ME-paper project Deliverable WP2: Comparative research

IBBT-SMIT Nils Walravens Wendy Van den Broeck Bram Lievens Hans De Canck

IBBT-CUO Greet Jans Yorick Poels Nadia Franck

IBBT-MICT Steve Paulussen

- December 2007 –

Me-paper: comparative analysis

Table of contents Introduction...... 3 1 Towards e-publishing...... 5 1.1 News publishers adapting to electronic publishing...... 5 1.1.1 Newspapers in a changing media environment...... 8 1.1.2 Newspapers on and beyond the Web...... 9 1.1.3 Towards e-ink newspapers ...... 11 2 To a new e-Reader world?...... 13 2.1 e-Reader case – studies: overview ...... 13 2.2 Yantai Daily...... 14 2.2.1 Factsheet:...... 14 2.2.2 Research Objectives & Methodology...... 14 2.2.3 Technical Framework ...... 16 2.2.4 Content & Medium ...... 16 2.2.5 Organizational issues ...... 17 2.2.6 Project outcome...... 17 2.3 MINDS Project...... 18 2.3.1 Factsheet ...... 18 2.3.2 Research Objectives & Methodology...... 18 2.3.3 Technical Framework ...... 19 2.3.4 Content & Medium ...... 19 2.3.5 Organizational issues ...... 20 2.3.6 Project Outcome...... 20 2.4 eMprints...... 21 2.4.1 Factsheet ...... 21 2.4.2 Research Objectives & Methodology...... 22 2.4.3 Technical Framework ...... 23 2.4.4 Content & Medium ...... 23 2.4.5 Organizational Issues...... 24 2.4.6 Project Outcome...... 24 2.5 ePaper...... 25 2.5.1 Factsheet ...... 25 2.5.2 Research objectives & Methodology...... 26 2.5.3 Technical Framework ...... 27 2.5.4 Content & Medium ...... 27 2.5.5 Project outcome...... 27 2.6 DigiNews ...... 28 2.6.1 Factsheet ...... 28 2.6.2 Research Objectives & Methodology...... 29 2.6.3 Technical Framework ...... 30 2.6.4 Content & Medium ...... 30 2.6.5 Organizational Issues...... 31 2.6.6 Project Outcome...... 32 2.7 First findings...... 32 3 Matrix: Usability issues of ,iLiad versus UMPC...... 33 3.1 Introduction ...... 33 3.2 Outcome and future trends ...... 52 4 Conclusion ...... 53 5 References...... 59

2 Me-paper: comparative analysis

Introduction

Today media industries are not only confronted with an emerging convergence but are also – more and more - evolving towards digital services. Long before the television- or other media industries, the publishing industry has initiated the process of digitizing its content. It is the scope of the Me-paper research project, to investigate one specific aspect of this digitization process: What are the opportunities and consequences of mobile e-publishing technologies for the newspaper industries with regard to new formats of “news content”, “news creation” and “news production”?

Within this report we give an overview of specific research and development projects using mobile electronic devices, with a specific focus on e-ink display devices (like the eReader) and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC). Although eReaders and UMPC devices exist since a couple of years, relatively few projects with newspapers have been set-up in the past years. The focus of current eReader devices is mainly on books instead of newspapers.

This benchmarking report is divided into three concrete chapters in which different aspects related to the Me-paper research project are being discussed.

In the first chapter, the transition towards e-publishing is being placed in perspective. We focus on the trend of news publishers to adapt to electronic publishing. How is the newspaper industry evolving and what is the impact of the changing media environment on newspapers? And what are the potential benefits of e-ink newspapers for the newspaper industry?

In the second chapter, we look at concrete R&D projects concerning electronic publishing for newspapers on mobile devices. The main focus is on the e-ink devices, but also projects using tablet-PC’s have been taken into account, as these fit also within the project’s scope. As mentioned above and although the publishing industry and newspapers are thinking about e-publishing for a long time, at this moment almost all their efforts are still concentrating on Internet services. Although we are experiencing a totally new mobile wave, there are only few projects in which the newspaper industry experimented with newspapers on mobile. After a first screening of the e-reader landscape, an inventory of the

3 Me-paper: comparative analysis different national and international R&D projects was developed. Only 10 relevant projects were distinguished which used newspapers on e-reader- or other mobile devices. These 10 projects were: 1. Les Echos 6. Herald tribune 2. New York Times Reader 7. eNews 3. LAT eMPrints 8. Yomiuri 4. Diginews 9. MINDS 5. e-Paper 10. Yantai Daily

The objective was to gather specific information on goals, methodology, technical framework, content, organizational issues and project outcomes. As this information was not publicly available, we contacted representatives of each of these projects. They were asked to cooperate to the project, by filling out a questionnaire. The answers on these questionnaires were added to a user protected Blog- site, available for the Me-paper project partners and the cooperating projects. Six of the projects filled out the questionnaire. The four other projects decided not to cooperate; because of NDA agreements or other confidentiality issues. As one of the six projects appeared to be a network instead of an R&D project, eventually five projects were integrated as cases in chapter two. For each of the projects, we give a short fact sheet with the most important project information. Then we look at research objectives and methodology of the project, the technical framework, content & medium, organizational issues and the project outcome.

In chapter three, we look at concrete usability aspects of both the iliad and UMPC devices. Although usability as such is not the scope of the Me-paper project, it is important to summarize some of the usability issues of the two selected devices. It will help making decisions on formats of news content, that will be further explored during the Me-paper test lab process.

To conclude, the lessons learned of the different cases are summarized as well as the most important usability issues. Furthermore, some suggestions on specific research topics & trends are listed.

4 Me-paper: comparative analysis 1 1 Towards e-publishing

In the first chapter, we look at how traditional news publishers, and more in particular newspaper companies, are dealing with the challenges of digitalisation. If we want to understand how old media are coping with digital technology, we may not focus too hard on how they are reacting on the latest trend or innovation, as old media always initially tend to show a ‘defensive reluctance’. More concretely, it is true that newspapers’ endeavours in electronic publishing are characterized by cautiousness and a ‘wait and see’ attitude, but this may not lead us to conclude that print media are unwilling or unable to evolve. A 2004 report by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) confirms that newspaper companies are aware that their digital strategies must be “fluid, evolutionary, anticipatory and responsive to market and technological developments” (WAN/SFN, 2004: 26). In their efforts to adapt to or converge with new media, news publishers are continuously searching for new business models, new strategies and new ways to redistribute their content through different electronic publication channels. More and more companies are showing interest in the opportunities offered by the Internet, mobile technology and new electronic publication platforms, like e-ink-readers.

1.1 News publishers adapting to electronic publishing

In the past century, the demise of print media has been predicted almost every time that a new medium was introduced. However, print media – books, newspapers, magazines, etc.– have survived by continuously repositioning themselves in the media market. New media take over some functions from old media, but this rarely leads to complete substitution. What happens mostly is that old and new media succeed in finding complementary roles, so that they can co- exist. Already in 1997, Roger Fidler coined the term ‘mediamorphosis’ to describe this whole process of media co-evolution.

Lehman-Wilzig & Cohen-Avigdor (2004) present the ‘natural life cycle model of new media evolution’ to provide a better understanding of this process of mediamorphosis. This model differs from other product cycle models, because (a) it explicitly takes into account the interaction and struggle between old and new

1 For more information regarding this chapter, please contact Steve Paulusssen, IBBT-MICT, Universiteit Gent

5 Me-paper: comparative analysis media, and (b) it pays special attention to what happens after a medium has reached maturity. Whereas the classical product life cycle models say that mature media at some point enter a phase of decline, the model underlines that established media, that have reached the maturity phase, do not necessarily decline, if they are capable to change and evolve (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Natural life cycle model of new media evolution

Source: Lehman-Wilzig & Cohen-Avigdor, 2004, p. 712

Each time a new player enters the market, the ‘old’ media players tend to react with a kind of ‘defensive reluctance’. According to Lehman-Wilzig & Cohen-Avigdor, most media will initially be rather resistant to change and try to protect and consolidate their market position. However, when a new medium offers significant added value, the old media will be forced to change their strategies. At that point, there are three possible scenarios: (1) Adaptation: the old medium adapts to the new medium, e.g. by concentrating on specific audience segments or by expanding traditional media functions; (2) Convergence: the old medium converges with the new medium: the old medium takes over the new technology, while the new medium takes over part of the ‘old’ media logic;

6 Me-paper: comparative analysis (3) Obsolescence: the old medium is replaced by the new medium.

There are several recent cases that illustrate this model. Book publishers initially reacted with lawsuits against the Google Library Project in 2005. Two years later, some of them, such as top publisher Random House, are in conversation with Google to explore new business opportunities of Google’s book-scan projects, while others are doing business with the Amazon Kindle e-book service. A similar thing happened with the emergence of weblogs and social media. After initially considering them as a threat, traditional media learned to deal with them. Today, some of the most successful weblogs are maintained by traditional media players, and many online newspapers offer options to bookmark or redistribute their content on social networking sites. While online newspapers and press agencies initially faced competition of new content providers, such as Internet portal websites, most of the content on those portal sites is now syndicated by traditional media players. Two of the most popular Belgian portal sites, Skynet and MSN, buy their news content from the online news service of the Belga press agency. And while online newspapers initially protested against content aggregation sites, some newspaper websites now provide content aggregated from other online media. All these examples show that traditional publishers are reluctant but prepared (and capable) to change, by adapting their strategies to the new challenges and trends and/or by converging and collaborating with the new players.

