Printing Industry News Digest No.88, February 18, 2012

Welcome to Printing Industry News Digest (PIND) issue 88, providing a summary of major news items from the printing, publishing, packaging, digital, and communications technology sectors. PIND incorporates brief summaries and links to the week's key news stories so that you can look up that all important detail, digging deeper behind the headline. Do also take a look at our automated Twitter-based GenesisNews #Print Daily publication; why not take out a free subscription for a daily digital delivery!

The Sun on Sunday comes back into the headlines this week. We first recorded this suggestion way back in July 2011, just after the announcement of the closure of the News of the World. No actual date slated as yet, but it does at least give the business a focus for the immediate future. At the beginning of the week Brand Republic was asking if he should sell the title!

Elsewhere in the world of newspapers, InPublishing tells us that the FT's global audience has now risen to some 2.2 million with a mix of digital and hardcopy readers.

With reference to the lead story of the last two weeks, Tony Langley has this week appointed his own man, Alfred Rothlaender, a German, to head up his recently purchased Manroland Sheetfed business in Offenbach.

With an interesting view on digital print, What They Think? offers some thoughts on what it describes as new directions for digital print. A bit of forecasting to get you thinking for sure.

OK, we have been singing the praises re Apple's amazing success with its iOS devices for far too long, but you can't deny that they do get things so right! Surprisingly, in terms of numbers, the company sold more iOS devices in 2011 than it has sold Mac's in 28 years!

Rumour continues, in case you hadn't noticed, regarding the potential contents of iPad 3. Here is some of the latest conjecture.

Having said all of that, we find an interesting view of technology from the team at What They Think? Technology is not the answer, they tell us. It's worth a read.

We noted some extended thoughts re Apple's Siri in last weeks edition of PIND. This week we have learned that a robust equivalent of the voice control software is being developed for Android products. Utter, say the guys at TechCrunch, actually makes voice control on Android look better than Siri. A video dem is available, even if the app isn't just yet.

On the subject of Android, the Guardian offers us its thoughts re the top 50 Android tablet apps. Worth a stroll through if you have one such device at your disposal.

Now some logo's just come together in the designers mind and they work. Mostly they click with their public. Some are just plain unfortunate. Somebody just didn't check all of these logo’s with a good diverse focus group! I do hope that PIND readers are not involved in these organisations or their graphic design partners!


Even more quirky, we found this blog detailing a typographic enthusiasts attempts to bake his favourite fonts. We kid you not! Gill Sans, Comic Sans, and American Typewriter all get the culinary treatment. A long time fan of Gill Sans I just can't help but wonder what it might taste like?!

Finally, do keep checking back to see what will be featured in our next edition, PIND 89. For an RSS feed of PIND, copy this link into your feed reader; and click here for the GenesisNews #Print Daily – you can even take out a free subscription for this daily news update on print, publishing, packaging and associated technology!

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Missed Issue 87, including details on Manroland Sheetfed? Then simply click here!
Issue 86: Manroland Sheetfed sale
Issue 85: Kodak update; used presses; ultrabooks
Issue 84: Manroland break-up; Kodak Chapter 11



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Printing Industry News Digest No.87, February 11, 2012

Welcome to Printing Industry News Digest (PIND) issue 87, providing a summary of major news items from the printing, publishing, packaging, digital, and communications technology sectors. PIND incorporates brief summaries and links to the week's key news stories so that you can look up that all important detail, digging deeper behind the headline. Do also take a look at our automated Twitter-based GenesisNews Print Daily publication; why not take out a free subscription for a daily digital delivery!

Further to last week’s exciting news regarding Manroland Sheetfed, further thoughts have been provided on the move, though a number of big questions are probably still awaiting answers. The Australian angle offers further insight. More news as we have it!

Outrage has been the order of the day in the UK with regard to the news that a multi-million pounds Olympic ticket contract has gone to a provider in the USA. The green lobby might well be up in arms at shipping a few tonnes of paper from the US to the UK, but will they get just as irate when US athletes force the mass shipments of gold from the UK to the US later in the year?

Design is to the fore today as we look at this wonderful web link from Bored Panda offering 21 minimalist print ads to feast your eyes on.

In the world of publishing, an interesting post via the guys at InPublishing offering five areas of forecast for the year 2012. Might seem a bit late to still be on the crystal ball trail, but some interesting topics are raised here, and we especially like number 4, print is not dead!

