Behind the Scenes: The Making of the O Magazine iPad App
Photo: Philip Friedman/Studio D
Last November, on her final "Favorite Things" episode, Oprah proclaimed the iPad her "number one favorite thing ever" and bestowed the miracle tablet on each lucky member of her studio audience. "Words cannot describe what I feel for this magnificent device!" she cried. Oprah's passion for her iPad—which she uses to read newspapers, play Scrabble, watch movies, keep a journal, and even write her monthly columns—inspired O's new app, developed by a team of the magazine's resident technophiles over many late nights in the office.
This month the iPad faithful will enjoy our third and most exciting edition yet. Highlights include behind-the-scenes video of Oprah chatting with Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark director Julie Taymor, and an interactive "creativity challenge" using a special drawing app called SketchBook O that allows readers to submit their digital doodles directly from their iPad for display on Oprah.com.
February's O app "really brings the magazine to life," says Michelle Shih, O's director of digital editions and lifestyle. "The medium is so intimate, it feels like Oprah is talking right to you." It's also practical: "When you see a product in 'O List' or a recommended book you want to buy, we take you right to the store," says Josh Koppel, cofounder of ScrollMotion, O's partner in building the app. In most cases, you can even read an excerpt of a book before you buy it. "The iPad lets you be creative in new ways," says associate editor Jayme Klock, who is busy dreaming up ideas for future editions, from enhanced content to increased personalization. "We feel like we're helping blaze a trail." So far, the sky's the limit. Whatever you love to do on your iPad—shopping, reading, playing games, finding inspiration—O hopes to someday do with you.
Preview O's February app
Download O's February app from the iTunes store
This month the iPad faithful will enjoy our third and most exciting edition yet. Highlights include behind-the-scenes video of Oprah chatting with Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark director Julie Taymor, and an interactive "creativity challenge" using a special drawing app called SketchBook O that allows readers to submit their digital doodles directly from their iPad for display on Oprah.com.
February's O app "really brings the magazine to life," says Michelle Shih, O's director of digital editions and lifestyle. "The medium is so intimate, it feels like Oprah is talking right to you." It's also practical: "When you see a product in 'O List' or a recommended book you want to buy, we take you right to the store," says Josh Koppel, cofounder of ScrollMotion, O's partner in building the app. In most cases, you can even read an excerpt of a book before you buy it. "The iPad lets you be creative in new ways," says associate editor Jayme Klock, who is busy dreaming up ideas for future editions, from enhanced content to increased personalization. "We feel like we're helping blaze a trail." So far, the sky's the limit. Whatever you love to do on your iPad—shopping, reading, playing games, finding inspiration—O hopes to someday do with you.
Preview O's February app
Download O's February app from the iTunes store
O's iPad geniuses (from left): design director Robert Priest, Jayme Klock, Hearst process and project management director Sarah Deem, managing editor Adam Bell, photo director Katherine Schad, art director Jaspal Riyait, design director Grace Lee, assistant managing editor Ryan Purdy, and Michelle Shih.
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