The life cycle model is particularly useful to describe the current challenges for print publishers, like newspaper companies, which are operating in a mature market in which growth opportunities are limited and competition from new media is increasing (Picard, 2003). Referring to the above model, we can say that print media are now at the end of the phase of ‘reluctance’. This means that they are now at the crossroads where they will have to find the best way to adapt to or convergence with the new media opportunities. As we will see, more and more publishing companies seem to be aware of the need for adaptation, convergence and innovation.

If we look at the newspaper industry, for example, we see that many media experts have described newspaper publishers’ strategies towards new technologies as resistant, reactive, defensive, cautious and conservative (see Boczkowski, 2004). They argue, however, that newspapers are now being forced to find new ways to “enhance their competitiveness and survivability in the face of new entrants from audio-visual, multimedia, and ICT sectors” (Picard, 2003: 128).

7 Me-paper: comparative analysis Recent developments in the newspaper market indicate that newspaper companies are more and more aware that they will only be able to consolidate their position in a mature market if they succeed to adapt their strategies to the changing media market.

1.1.1 Newspapers in a changing media environment

The Internet is threatening print newspapers “in both their core businesses, the sales of news and the sales of ‘access to audiences’” (van der Wurff, 2005a: 14). Research increasingly shows that the emergence of new media has led to profound changes in media consumption. As the media market is more and more characterised by fragmentation and increased choice, consumers are altering their media use patterns significantly (cf. Becker & Schönbach, 1989). They tend to spend their money and time on a wide range of print, broadcast and various interactive media. As a consequence, expenditures for print media decrease and people tend to read fewer publications and spend less time reading overall. Changes in media consumption and reading habits are not a new phenomenon, and declines in print readership are a result of various social, cultural and economic factors (Raeymaeckers, 2004), but the Internet is at least part of the reason why print newspapers are struggling to find new readers, especially among the younger population.

Picard (2003: 130) stresses “although audience behaviour is at the heart of changes in publishing industries, the advertiser’s responses to audience changes, are the critical factors in the funding and business models of newspapers and magazines”. Recent trends in advertising are indeed putting serious pressure on the business models of print newspapers, which depend for more than 50% on advertising revenues (De Bens & Ostbye, 1998). Several experts in business forecast significant growth in interactive advertising, because they allow better targeting, direct marketing and more personalisation. Today, online advertising still accounts for less than five percent of the total media advertising expenditure in most Western countries, but these figures are rising at a high rate. Moreover, classified advertising is also migrating from print to the Internet (van der Wurff, 2005b: 107-108).

On the one hand, new technologies are a threat for newspaper publishers, but on the other hand, they offer new opportunities as well. Technological innovations

8 Me-paper: comparative analysis enable publishers to reduce ‘first copy costs’ in different ways, reuse content for distribution on different platforms, experiment with multimedia, and explore the potential of interactivity. Most of the Western newspaper companies have therefore evolved into multimedia firms with an explicit or de facto digital strategy. However, according to Boczkowski (2004), the reason for newspaper companies to move into the market of digital media, was not a proactive one. According to the author, newspapers’ innovation strategies at the end of the 20th century were characterized by reactive, defensive and pragmatic traits.

However, if we take a closer look into the literature on electronic publishing and online newspapers, we see that the whole picture is a little bit more complicated. Overall, newspapers’ digital strategies are indeed rather reactive than proactive, rather defensive than offensive, and rather pragmatic than groundbreaking. But in almost every country, there are also examples of newspapers, which have developed more innovative and experimental strategies (cf. de Aquino et al., 2002; Nafria, 2003). In other words, in terms of newspapers’ digital diversification strategies, we can differentiate between what Dennis, Warley & Sheridan (2006) call leaders, learners and laggards.

About three years after the burst of the dotcom bubble in 2000-2001, Dennis et al. (2006) conducted interviews with top managers from the top 25 U.S. media companies. The industry leaders were asked about their digital strategies and visions about convergence. One of their main conclusions is that “media leadership knows that its future will involve embracing and fully integrating digital strategies” (Dennis et al., 2006: 50). All media companies are coping with digital diversification and convergence, though “some are bold, others are cautious” (p. 47). More specific, the authors identify three strategic styles: leaders, learners and laggards. Leaders have opted for a proactive approach, trying “to set the course for digital change and reap its benefits” (p. 47). Learners are described as careful and rather risk-averse, but they keep an eye on the leaders and always try not to lag too far behind. Laggards, for their part, remain sceptical to digital technologies and only adapt their strategies when they are ‘forced’ to by the media market.

1.1.2 Newspapers on and beyond the Web

In spite of the rather limited success of early experiments in electronic publishing in the 1980s (e.g. videotex and fax), newspapers continued to search for alternative

9 Me-paper: comparative analysis distribution platforms in the 1990s. In most Western countries, the majority of newspapers went online between 1995 and 2000, though the business rationale behind this ‘move to the Web’ differed from one newspaper to another. Richard van der Wurff (2005a: 20-22) distinguishes between: (a) Online newspapers that use the Internet primarily as a marketing tool, (b) Those that consider the Internet as an additional distribution channel, and (c) Those that produce original news content for the website. Furthermore, van der Wurff points out that some newspapers opt for a cautious approach, whilst others are more ambitious.

As the media market has entered a period of uncertainty due to technological developments, traditional media companies are continuously trying to find new revenue streams. Today, many of them have begun ‘repurposing’ or ‘windowing’ their content on an ever-increasing range of different distribution channels (Chan- Olmsted & Chang, 2003). Newspaper publishers too have expanded their portfolio of content distribution platforms. In past decades, newspaper companies have evolved into multimedia firms, which are aware that their core business is no longer the print newspaper, “but content – on paper, on CD-Rom, on the Internet” (Bardoel & Van Cuilenburg, 2003: 213-214 [translated from Dutch]). Furthermore, they keep adapting their strategies to new trends and technological innovations, which they use to maintain their position both on the reader and advertiser market.

Newspaper publishers are increasingly showing interest in the opportunities offered by mobile technologies. As consumers use mobile devices not only as a conversation tool, but also as a medium for information retrieval and exchange, newspapers have begun exploring the ‘mobile opportunity’. On most European newspaper websites, users who want to receive news alerts via SMS, PDA or i- mode can subscribe to a mobile news service. A 2004 WAN/SFN Strategy Report (2004) suggested that newspaper publishers should not consider mobile news services as a stand-alone revenue source, since profits from mobile will be relatively limited. But in the light of the emergence of 3G technology, newspapers were recommended to embrace mobile news delivery as part of an integrated multimedia strategy.

While online newspapers and mobile news services are clearly subordinate and complementary to print newspapers (cf. Paulussen, 2005), the search for a complete digital substitute for the print product continues. At the end of the 20th century, Bierhoff et al. (1999: 69) already noted that “wirelessness and portability

10 Me-paper: comparative analysis seem to be on the horizon – and according to scientists, in four to five years ink and paper will have gone digital in science fiction-like ways”. Eight years later, the transition from print to digital still appears to be science fiction, though substantial progress has been made.

1.1.3 Towards e-ink newspapers

The idea of a portable paperless newspaper is not new. In his book Mediamorphosis, Fidler (1997) comprehensively describes the project of the American newspaper company Knight-Ridder to develop a ‘flat panel tablet’, a flexible, light-weight electronic device that would support text and multimedia content. Although Knight-Ridder stopped investing in the ‘Tablet’ project in 1995, because the company wanted to concentrate on the emergence of the Web, Fidler kept believing in the substitution potential of such a digital ‘e-paper’. According to him, a critical condition is that the new medium should offer the same qualities and the same ‘look and feel’ as print media, so that it can compete with the old medium in terms of portability, flexibility and usability.

Several other authors (e.g. Crosbie, 2002; Budde, 2001) have discussed the potential benefits of wireless portable ‘e-papers’. The market introduction of ‘e-ink display technology’ in 1999 by the American company E-Ink revived the idea of a digital e-paper. E-ink displays have several potential benefits, such as high readability, low power consumption, light weight, flexibility and wirelessness (Ihlström, Akesson & Nordqvist, 2004: 1-3, Wilson, 2003: 8-9).

Potentially, the ‘e-ink newspaper’ – by which we mean a newspaper distributed on an e-ink display device – can combine and integrate the key benefits of print and online newspapers. Like online newspapers, it can offer possibilities for interactivity, customization and targeting, while equalling the reading comfort of print newspapers (wireless and portable, high readability, flexibility, etc.). For newspaper publishers, a major benefit would be, of course, the enormous reduction of costs for paper and distribution. But it will of course also change the idea of news creation, create once-publish many. Therefore, it is not surprising that newspaper companies, and other players in the print media industry, are involved in research projects that investigate the opportunities and challenges of the ‘e-ink devices’.

11 Me-paper: comparative analysis This report tries to present a ‘state-of-the-art’ overview of these recent and ongoing research projects that explore new pathways for electronic (news) publishing.