Kindle Fire has caused many headlines during this last few months, but I for one have seen very few focused reviews of the product. We saw one this week. Here it is.

Whilst many users are still not 100% convinced to the power or usefulness of Apple’s Siri personal assistant, as currently available on the iPhone 4S, TechCrunch offers us details of where such software will be heading. OK, the piece is penned by co-founder and CEO of Siri, Dag Kittlaus, but this fact makes his vision surely all the more interesting.

Windows 8 is now on the horizon, and already the knives appear to be out, with a definite slant towards the fact that this won’t be viewed as a critical upgrade for the average Windows 7 desktop user. The Guardian takes a look at the arguments.

On the subject of Windows, you may well be able to pluck something interesting out of this little collection of Windows tools that will enhance the regular functionality of the current operating system. I certainly fancy the idea of “Bins”, providing similar functionality to OS X’s stacking for the taskbar. This means that you will also be able to pin files and folders to the taskbar as well as programs.

Meanwhile on the Android front Chrome has arrived. OK, only for ICS at the moment, but hopefully it will spread through other variants. Android still does need that ability to connect up to a browser in the Chrome league, allowing the simple and straightforward use of already stored bookmarks, as well as the speed improvements that the Google software could provide. Also for Android fans: Microsoft OneNote has arrived. If you are a fan of this note taking and list making product, this release completes the circle I guess. We run the software on PC, iPhone, and iPad already. We don’t see the Android variant as being quite so well presented on our Samsung tablet product.

On a broader tech issue, Engadget advises us that the “app economy” has created some 500,000 jobs since 2007 – which, by their very association with the app, just couldn’t have existing before.

Almost finally, and TechRadar posted a list this week of the 10 most hated bits of software. We were not sure prior to opening this page, but actually we were regularly nodding in agreement as we read through the offerings. Better ideas? Mail us at PIND.editor@gmail.com

Finally, do keep checking back to see what will be featured in our next edition, PIND 88. For an RSS feed of PIND, copy this link into your feed reader; and click here for the GenesisNews Print Daily – you can even take out a free subscription for this daily news update on print, publishing, packaging and associated technology!

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Missed Issue 86, including the Manroland Sheetfed announcement? Then simply click here!

Issue 85: Kodak update; used presses; ultrabooks
Issue 84: Manroland break-up; Kodak Chapter 11
Issue 83: tech snippets and software



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Printing Industry News Digest No.83, January 14, 2012

Welcome to Printing Industry News Digest (PIND) issue 83, providing a summary of major news items from the printing, publishing, packaging, digital and communications technology sectors. PIND incorporates brief summaries and links to the week's key news stories so that you can look up that all important detail, digging deeper behind the headline. Do also take a look at our automated Twitter-based GenesisNews Print Daily publication; why not take out a free subscription for a daily digital delivery!

Lots of little tech snippets this week, including a very good question from the Guardian: where would be without Microsoft Word? The word processing programme in the hands of many a wordsmith, including the starting point for every PIND document, many newspaper articles, and, as pointed out by the author of the Guardian’s comment, most new books!

In the world of tech TechCrunch sums up 2011, and tells us that many of the products that have been pipe-dreams for such a long time actually came into the real world this last year.

Many Siri-like software products have been unleashed on the world in the last few months, and whilst many have been found wanting Vlingo seems to cover the basic bases pretty well for iOS users. Mashable offers us four alternative Siri-like products, including both Vlingo and the voice control already built-in to the iPhone 4. We wouldn't go as far as recommending that one! You can always take a closer look at SRI, the original creators of Siri.

Another software given the PIND seal of approval this week is CameraSync. The product provides an effortless way to get your iPhone pictures semi-automatically despatched to your home PC or Mac via Dropbox or BoxNet.

The dawning of 2012 left your design lakes dry? Take a look at these 10 inspirational typography design blogs – they might just help! Just for good measure, you might want a similarly inspirational set of business card designs.

Plenty going on at CES 2012 during this week of course, with new Asus Eee PC netbooks being revealed for starters. Samsung offers us future-proof voice-controlled television too.

Orange launches the Tahiti in the UK, described as seven inches of Huawei hardware heaven! Yes, well that might be a bit overboard. It’s a seven inch tablet, but Orange is hooking in one expensive contract in our opinion. Let us know what you think of course: PIND.editor@gmail.com

This computer-in-your-desk project from Lifehacker caught our imagination. A neat, space saving solution for sure!

