Netpage's Digital Twin could be a boost for printed magazines:
Netpage's app, branded Digital Twin, has not only generated a buzz in the advertising world but also raised hopes of a traditional magazine revival. The patented platform enables smartphones users to download a digital replica of the Netpage-enabled printed page to their mobile device. The user moves the phone over the surface of the page, and the Digital Twin appears in the screen and tracks with the page, creating a 'glass-bottomed boat effect,' between the printed page and the user's smartphone, the company said. The technology formally launched in the US with Esquire's December issue and not only lets consumers store and save content on social media, it also lets them purchase items highlighted in the Esquire simply by moving their smartphone over the page and clicking "buy". Right now the only way to get the free Netpage app is by downloading from the iTunes Store and Morris was mum on whether the app could eventually be built into smartphones and other devices. But at least on the surface, there appears to be little downside to commercial printing from this technology, because it will not require any new press equipment to Netpage-enable a magazine or catalog. "One of the biggest advantages that we provide, in fact, is that we don't require any special coding, or watermarking on the printed page," Morris said. "Netpage doesn't impact the printing process in any way, which is something publishers prefer to avoid, since it requires additional time, costs and effort."