12 Me-paper: comparative analysis

2 To a new e-Reader world?2

2.1 e-Reader case – studies: overview

After a profound worldwide scan on relevant projects, only ten relevant cases were selected for this scan. This list was verified by desk research but also amongst several experts and e- publishing blogsites around the web.

The selected projects were: 1. Les Echos 6. Herald tribune 2. New York Times Reader 7. eNews 3. LAT eMPrints 8. Yomiuri 4. Diginews 9. MINDS 5. e-paper 10. Yantai Daily

Representatives of those ten projects were asked to cooperate, by filling out an e- mail questionnaire, or by consenting to a telephone interview. The information of the different cases that was not under NDA, was centralized in a user-protected Blog-site, available for the Me-paper project partners and the different projects that cooperated. Eventually, only six projects provided the required information. One initiative that was not really a project, but a network: the IFRA eNews 2008 network, was also not included in the case – studies overview. However, we do want to highlight this initiative here, as it provides a global forum to participating media companies in response to the emerging mobile e-reading world. Several meetings are held in different countries around the world, where industry leaders can discuss the various issues and opportunities surrounding electronic news production and publication. The results of these discussions are outlined in several articles, of which some are publicly available.3 The projects that we will discuss in detail in the following sections are: Yantai Daily, MINDS project, eMprints, ePaper and DigiNews.

2 For more information regarding this chapter, please contact IBBT-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel 3 www.ifra.com

13 Me-paper: comparative analysis

2.2 Yantai Daily

2.2.1 Factsheet:

Full title: Timeframe: E-paper project of Yantai Daily Media Present Group Languages research: Company or organization with the Chinese, Korean lead in this project: Type of research: Yantai Daily Media Group Software development, usability, Project partners: business modeling, set up project iRex website. Type of the project: Project website: R&D http://www.diinews.com Funding: Languages outcomes: R&D funds Chinese, Korean Location: Shandong province, China

2.2.2 Research Objectives & Methodology

The range of issues that was studied in this Chinese project is very broad. First of all there were several usability questions that were looked at after a field trail with approximate 300 participating readers. However, information on the usability methodology used in this project is limited. Within the E-paper project the same iLiad device was used also in a field trial. Although the lay-out of the newspaper was certainly different within this project, the main usability aspects of the iLiad device will in our opinion be the same and discussed further.

Secondly, there were a number of socio economical questions that needed to be answered. The project had to decide on a way to distribute devices and content to the public. Three business models were proposed. In the first model, the end users would buy the reading devices themselves and the provided content would be free.

14 Me-paper: comparative analysis In this case the main income for the Yantai Daily Media Group would come from advertising. The second business model would entail collaboration with several large advertisers so that the reading devices could be given to the users free of charge. In this instance the users would pay a subscription charge and the income of the Group would depend on that and advertisements. In the last model, the Group would purchase the devices and donate them to the readers, who would then have to pay for a subscription. This way, no large advertisers would have to be involved and the group could profit from the regular ads and the subscription charge. The core issue behind these three business models is that the people in the Shandong region do not have the means to spend a lot of money on expensive e- readers, so this is a factor the researchers had to keep in mind when starting the project.

There was some limited attention to juridical aspects. The problems around DRM and privacy had to be addressed during the study, and it was deemed very important to be careful when handling private information of subscribers. Some policy issues were resolved by participating in the CDNL project (China Digital Newspaper Laboratory). This project was organized by the GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publication), which is a government organization. This way, the Yantai Daily Media Group gained the support of both the Chinese and local government for the execution of this project.

Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied in this study, in order to get a broad understanding of how people would react to the introduction of this new form of news. Several surveys were conducted with a non-representative sample of the population via different channels: telephone, face-to-face and through e-mail. Some logging data was also gathered to follow how users behaved while reading. Information was gathered on their reading behaviour, the layout in which they were reading the newspaper etc. To add a qualitative point of view, some in-depth interviews and brainstorm sessions were also held.

In order to select the users that would be involved in this project, the researchers decided to go with some specific profiles. They selected specific target groups based on their information need(s). It was decided to withhold office workers, university teachers, stockbrokers and students. These different socio-demographic groups were confronted with the technology in a living lab setting, so that they could experience the technology in a daily life context.

15 Me-paper: comparative analysis 2.2.3 Technical Framework

This research project focused on the use of a specific e-reader device, the iLiad from iRex technologies. This e-Ink based device was selected because of the quality and size of the screen, and the fact that no power is consumed while reading. More information on this device can be found on the iRex website4. The content can be delivered to this device via a computer connected with the Internet (via USB) or without the need of a computer, through WiFi or ethernet. The iLiad also offers some other features like an MP3 player, and the users also had access to the notes function of the device that allows for written text to be converted into txt, doc, pdf, jpg etc. The data that was sent to the users was encrypted and could not be read by other devices.

Some other ICT related dimensions were also withheld in the study. It was decided that users would receive updates via their computer or straight to the device on a daily basis, and that they preferably had to be connected by broadband. Some infrastructural issues were also investigated. The service provider was CNC (China Netcom Group Corporation) who would give free access during the trial and three servers were used to store and distribute the content.

2.2.4 Content & Medium

The content used in this particular project, was a specific electronic newspaper. It was decided not to pay attention to eBooks, magazines or other media, and keep the focus on news and e-publishing. Several titles of the Yantai Daily Media Group were presented like the Yantai Daily, the Yantai Evening, the Yantai Morning etc.

The provided content was the same as in the printed versions of the newspapers and contained domestic and foreign news, entertainment, sports, economical news etc. There was no specific content selection between the printed and electronic version, nor was the content altered in any way. The layout of the electronic version also resembled the printed version and the user was unable to customize it. Advertisements were also included in the format, but they did not offer any particular added value, like interactive features.

4 http://www.irextechnologies.com

16 Me-paper: comparative analysis Consumption of the content was free, depending on the three different business models that were proposed in 1.2. The news and information was updated daily, but the users did not give any specific feedback on the preferred frequency of the updates.

2.2.5 Organizational issues

The researchers did raise the possible implications of the e-publishing model in the project. The introduction of either of these business models can have large-scale implications for news production in general. There are also several questions to be asked regarding the impact on human resources, like job creation, job losses, task division etc. These issues were pointed out in this study, but no concrete suggestions or results were offered.

However, some training sessions and brainstorms were held with people involved in the publishing industry, with a focus on getting them acquainted with the technology and its possible implications.

2.2.6 Project outcome

The general outcome of this project is available online5, but unfortunately only in Chinese. The results were also published in the involved newspaper and an article6 that is available through the Yantai Daily Media Group. The specific conclusions on socio economic issues can be found in the three different business models mentioned above, but no clear preference for one or the other is mentioned. The results of the surveys and interviews mainly covered usability issues, and the outcome was integrated in the final development of the software and the iLiad device. There were no specific conclusions on juridical or policy issues.

The most concrete result of the project is the development of the software to convert the printed newspaper to an e-publication, the large project website, and the commercial roll out of the iLiad in this Chinese region.

5 http://www.diinews.com 6 The title of this article is “Phased summarization of the E-paper project of Yantai Daily Media Group”.

17 Me-paper: comparative analysis A new project has also been set up, under the working title “Multimedia Digital Newspaper”. It started in April 2007 and will focus more on the integration of multimedia applications in electronic publications. A new domestic partner will be included in this project, namely the SunBird Company.

2.3 MINDS Project

2.3.1 Factsheet

Full title: Funding: Mobile Information and News Data European Commission through eContent. Services Geographical location(s): Acronym: Several European countries MINDS Timeframe: Project coordinator: January 2004 - June 2005 Meinhoff Ellers Languages research: Company or organization with the English lead in this project: Type of research: DPA-Infocom Business modeling, technical, legal Project partners: aspects COREMEDIA AG, APA, ANP, ARVATO Project website: SYSTEMS, FRAUNHOFER FOCUS, IFRA, http://www.minds-project.net/project.htm MTI, SDA Languages outcomes: Type of project: Different languages Develop ten new mobile services, commercial project

2.3.2 Research Objectives & Methodology

The main research objective of this study was inspired by the big variety of content on classic newsstands. The difficulty with all this content is translating it to mobile devices and services and so the main objective of this research became finding a way to enrich mobile services and create a mobile newsstand. From the start, the researchers knew there would be some technical issues involved, as 3G and UMTS

18 Me-paper: comparative analysis were not yet rolled out to market and they wanted to see how 3G could influence mobile services. Usability was not really an issue in this project, as the main focus was on business modeling and finding the best way to create ten compelling and useful mobile services. The study set out to include legal issues like DRM and privacy in the research, but it was deemed too extensive and it should be the focus of a dedicated study. There were also some policy questions that had to be addressed, mainly regarding roaming and possible problems with roaming languages. (i.e., How can a German person abroad get local news in his own language?)

In order to get these services launched, mostly qualitative research methods were used. Intensive discussions and brainstorming sessions were organized with members of the publishing industry to think about the concrete services. Furthermore, some reflections were made on which type of devices users would prefer to access the services, over what type of connection and to what purpose. Infrastructural questions were also raised, like costs, network capacity and government telecom policies.

