for their own e-papers.”

Well, there are lots of choices out there!  Once you choose a platform that works for you, we promise reading the news through PressDisplay won’t disappoint!

Cheers,

-Michael