In the world of print, Xeikon has been busy acquiring this week, with the flexographic CtP manufacturer Flexolaser moving into their camp along with the rights to the Thermoflex trademark, which have been acquired from Eastman Kodak.

Finally, do keep checking back to see what will be featured in our next edition, PIND 84. For an RSS feed of PIND, copy this link into your feed reader; and click here for the GenesisNews Print Daily – you can even take out a free subscription for this daily news update on print, publishing, packaging and associated technology!

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Missed Issue 82, including Kodak news and publishing topics? Then simply click here!
Issue 81: Manroland, newspapers and cloud
Issue 80: Further update on Manroland
Issue 79: Manroland update plus KBA at Luton



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Printing Industry News Digest No.79, December 3, 2011

Welcome to Printing Industry News Digest (PIND) issue 79, providing a summary of major news items from the printing, packaging, digital and communications technology sectors. PIND incorporates brief summaries and links to the week's key news stories so that you can look up that all important detail, digging deeper behind the headline. Do also take a look at our automated Twitter-based GenesisNews Print Daily publication; why not take out a free subscription for a daily digital delivery!

Following on from last week’s headline news regarding Manroland, some updates, some general opinion, and some slightly “ship steadying” news from the team at PrintWeek, along with a news release from Manroland USA.

The good news is that some litho presses are being sold! Coventry Building Society has detailed the installation of a Ryobi 784E B2-format four-colour offset litho press which will enable it to cut out some £300,000 worth of outsourcing. That sounds like a quick payback!

Perhaps of more significance to Manroland was the news that Richard Desmond and team fired up its KBA kit in Luton for the first time this week, rolling off full colour copies of the Daily Star for all to enjoy.

Meanwhile, at Manroland user GMG some interesting alliances have been announced during these last few days. The Guardian is now proudly showing off its digital connections with both Spotify and Facebook as it continues to struggle with the question – detailed last week – as to whether it should continue to print its own paper copies or subcontract the work.

For publishers seeking to get the online payment solution sorted, why not take a look at what the Economist is doing? It has claimed this week that digital subscribers now top 100,000 whilst operating profits have jumped by 6% to £26.2 million.

Trader Media Group has also released figures this week regarding double-digit growth in its digital revenues.   The Auto Trader owner has reported an operating profit of £63.6 million in the six months to October 2^nd 2011. Hopefully this is due in no small part to the use of Wave2 software technology to drive its automation of ads!

One of our other regular favourites, the QR code, has been wonderfully summed up this week by print buying expert Matthew Parker. He offers a number of positives on the subject along with his own acronym: TIM. It stands for Tell, Incentivise, and Measure. If you want to incorporate some QR code action in your customers print, have a read: it should certainly give you some new ideas.

We have told you about Microsoft’s SkyDrive before: a big chunk of cloud storage space that is yours for free. Well, we are told this week that Microsoft is overhauling that offering. This includes better file management and “app-centric” sharing.

We were delighted to see that Engadget was promoting a Braille label printer this week (no pun intended!). The machine can actually be operated by the visually impaired to print out their own labels. An intriguing move forward in a very stagnant market.

Still fascinated by the potential of Apple’s Siri product (as regular readers can testify), we were further intrigued this week to see the launch of a new web site dedicated to Life with Siri. Want to feel at home with Siri? Check out LifeWithSiri.com

Almost finally, in case you are still trying to work out the answer, TechCrunch told us all recently how to be the best entrepreneur in the world. The author has unearthed what he describes as the “10,000 hour rule”. The suggestion is that if you have clocked up more than 10,000 hours of work in a particular field you should be pretty damn good at it! He might have a point.

Finally, do keep checking back to see what will be featured in our next edition, PIND 80. We aim to add details of our next edition this link during the course of the week. For an RSS feed of PIND, copy this link into your feed reader; and click here for the GenesisNews Print Daily – you can even take out a free subscription for this daily news update on print, publishing, packaging and associated technology!

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Missed Issue 78, including alarming news regarding Manroland? Then simply click here!

Issue 77: Siri, Kindle Fire, and your CV
Issue 76: PUR binding for digital print
Issue 75: In my command? Apple’s Siri



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