Because of the fact that UMTS services had not yet been launched during the research period, it was difficult to set up a test. It was decided to get feedback from university students during a small field trial, in a test lab setting. The students used the services in a controlled environment, and were unable to experience them in a daily life context.

2.3.3 Technical Framework

The only devices that were used during this research were mobile phones that were capable of communicating over the UMTS network. The services and content – which included some multimedia applications - were delivered over 3G. E-paper or the e-Ink technology was not a big issue at the launch of the project and it was decided that mobile phones would be better suited for this type of content.

2.3.4 Content & Medium

The type of content used within the project, was not only news oriented. News was actually a smaller part of the project: integrating rich media, audio, graphics and multimedia was more important. The project also focused on other services like

19 Me-paper: comparative analysis investor relations which gives stock and banking information, ad alerts that allowed publishers to deliver ads via SMS or MMS, a platform to enable publishers to use SMS services, a platform around local communities etc. The services were more data oriented in general.

There were no specific newspapers involved in the project. The news feeds came directly from press agencies and so no intermediary editing was done. The content provided by the news agencies is what the users received. Advertisements were not included in this project, as it was not an issue in the study.

The format that was used allowed some interesting features. Users were able to specify which type of information they were interested in, and receive content accordingly. The interface looked more like a webpage, but the format was adapted to the smaller screen size. Some of the services were offered for free, but more specific information was charged for. There was also an alert service for business people, which required a fee.

2.3.5 Organizational issues

The implications this e-publishing trend could have on human resources in the publishing industry were definitely looked at. The project examined different business models and concluded there is no perfect solution, but the most important factor is to integrate the services into the newsroom. This close integration is vital for the success of the service.

2.3.6 Project Outcome

The results of this research and development study are public and can be found in an IFRA report. The MINDS website was also launched to provide some background information on the project and the different services. The most concrete result of this study is the services that were launched and that are still available today.

One of the most important results regarding socio economic issues is that the different agencies involved, have set up an international innovation forum, called MINDS International, where issues on mobile services are discussed thoroughly with every partner involved. Several business models were also developed and, as mentioned above, the projects were rolled out commercially. An important

20 Me-paper: comparative analysis technical result was that 3G was tested out in a concrete manner for the first time, and with success.

No new project has been announced or started at this time, because the current services are doing well. Several German newspapers are now able to provide mobile news to consumers. The service started two years ago and is running very well: over fifty publishers send information to consumers via that service. Secondly, MINDS International was founded. News agencies around the world are members of this forum where they can talk about mobile services, about interaction, and how to share information with consumers.

2.4 eMprints

2.4.1 Factsheet

Full title: Timeframe: Electronic Media Print Phase 1 — March 2005 to May 2005, Acronym: proof-of-concept, live field test eMprint Phase 2 — September 2005 to May 2007, Project coordinator: weekly Missourian edition Roger Fidler Phase 3 — September 2007 to May 2008, Company or organization with the Newspaper applications of eMprint for lead in this project: eReaders and other mobile reading Donald W. Reynolds Journalism devices (focus groups, field testing, Institute implementation by other newspaper Project partners: partners) Columbia Missourian, daily newspaper Type of research: affiliated with the Missouri School of Proof-of-concept, usability, market Journalism research Type of project: URL: R&D and Market Research Original eMprint website no longer online; Funding: new eMprint website under development. Grant from Donald W. Reynolds More info about this project can be found Foundation at: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/emprint/-

21 Me-paper: comparative analysis Geographical location: Research outcomes: USA Outcomes will be made publicly available Language: in first quarter of 2008 on the new project English website

2.4.2 Research Objectives & Methodology

The main goal of this project was twofold: One, to develop a standardized reading format intended for digital publications, independent from the medium on which it is read. And two, to develop and assess production processes that would allow eMprint products to be efficiently integrated into the traditional newspaper work flow. The most important technological question was to develop the format, constantly keeping usability in mind.

The following aspects are mentioned (regarding the checklist we have used, see 7 for more information), but we recommend verifying this further through usability research (expert evaluation or user tests): - The eMPrint technology is described as a ‘PDF-version of their newspaper that users can download (as a 5-10 megabyte file) via the web and can read on their mobile device.’ Therefore, it is not so interactive because it is possible to look at information but not explore it so much (the "flip the page" link is replaced by a "click a link”). - Content of publications are repackaged in magazine-size page forms that open in full-screen view - No page scrolling - No pop-ups or intrusive elements - Added value for readers and advertisers: content is hyperlinked to enhance the possibility to look at additional textual info or digital media (like; video, audio, …). - Readable on computer screens (if Adobe Acrobat Reader and QuickTime Player, both free and mostly pre-installed), are installed.

As the main focus was on developing a concrete format, usability was one of the biggest issues. Less attention was spent on socio economical questions, juridical issues or specific policy aspects.

22 Me-paper: comparative analysis

The research mostly consisted of quantitative methods. A survey was conducted online via the website of the Columbia Missourian and was open to everybody. Some extra attention was gathered by involving mainstream media, and an article in USA Today helped recruiting respondents.

Anyone anywhere in the world who was interested in the Missourian project could register and download the editions. The primary target audiences were people with a connection to the university (students, faculty, staff and alumni) and residents of Columbia, Missouri, but this expanded. The socio-demographic composition of this panel was very mixed in age and gender. Half came from the campus, half was off- campus. Anyone interested could download an edition, so the panel was confronted with the technology in a living lab setting.

2.4.3 Technical Framework

No particular devices were used during this project, as it was the intention to create a software platform that would work on many different devices. In the end, any computer with a Windows, Macintosh or Linux OS could be used. This means that portable devices running any of these operating systems (or compact versions of them) can also be used. However, Adobe Reader (or Acrobat) and QuickTime Player are required to take full advantage of the eMprint features. This is software that comes pre installed most of the time these days.

2.4.4 Content & Medium

The type of medium that was used for this electronic publication was the newspaper The Columbia Missourian. It offered several interactive features like hyperlink navigation, layered content, interactive forms, links to external Web sites etc. All these features were specially designed for the project and some multimedia content was also included, like QuickTime video and some audio elements. The Columbia Missourian was the only paper that had an eMprint version during the test trial, but in the meantime other newspapers are using the platform.

The content that was offered consisted of the entire newspaper, without omissions. There were however some changes between the printed and electronic version, mainly in layout and presentation. The graphics and ads were also altered to

23 Me-paper: comparative analysis include interactivity. The motivation behind the unaltered content was that it would be the only way to properly evaluate this digital format for newspapers.

The eMprints format also included advertisements, for the same reasons a regular newspaper would, namely income. All advertising was created and sold specifically for the eMprint edition. The sizes of the ads were transformed to a standardized advertising unit model developed for eMprint. This format offers more enhanced features like layered content, interactive forms, multimedia, links to Web pages etc. Users were then asked their thoughts on this new form of advertising. Most readers said they found the advertising in eMprint less objectionable than advertising on the Web or television. They generally approved of the magazine-like presentation and the additional information and interactive features.

The layout of the electronic publication looked more like print, but with web-like features, as mentioned above. The content was updated twice a week and news consumption was free. Most users did not require more frequent updates as they agreed with the fact that the eMprint Missourian editions were designed for leisure reading in the first place.

2.4.5 Organizational Issues

The possible implications of this electronic edition on human resources were mentioned in the study, but no specific conclusions were drawn. Some changes in the daily organization of work were addressed though: advanced planning for the eMprint enhanced graphics and story elements became part of the daily routine. In this light, some training sessions were organized in which student editors and designers were trained on the job to use Adobe InDesign and Acrobat for eMprint production.

2.4.6 Project Outcome

The research results from this project are publicly available and can be obtained through Roger Fidler. The most concrete project outcome is that the eMprints platform is now used by several newspapers.

The most important conclusion towards usability was that ease of use and simplicity are essential to widespread adoption. Looking at social context, it was

24 Me-paper: comparative analysis found that the most loyal readers of the Missourian eMprint editions were University of Missouri alumni between the ages of 40 and 60. In the first phase (field test) about 67 percent of the readers were men. In the second phase readership was equally split between men (49.5%) and woman (50.5%). There were no specific conclusions on technical or juridical aspects, as these were not really object of the study.

The fact that the eMprints technology is used by several international newspapers and magazines, is the most concrete valorization of the research. The project will also enter a new phase by fall 2007, and into 2008. The researchers will look at newspaper applications of eMprint for eReaders and other mobile reading devices trough focus groups and field testing. eMprints will also be implemented by other newspaper partners, who have yet to be announced.

2.5 ePaper

2.5.1 Factsheet

Full title: Type of project: Project e-Paper Fundamental research, living lab Acronym: Funding: E-paper IBBT project (partly government – partly Project coordinator: industrial funded) Nadia Franck (CUO-IBBT) research Geographical location: coordinator; Belgium (Flanders) Company or organization with the Timeframe: lead in this project: 2004 - 2006 IBBT Language: Project partners: Dutch De Tijd (industrial), iRex Technologies Type of research: (industrial), IBBT (academic) (research Usability, living lab, business modeling, centres: IBCN, MICT (UGent), SMIT & technical ETRO (VUB), CUO & DistriNet Research outcomes publicly available: (K.U.Leuven) & IMEC), Philips On demand, IBBT

25 Me-paper: comparative analysis (industrial), Belgacom (industrial), Languages research outcomes: Boondoggle (industrial), Agency.com Dutch, English (industrial)

2.5.2 Research objectives & Methodology

The ePaper research project focused on several issues related to the iLiad e-reader device from iRex Technologies. First of all one of the goals was to test the usability of the prototype. Secondly, the researchers wanted to look at the domestication of e-paper applications in a living lab setting. Thirdly the study set out to develop business models for electronic newspapers, and lastly look at possible technical issues with the device.

