BOOMER Magazine

The marriage of video on print is exciting,

Richmond, VA February 08, 2012

BOOMER magazine, a free, bi-monthly magazine in Central Virginia devoted to the area’s baby boomer population, with the publication of its Feb.-March issue joins few others in the publishing industry in merging digital and print media to produce augmented reality.

Various images in this particular issue of BOOMER are capable, through holding the camera of “smart” devices over a particular image, of becoming video.

The effect is produced when a free App is first downloaded from Aurasma, a Hewlett-Packard company deeming its new technology as “the world’s first visual browser,” with a variety of devices: iPhone, iPad2, iPod Touch (those that use the Apple mobile operating system), Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Motorola, Droid X and HTG Evo.

“The marriage of video on print is exciting,” said BOOMER publisher Lori Ross. “Storytelling as well as advertising messages can work on multiple platforms. ‘App’ messages aren’t tied into the print timetable; therefore, content can be changed multiple times or even change in back issues.”

According to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Tablet and E-book reader ownership increased significantly over the 2011 holiday season. Per the study, the number of Americans adults owning one of these popular devices increased from 18% to 29 %.

With many companies developing their own tablets and price points expected to go down in 2012, the popularity of these smart devices is expected to rise.

In a similar study by Pew done in July 2011, out of the 83% of American adults who own a cell phone, 35 % own smartphones – such as the iPhone and Android.

In a survey of Boomer women done by PBT Consulting, 40% said that they own an iPad or other tablet device. This study and others are suggesting Baby Boomers are quickly adopting new technologies. It is with the Boomer generation in mind that BOOMER Magazine is providing digital, interactive content to readers of the free magazine.

While viewing print ads and article content in BOOMER magazine, readers may now notice the QR Code and an “A” symbol as a means to grab their smart device. Once their device is placed on the ad when the app is opened, the magazine content comes to life and provides more communication to the reader.

PBT Consulting also found that 33% of Boomers read QR codes on their smart phones. BOOMER Magazine hopes that their readers will adopt a similar app, using the new technology of Aurasma.

For more information, visit http://www.TheBoomerMagazine.com or call 804.674.5004.

BOOMER is published by Ross Publishing, a Richmond, VA-based company which also publishes Seniors Guide Magazine and its correlating website http://www.SeniorsGuideOnline.com, Home Care Choice Magazine and its correlating website http://www.HomeCareChoice.com. Ross Publishing began in 1991 and has been publishing helpful, free publications and websites ever since.

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