The research questions regarding technical aspects were centered on the limitations of the device, the actual design of the iLiad, and the functions it offered. For more information on the usability issues, see chapter 3. Matrix.

Within the project, a living lab setting with 200 trial users was implemented, in order to investigate how people deal with the e-paper in a daily life context.

Some socio economic issues also had to be addressed, like what business models would work for e-paper applications and in what way advertisements could be displayed on the device. The research did not focus on juridical issues or any specific policy questions.

The used methodology consisted of both quantitative and qualitative research. An online survey was conducted with the readers of the Flemish newspaper De Tijd who participated in the living lab. Some logging data was also gathered on the use of the device, the content the readers consulted and the ways in which they navigated through the device. Qualitative methods were also used in the form of focus group interviews. In total, 193 cases were used in this project.

As mentioned, user feedback was very important in this study. The selection consisted only of subscribers of De Tijd, mainly because of technical and organizational reasons. This panel followed the traditional characteristics of the “De Tijd” readers and consisted of over 80% males of which more than a third were

26 Me-paper: comparative analysis between the ages of 45 and 55. Over 50% came from social class 1 (as developed by CIM).

2.5.3 Technical Framework

As mentioned earlier the device that was used was the Iliad from iRex Technologies (a Philips spin-off) because Philips was the main partner in the research project. The tech specs of the device can be found on the iRex website7. Content could be delivered to the device via fixed broadband connection, with the help of a PC, or via WiFi, straight to the device. The most important interactive features available were interactive advertisements. RSS feeds were not included in the project.

2.5.4 Content & Medium

The type of medium that was used was De Tijd newspaper. The content that was offered to the reader consisted of general news information which was provided by De Tijd. However, some alterations were made between the printed and electronic version of the paper. Things like stock information and cartoons were omitted in the electronic version.

A limited amount of advertisements was tested out on the iLiad during the trial in order to see which kinds of formats would work on the device. The ads were specially developed for the e-reader and offered some interactive features. User response on the advertisements was positive, as the ads were aimed at the interests and profiles of the readers.

The format that was used was PDF and its layout looked like the printed version of the newspaper. Consumption of the content was free and the information was updated on a daily basis.

2.5.5 Project outcome

The research results of this project are private, only a summary is publicly available via SMIT-IBBT. The most concrete result of this study is that several software updates were made to the iLiad, based on the user feedback.

7 http://www.irextechnologies.com

27 Me-paper: comparative analysis

The most important conclusions towards usability were that the device was tested prematurely and was not complete. The design required some fine-tuning, like the power button. Most complaints were technological in nature, due to the unfinished state of the device. Users were in general motivated to read their newspaper on the device, especially in a mobile context. The application of reading books on the iLiad was also seen as a very positive point. The most important result of the addressed socio economic questions was that four possible business models were developed for the e-publishing industry.

Some very specific technical issues were raised in relation to the iLiad. Several users were unable to download their newspaper during the first two weeks of testing. The main cause was the premature model of the device that was used. Philips also withheld this feedback in the further development of the e-reader.

The best valorization of this research study is that the iLiad has been rolled out to market and is now commercially available.

2.6 DigiNews

2.6.1 Factsheet

Full title: Funding: DigiNews Industry, R&D funds Acronym: Geographical locations: DigiNews Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Germany Company or organization with the Timeframe: lead in this project: Until half 2006 Philips Languages: Project partners: Swedish, English Philips Applied Technology (industrial) Type of research: Swedish Newspaper Publishers’ Create an end-to-end solution for the e- Association (industrial) paper model. Halmstad University was Aftonbladet, Göteborgs-Posten, Nerikes mostly involved with the usability Allehanda, Norrköpings Tidningar, research. Business models were also

28 Me-paper: comparative analysis Sundsvalls Tidning, developed. Sydsvenskan, Östgöta Project website: Correspondenten (newspapers) www.diginews.se (in Swedish) The Royal Insitute of Technology and Availability research outcomes: Halmstad University (academic) Via university, www.diginews.se Concentra Media, De Telegraaf and Le (Swedish), Philips also holds research Monde (newspapers) results. Type of project: Languages outcomes: Product development, industrial English and Swedish

2.6.2 Research Objectives & Methodology

The main goal of this Swedish research project was developing an end-to-end solution for the e-paper model. Philips mostly handled technological issues, as the main objective of this research was to test usability. The iLiad e-reader was not yet available during the project, so the team worked with different prototypes.

The usability testing of the DigiNews navigation was elaborated in two sessions: the interaction and interpretation session. Through user testing and the think aloud method, the researchers identified usability issues with the two prototypes. The tests were conducted with fifteen people. The users had earlier been involved in the DigiNews project and had some understanding of an e-newspaper. The interaction session was seen as an opportunity for the test users to explore the prototype. When the user attained a good level of knowledge on how to navigate the e-newspaper, the researcher presented some task-based questions to the users (concerning navigation aspects).

During the second phase of the project a redesigned prototype was tested. It was the same prototype as in the first session but some navigational aids were removed (such as, the hyperlinks to the different subsections and headers). This second prototype (with limited navigational aids) caused confusion and disorientation i.e. the users had more problems navigating the prototype. The page turning function (and page numbering) seemed very important for the users because they felt like reading a real newspaper instead of browsing an online news-site. The users relied on page numbers, highlighted section buttons and subsection headings as aid for orientation and navigation. The testing of the second prototype disturbed the users’ orientation. They used the Index (navigate through different pages, articles,

29 Me-paper: comparative analysis sections of newspaper) frequently compared to the normal situation (session 1) where the Index was only used in search situations (Lindqvist, M., Henriksson, S. & Söderblom, M., 2006).

There were several objectives related to socio economic issues, like developing business models for e-publishing and the role of advertisements. There was no particular focus on policy aspects or juridical issues, although the matter of DRM was briefly touched.

To gather this information some quantitative surveys were conducted online. The nature of the sample consisted of students and some convenience sampling: the survey was presented on the websites of the newspapers involved in the project and everyone that wanted could fill it out. People could also see the prototype online, find links explaining the e-paper technology, and get a feeling of the total concept. Qualitative methods were also brought into play, like interviews with industry leaders, focus groups and several workshops.

As mentioned earlier, users were involved in this project and were selected as varied as possible: different age groups, gender, subscribers and non-subscribers etc. The user panel consisted only of readers of the newspapers mentioned in the fact sheet. They were confronted with the technology in a testlab setting, because the project had to work with prototypes.

2.6.3 Technical Framework

During the DigiNews project a prototype device was used because the iRex devices were not available yet. Another small test was conducted with the iLiad after DigiNews was concluded. It was important for the researchers to work with these prototypes, as the users involved in the project really had to understand the concept of these e-reading devices. That would have been harder to do on a theoretical level. The devices also offered more features than the iLiad eventually did, like a color screen, video playback and other interactive features.

2.6.4 Content & Medium

The research was conducted on the assumption that various types of media should be included in the e-paper offer, so also eBooks, magazines etc. In the prototype,

30 Me-paper: comparative analysis some eBooks were also available as an example. The prototypes offered some interactive features like multimedia applications (audio, video, interactive graphics) that were specially designed for the project.

The content that was offered was limited. There was content from all sections of the newspapers, but it was an abbreviated version. In the tests with the iLiad some content had to be excluded because it was not possible to transfer it. Items like obituaries and some advertisements were omitted due to technical reasons. Advertisements were included, but they were not specifically designed for the devices and looked more like banners. They did not differ from their printed counterparts and offered some limited interactive features.

A specific train of thought inspired the format that was used. The research did not want to be restricted by the development of the iLiad and just wanted to think how people would want to read their newspaper in the future. So the prototype was an A4 size in color and offered lots of interactive features and media like video content, animation, banners etc. The project used the basic navigational idea of a newspaper, but also included a table of contents, sections, indexes etc. The A5 model took 800 pages so it was decided to go with A4 and add some navigational tools. The biggest issue was navigation, so three different types were tested out. The user was not able to personalize the content of the publication. It was discussed on a theoretical level and included in the online survey, but it was not implemented in the prototype. The layout of the publication looked more like print and the user could not alter the way the pages were arranged. Consumption of the content was free, but users were asked about their willingness to pay. Some very specific feedback was gathered regarding the frequency of the updates. People want constant updates on the one hand, but don’t want their newspaper to change during the day. So a concept of update pages was thought up, but it remains hard to combine these two notions.

2.6.5 Organizational Issues

The implications this new e-publishing model could have on human resources was discussed in the focus groups, but no specific conclusions were drawn. The study did look at the possible changing work routines. At the beginning of the project, the newspaper staff was very involved and several workshops were held where

31 Me-paper: comparative analysis scenarios were developed about how the introduction of e-paper could influence the industry.

2.6.6 Project Outcome

The results of the research are available via Carina Ihlström or the DigiNews project. The most concrete result was the development of the prototype device and several conclusions on usability issues. The iLiad was also commercialized. To address socio economic questions, some business models were developed. There were no specific conclusions on policy or juridical aspects.

A new project called UB Media has been launched. It started after DigiNews was finished and is a Swedish project that will run over two years. It will partner with the same newspapers with two editions, and will look at all digital news channels and how e-paper can be integrated in the new media landscape. So a broader picture will be established on what role e-paper can have in the news service industry.

2.7 First findings

Because of the nature of the projects, the information recovered from these projects is rather descriptive. Only few project were willing to share actual research results.

An important first conclusion is that most of the trial projects have not known a commercial implementation yet. Most progress has been made at a technological level. The technology developed within the EMprints project, is used by several newspapers. In China, e-Ink devices have been commercialised and the developed software by the Yantai Daily is also available. Some of the projects have led to a follow-up project, to look further into the issues raised in the first research projects.

Within the projects that actually used devices in its setting, the Iliad, one of the “classic” e-ink devices, was used the most. Although UMPC already existed during the projects’ timeframes, this type of device was not included in the tests.

32 Me-paper: comparative analysis In the following chapter, we will look at usability issues of the two selected devices within the Me-paper project, the iLiad e-reader and UMPC.

3 Matrix: Usability issues of iLiad versus UMPC8.

3.1 Introduction

The usability questions in this matrix include also likeability, accessibility and user- friendly issues related to e-paper devices. They are based on the following sources: - Desurvivre, H., Caplan, M. & Toth, J. A. (2004). Using Heuristics to Evaluate the Playability of Games. Chi 2004. - Gong. J. and Tarasewich, P. (2004). Guidelines for handheld device interface design. In Proceedings of DSI 2004. - Korhonen, H. and Koivisto, E. M. I. (2006). Playability Heuristics for Mobile Games. Proceedings of MobileHCI, Helsinki, Finland. - Mariage, C. and Vanderdonckt, J. (2000). A Comparative Usability Study of Electronic Newspapers, in Proc. of Int. Workshop on Tools for Working with Guidelines TFWWG'2000 (Biarritz, 7-8 October 2000), Springer-Verlag, London, pp. 325-337. They can be categorizes into four main different areas; namely lay-out, A/V content, navigation, and feedback. This clustering is based on the clustering as defined by Mariage and Vanderdonckt (2000). The comparison between the iLiad and the UMPC device within this matrix was based on own research (for the iLiad device) and on literature research (for UMPC).

The usability approach used within the e-paper project started with a user and task analysis in which current reading habits of the users were analyzed. After this first analysis, paper prototypes were developed of the interface with some alternative versions for navigation and also with several formats for advertisements. User tests were performed on these paper prototypes with a small panel of users using eye- tracking technology to analyze exactly which parts of the e-reader people looked at mostly. Some results of this research were integrated in the new versions, but unfortunately a majority could not be integrated due to technical issues.

8 For more information about this chapter, contact IBBT-CUO, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

33 Me-paper: comparative analysis Once a working prototype of the iLiad was ready, further user tests were conducted for the usability evaluation of the iLiad device. Not only the functioning of the prototype was evaluated, but also the personal experience of the test users. A few focal points were e.g. the mobile characteristic of the device, the organisation of the information, the level of difficulty of the data delivery, the attractiveness of the interface,…

These user tests resulted in a set of recommendations that were partly integrated in the new versions of the iLiad device. We’ve organised in total three iterations of user tests and within the final user test, the following observations still remained and are further specified within the matrix. . It is necessary that the user receives visible feedback when an action has been taken, e.g. when a new screen is loading. This increases the user friendliness of the device, and the user’s feelings of frustration and confusion will decrease considerable. . It is also very important that an indication is given of the life expectancy of the battery on the screen. The user has to have the feeling of complete control and knowledge on how full or empty the battery is. . Unclear terminology also has a negative effect on the user. This results in frustration and doubt, which then will result in the fact that users will not utilize certain functionalities, because they are not clear. . The used icons and labels on the buttons have to be unambiguously understandable, and the placement of the buttons on the device has to be logical. . If the device is developed for international use and a keyboard is integrated in the interface, the user has to be able to choose to have the keyboard labeled in qwerty or azerty. . The photo or graphic accompanying an article was too small, not very visible and disappeared when selecting the article. This was a real bottleneck for the users, and had a very negative effect on the surplus value of the device. The possibility of viewing the photo or graphic in detail has to be offered. . A help functionality has to be integrated in the device, this because the users can try to solve their problems and answer any questions they have.

When starting the literature review concerning the UMPC platform, we would like to point out that the UMPC can not be seen as one universal device or standard. The original idea of the UMPC, codename Project Origami, comes from Microsoft, Intel and Samsung. Today the word UMPC can be seen as a generic term for all sorts of

34 Me-paper: comparative analysis ultra mobile (and portable) devices. Not many studies have addressed the usability questions concerning the UMPC platform. Most of the usability questions are answered through the use of user reviews and readings of user experiences. Further user research is advised to see the technological evaluation for the devices, the change in battery life, etc.

In the following overview, we compare both devices on some important usability issues.

35 Me-paper: comparative analysis

iLiad (epaper) UMPC9

1. General lay-out no The content during the E-paper n/a The UMPC platform runs a whole 1.1 Is the majority of news pages project was not adapted to the iLiad operating system (Windows or shorter than one and a half screen of device, but was an exact copy of the Linux environment) and is full text? ( this general rule of thumb is paper version of ‘De Tijd’. Most equipped with a web browser necessary, to avoid irritation of the users). news pages were more than one technology. We suspect that and a half screen. people would rather compare it There were also problems when with reading on a personal jumping to a next page. The iLiad computer than reading a does not allow scrolling of pages, newspaper. Content from news but merely turns pages. By going to sites or online versions of the next page, the sentences were newspapers could be used instead sometimes cut in the middle, which of content from paper versions of doesn’t allow easy reading the newspapers.

9 Stromberg, B. (2007). How's your UMPC Vocabulary. Ultramobilelife.com. [30-11-2007, Ultramobilelife.com: http://www.ultramobilelife.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=631]. (2007). UMPCPortal products. UMPCPortal.com. [30-11-2007, UMPCPortal.com: http://www.umpcportal.com/products/].

36 Me-paper: comparative analysis especially because the time needed to load the next page was quite Recommendations, next steps: long. Further investigation through Sometimes parts of articles were user testing or expert evaluation is repeated on the next page and the needed to identify the best suitable user had to search on the page to way of reading or interacting with find the sentence back where he newspapers on UMPC devices. stopped reading. There was no indication of how many pages the article contains.

In follow-up projects other newspapers decided to produce dedicated content for the iLiad device that was more adapted to the A5 format and worked better, however we never evaluated those ourselves.

Recommendations, next steps: Always ending pages with a full sentence or repeating the last sentence of the previous page could help in reading when changing from

37 Me-paper: comparative analysis one page to another. An indication that shows how many pages the article contains (e.g. 1/5) would help users to find out how long the article / book is.

1.2 Is all “important” information (like, n/a There is no scrolling functionality on no Because of the limited screen attention grabbing info e.g. headlines, the iLiad. height of most UMPC's, only the A/V material, etc.) presented above the headers of most common web fold? pages are shown. ( Attention grabbing information must be visible in a blink of an eye, because scrolling The screen size of most UMPC's is pages allow readers to advance in the text quite large but their height is with less loss of mental ‘context’ than does reduced, 800 by 480 and bigger, following a link). except for the Apple iPhone (480 by 320). Since the screen is quite large, horizontal scrolling is generally not needed which is a big advantage. The limited height of the screens however, presents the design and layout of newspapers with some challenges (e.g. avoiding big headers,…).

38 Me-paper: comparative analysis Recommendations, next steps: Web pages or newspaper layout must be adapted so that all important information is shown without scrolling. Web pages or newspaper layout has to be fluid and adapted to the resolutions of the different UMPC platforms. Different style sheets or a fluid layout can be used to this end. Anchor points could also be used to optimize readability and advancing through the page or document. 1.3 Does every page have a recognizable no Users didn’t always have a clear n/a We did not test the UMPC in a test title header, name and/or email overview on where they were in the setting with a newspaper nor did address? newspaper. There was no clear we found research projects on this header on each page and no matter. This rule should be applied indication where the current article for most websites but belonged to within the newspaper. unfortunately this is not always the People couldn’t see to which section case. a certain article or list of articles belonged. When browsing in the text modus it

39 Me-paper: comparative analysis was not clear how many articles were in one section. When reading on the second page of an article people didn’t see the title of the article anymore. Recommendations, next steps: A (clickable) breadcrumb navigation type could help in clarifying all this. E.g. Section 1 / Article “XXX” 1 / 13

1.4 Is a separate link provided to save no The iLiad doesn’t allow saving and n/a See 1.3 and print the complete document? printing of articles, it is purely used as a reading device.

Recommendations, next steps: Several users indicated that they would appreciate being able in saving articles, this could be a future enhancement of the iLiad

1.5 Do all page footers include a standard no Since the iLiad was distributed by n/a See 1.3 copyright designating of the ‘De Tijd’, the copyright issues were author/host institutions as a copyright not that important. However,

40 Me-paper: comparative analysis holder of the contents of the page? especially when using the iLiad for several newspapers, this aspect needs to be taken into account.

1.6 Is the contrast between the foreground yes The readability of the iLiad was very no The UMPC works the same as a (e.g., text and images) and background big good. This was mentioned as one of (not in normal personal computer, enough (min. 50 – 70 % for mobile devices the main big advantages during the the however with a lower resolution depending on source)? user trial. Even in sunshine the sun) (800 by 480 or higher). The contrast remains the same. contrast is practically the same as a computer screen with a resolution of 800 by 600. But especially when using the device outside, the light incidence on a larger screen means a considerable disadvantage compared to the iLiad. 1.7 Is the font big enough and the letter yes There were no complaints of the n/a See 1.3 type standard (e.g. Arial and Helvetica, users during the field trial regarding sans-serif fonts, are easier to read than e.g. the font size. Georgia)?

41 Me-paper: comparative analysis 2. A/V content (e.g., graphics, videos, yes Only static pictures in black and no Contrary to the iLiad, the UMPC etc.) white can be shown on the iLiad. platform is more diverse in usage. 2.1 Are all used graphics critical for the The images are needed to amplify The technology behind the information content? the content. platform enables the users to enjoy audiovisual content (faster processor – better graphics processor – larger storage/memory capacity)

Recommendations, next steps: The question remains whether for reading a newspaper this is something the users need. The UMPC platform can serve as a mobile computer where the iLiad his purpose is to present readable text documents or newspaper articles. Further user research needs to be done to verify this. 2.2 Do all images have a descriptive alt-tag no This functionality is not possible on n/a See 1.3 (alt = “description to specify the images for the iLiad reader. all readers who have turned of the image display or can not see images at all)?

42 Me-paper: comparative analysis 2.3 Is the total size of all A/V content yes The screen upload size is very yes Total size of the A/V content is limited (depending on the source should it limited. Only greyscale pictures can limited to bandwidth. The be less than 25 – 30 k) to minimize the be used. limitation depends on the network download time? (If longer images are The images were optimized and infrastructure that is used for necessary, e.g. when scaling down the made as small as possible for a Internet access by the UMPC image is no option, a thumbnail of the good quality of use. Users even owner (e.g. newspaper reading), image must be used with a link to a full size complaint that images were too WiFi or 3G/UMTS. WiFi has a copy). small to have a good view. Even maximum transfer rate of 54mbit/s with small images, the refresh rate vss. 384kbit/s for UMTS. Most of each page was quite slow. UMPC's only offer integrated WiFi possibilities and do not have the Recommendations, next steps: technical ability to connect to the Keep images small, but allow mobile telephone network. the user to click and wait to view a larger picture if they want this. 3. Navigation yes There is no real navigation bar on n/a Navigation on UMPC's depends for 3.1 Is a double navigation structure the iLiad besides page numbers on (depen a large part on the design and avoided ( because of the limited screen the bottom of the page. Navigation ding of interface of the device. First, we space only the main headings, maximum 9 is merely done with buttons, flip bar UMPCd present a brief overlook of the items according to usability guideline, and clickable zones on the screen evice) different designs. should/could be presented on mobile (depending on the pages). The UMPC platform is rather devices)? There were several ways of getting diverse, and the UMPC family an overview of articles: newspaper consists of different devices. mode (exact lay-out of paper 1. Slate minimal design UMPC: with limited or no buttons, designed for 43

stylus input. Could be any size. Me-paper: comparative analysis version of ‘De Tijd’) and a text mode UMPC: with limited or (with titles and short summary per no buttons, article, more like online news sites). designed for

The number of selections possible stylus input. on one page were often too Could be any numerous. On the index page for size. instance there were 16 selections Examples: possible (equal to the same sections Samsung Q1, as in the paper version of ‘De Tijd’). TabletKiosk eo Within one section you often had UMPC V7110, more than 10 articles and users had Amtek T770, no idea that there were other Apple iPhone, selections possibilities on the next Apple iPod page. touch, Nokia N800. 2. Slider UMPC with a Recommendations, next steps: UMPC: keyboard that We could imagine working with is revealed by sub menus to limit the number of sliding the choices per page and give a clear screen up or to indication of the total number of the side. choices (if spread over several Examples: pages). OQO model e2, Further evaluation of other Gigabyte U60, Sony VAIO UX.

44 Me-paper: comparative analysis newspaper lay-outs distributed on Sony VAIO UX. the iLiad and testing several ways of 3. Notebook – UMPC design navigation are needed to define the clamshell similar to a optimal navigation on the iLiad. UMPC: traditional laptop with a keyboard attached to a screen via a

hinge. Examples: VIA NanoBook, Packard Bell EasyNote XS, Asus eee PC.

4. Tablet – UMPC design convertible with a screen UMPC: that swivels, similar to full- size convertible tablets. Examples:

Kohjinsha SH1, Vye S37, Fujitsu U810, ASUS T83.

45 Me-paper: comparative analysis Fujitsu U810, ASUS T83.

5. Hybrid Design that UMPC: combines different UMPC designs like slate, notebook and slider

UMPC. Example: HTC Shift.

We also distinguished 4 different interfaces (with 4 different types of touch screen interfaces). Thumboard, Keyboard, Touch Interface (touch screen, active digitizer, hard touch, soft touch), Stylus. 1. Thumboard: keyboard designed to be typed on using your thumbs. It's purpose is to be

46 Me-paper: comparative analysis small and save space. Examples: OQO model 02/E2, Wibrain B1, Raon Everun, Samsung Q1 Ultra, Gigabyte M704 2. Keyboard: keyboard designed for touch typing, chosen for speed. Examples: Packard Bell EasyNote XS, ASUS eeePC, Fujitsu U810 3. Touch interface (4) . Touchscreen: display on a UMPC that can be used for input by touching it with your fingers or touching the screen with a stylus. Examples: Samsung Q1 Series, TabletKiosk eo UMPC V7110, AMtek T770, ASUS R2H . Active Digitizer: display on a UMPC that can be used for input by using a special stylus similar to a Wacom

47 Me-paper: comparative analysis tablet. Examples: OQO model 02/E2 . Hard Touch: touchscreen with a 120g digitizer meaning you need to apply more pressure to interact with the device, optimal for inking with a stylus. Examples: ASUS R2H . Soft Touch: touchscreen with a 80g digitizer meaning you can press lightly to interact with the device, optimal for touching with your fingers. Examples: Samsung Q1 Series, TabletKiosk eo UMPC V7110, Raon Everun, Medion UMPC 4. Stylus: a pen with a special tip in it which is used to interact with a UMPCs. Touchscreen UMPCs can use any type of stylus, while UMPCs with an active digitizer require a special

48 Me-paper: comparative analysis stylus.

3.2 Are the navigational links duplicated no There is no navigation bar on the n/a See 1.3 on the bottom of the pages if a page is screen besides page numbers. longer than one and a have page (to avoid scrolling back to the top when readers want to navigate to another page)? 3.3 Do all secondary pages contain links yes This could be done through the up- n/a See 1.3 back to the higher level pages? button. However its meaning was not always clear and consistent throughout the newspaper. 3.4 Is a brief table of content always yes This could be done through the n/a See 1.3 accessible (to present (first-time) readers menu button. what they can expect) from the top of the page? 3.5 Are all navigation buttons clear? ( no The labels of the buttons were not n/a See 1.3 most readers will not take the time to learn clear for the users and their use was the meaning of graphical buttons). not always consistent throughout the interface. Furthermore, buttons often had hidden functions when pushing longer than 5 seconds for instance. This was not clear for the users even after several try-outs.

49 Me-paper: comparative analysis Recommendations, next steps: Limit double functionalities or at least combine them in a logical way. Provide a good help file with clear explanations of all functionalities. 4. Feedback yes Two bullets at the bottom left part yes UMPC's run a whole operating Do users get feedback about … of the screen indicated that the system (Windows / Linux mobile a. the status of the system (e.g, for page was loading. However, the environment) that often provides loading time longer than 5 seconds)? visual feedback was not designed in system feedback. an appropriate way and was not sufficiently clear for the users. Recommendations, next steps: It would be better to give feedback in the centre of the screen, so that users would see immediately that the system is loading and their action was recognised by the system. Preferably also with a timer design (like in windows). b. the battery-life? Yes Included in the software update just yes after our usability tests (in 2005).

50 Me-paper: comparative analysis During the usability test the fact that there was no indication was seen as a major problem. c. the strength of their connection at no yes every location?

5. Future evolutions - E-ink colour displays - Less power hungry screens (LED - Foldable displays instead of LCD) - Longer battery life - Introduction and worldwide adoption / possible breakthrough of ultra portable laptops (growing popularity e.g. Asus eee PC), possible growth off mobile internet devices.

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3.2 Outcome and future trends

As for all devices and technology, the iLiad and the UMPC’s will become faster, smarter, less instable, faster update rate, lighter in weight, etc., because of technological evaluation and the fact that different new functionalities will be more and more integrated and change this powerful device in an even more evolved one.

For the iLiad devices we see a lot of research happen on e-ink colour and foldable displays. While the future trends of the UMPC technology is looking for less power hungry screens (LED instead of LCD) and a longer battery life. This maybe can cause a worldwide adoption and a possible breakthrough of these ultra portable laptops (if we see the growing popularity of e.g. Asus eee PC) and the current success of mobile Internet devices in general. Currently we see some alternative technologies for the UMP; like a PDA, Smartphone (i.e. blackberry, iPhone, htc touch), a tablet pc or sub-notebooks (such as ASUS EEE).

52 Me-paper: comparative analysis

4 Conclusion10

The goal of this SOTA was to look at (new) mobile technologies for the newspaper industry, with an explicit focus on the opportunities of the e-ink technology and the use of this technology in a specific e-ink display device like the iLiad. For this purpose we analysed some specific (R&D) projects that investigated these issues.

When looking at the different cases there are some interesting elements to point out.

Firstly we notice that almost all of the discussed projects are initiated by a media- company. This indicates that the media sector, and the newspaper industry in particular, are experimenting with the new technology in order to be competitive in a changing media landscape (changing on the level of actors and on the level of news consumption).

Secondly, a shift towards an e-Reader device has impact on a number of domains. This is also expressed in the different projects by addressing questions on the level of business-models, users, usability, legal issues,… All these projects were looking at the right balance between format, interface, type of content, business model, advertisement strategy,….

Thirdly, all of the projects are in search of the right formula of providing their news services on an e-Reader device and platform. But the outcomes of the projects indicate that there is not a standard approach or set-up. Every project has a different approach in terms of representation, business-model, interactivity,… The reason for this are specific social, economical and cultural aspects on a local level, which are also the reason why all newspapers are different.

Fourthly, within this search, there are some common grounds. The content that has been published on the e-Reader device is strongly interlinked with the print version, from content as well as from a lay-out perspective. This is the case in all of the projects, which means that the newspapers, although they are experimenting with it, don’t fully benefit the technological possibilities of an electronic medium in terms of interactivity and personalization.

10 For more information regarding this chapter, contact IBBT-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

53 Me-paper: comparative analysis Fifthly, the motivation to experiment with an e-Reader device can be found in the fact that the newspaper industry is looking for a new gateway. A gateway on two levels: mobility and content. • The e-Reader is a gateway to mobility: it is clear that the newspaper industry is looking for new platforms to deliver their information services. Based on the cases it is clear that they look in the direction of mobile as most of the newspapers have already expanded their activities on the web. • The e-Reader is a qateway to personalization and interactivity: another common element in the cases is that all of the projects investigated ways of delivering personalized and interactive content. The hypothesis is here that, because of the information-overload, people want to select those elements of their interest. By offering such a service the newspaper industry hopes on the one hand to remain competitive with other media and on the other hand to gain additional income.

Finally it is also important to acknowledge that all of the projects – except one – were trial projects. This indicates that the newspaper industry is constantly aware that it has to keep up with new technologies. Within the natural technology life cycle model, the e-Reader can be situated somewhere in between the “adaptation” and the “convergence” scenario. On the one hand the e-Reader enables newspaper industries to concentrate on specific audience segments but on the other hand the printed version has to converge with the interactive possibilities of the device. Because of this position, as well as the fact that the e-Reader is not yet a dominant technology (of which we can ask ourselves if this will ever be the case) the e- Reader is at this moment not seen as a threat for the industry – but more as an opportunity (which is different with the case of the internet, where the industry was obliged, not only to adapt, but also to converge).

These projects are not the first experiments with mobile news. There have been and are still a lot of initiatives in this field. One example is Avant-Go, a service that enabled PDA users to subscribe to a number of newspapers to receive their newsfeeds. But most of these initiatives were launched at the time that the newspapers still were looking to position themselves in the whole “internet” area. The projects within this SOTA can build on the experiences the newspapers have based on their online activities. This is reflected in the search for an ideal mix of content reproduction and personalization and interactivity.

The most important difference between the e-Reader type devices and the UMPC is that the first is perceived as a reading device, while the latter is linked to a computer. Therefore there is also a difference in affordances and practices. (see also (2007) Van den Broeck, W, et al.). As long as the e-Reader is seen as such a reading devices, the expectations of the user will be linked to the printed version of

54 Me-paper: comparative analysis the newspaper. The UMPC on the other hand is a real computer device which means that it has to compete with existing, mostly online news services (websites, RSS feeds,…) This means that developing an alternative newspaper version for either the e-Reader or the UMPC is difficult. This is also illustrated in the different cases. In all the e-Reader cases the newspaper for the e-Reader was – in most cases an exact – copy of the printed version. The impact on the existing business is therefore limited. The fact that this SOTA couldn’t identify a specific UMPC project could illustrate that also newspaper believe in a more web-based approach for such type of device (meaning their website).

SWOT e-Reader Strengths Weakness • Screen quality • No clear added value • Perceived as reading device • Additional device (not AIO) • Long battery life span • Too much (exact) copy of printed • A lot of content on one device version Opportunities Threats • New ways of advertisement • Monitoring efficiency advertisements • Personalization of content • New/other actors • New business models • Other mobile internet-enabled devices

The specific e-reader device provides the newspaper industry the opportunity to offer the above elements (mobility and interactivity) and on the other hand to maintain their “craftmanship” as much as possible. The latter refers to the way to represent content in a specific lay-out. This is also in line with what Fiddler has identified as a critical condition (offering the same qualities as well as a similar look and feel). Question here is to what extent newspapers can hold on to their traditional practices. It will be the consumer that will force the newspaper to shift to a more interactive and personalised approach.

Another question is to what extent the e-Reader really can be seen as a new type of media. From the different projects we learn that the e-Reader is perceived as an additional distribution platform for publishing the existing newspaper. But this also means that there are some challenges the traditional newspaper agencies are confronted with. For example we notice new actors in the field. The most recent example is Amazon that has launched his own e-Reader device “Kindle”. Which is, for the time being, introduced as an e-book, but which has the possibility to become a new news gateway.

55 Me-paper: comparative analysis Only a few of the listed projects had a commercial roll out afterwards. The e-paper project for example resulted in a series of improvements of the Iliad e-Reader, but the newspaper agency De Tijd did not implement it. This indicates that although the newspaper industry is experimenting it still has a “wait and see” attitude, just like they did with the internet. In the meantime newspaper agencies will further experiment, with the e-Reader as well as with other devices and platforms, to identify the right formula of content, representation, distribution and even production. This is needed in order to keep repositioning them in the changing media-landscape.

In addition, it is important to mention that the maturity of the devices used in the trial projects, was sometimes too low, e.g. in the e-paper project. This might explain why most of these projects, which were first trial projects, had most of their outcomes at a technological level and, from the newspaper perspective, didn’t lead to a commercial track. The e-paper project for example, led to a more stable and user friendly version of the iLiad eReader, that is suited for reading newspapers in a comfortable way.

Lindqvist, M., Henriksson, S. and Söderblom, M. (2006) have studied what attributes are central from a user adoption perspective to launch a successful e- newspaper application and identified seven factors influencing the e-newspaper introduction: i.e. mobility, interactivity, readability, format and size, functionality, usability, and navigation. As the e-newspaper concerns both adoption of new technology and new services, they have separated their most important findings according to device and service, and summarized their findings related to factors influencing enhancement or inhibition of the e-Newspaper sorted by Rogers’ (1995) perceived attributes; relative advantage, compatibility and complexity as well as compared to print and web (see Table 1).

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Table 1: Summary of findings of the study of Lindqvist, M., Henriksson, S. and Söderblom, M. (2006).

The different project have learned us that when newspapers want to use mobile devices as a new e-publishing platform, there are a number of usability issues that need to be dealt with. These issues are situated on four levels: the lay-out, the use and representation of audio-visual content, the navigation and the feedback. In the evolution to the electronic newspaper of the future, we are confronted with a number of challenges. The first challenge regarding the general lay-out is to make news content readable on small interfaces (because people only want to carry around light waiting, small devices with them but format and size are important and challenging when delivering readable content displayed on small screens). We recommend focusing on ways of promoting a more structural markup (using a header, headings, paragraphs on each page and provide a table of contents), make documents more manageable (by dividing them into chunks and allow vertical scrolling to navigate through text longer than 1 screen page). Regarding the functionally we suggest to provide always a search function, use a simple navigation structure, and easy to use annotation mechanisms (such as notes, marking, underline, etc.). A next challenge has to go with the feedback of the system that can either be visual or auditive. Visual feedback is less disturbing but mostly not as efficient as auditive. The use of recognizable sounds (that can not be disturbing for the person itself and people in their near environment) has the power to make the user aware of unintended actions or choices. Due to the use of auditive feedback, buttons can be made smaller. This makes the overall screen size for the actual content larger.

57 Me-paper: comparative analysis In general, smaller buttons are less user friendly, but with the addition of auditive feedback (recognizable sounds) the user friendliness increases.

But still, the biggest challenge in the future will be to let users adapt to reading their newspaper on a device instead of on paper. As with many innovations, “the old habits die hard” idea will also be valid for newspapers on mobile devices.

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