Monday, November 26, 2007

JP2 (screen grab by Ernst Poulsen) JP2's home page. (Click to enlarge)

Microsoft and the Danish newspaper Jutland Post (Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten) have launched what they call "The newspaper of the future" under the presumptuous name JP2. (Disclosure: I was employed by the Jutland Post 1998-2002.)

The digital product presents itself as a mix of print newspaper and online venue. Consumers must download and install a couple of software programs, and the JP2 platform is fairly slow to launch. The navigation is different from typical Web navigation, but the layout in columns does look like something from a print newspaper.

JP2 (screen grab by Ernst Poulsen) JP2 article page. (Click to enlarge.)

Right now The Jutland Post is offering a 30-day free trial -- but when that's over, JP2 will cost money. If you're interested there's still time to use the free trial. A few American papers are using the same platform: the New York Times, Seattle Post, Daily Mail and Forbes. Fellow Tidbits contributor Steve Yelvington blogged about this technology last year.

As with most new products, the execution is just as important as the basic idea. Here's a quick rundown of what I believe are the biggest advantages and problems of JP2.

Five problems:

• Extreme entry level. Users must install 72 MB of .Net3 software plus special JP2 software. First time load is heavy.
• Slowness. JP2 takes 25-45 seconds to launch -- even when synchronized.
• Usability problems. Unusual and more difficult navigation. Plus, Cover pages show far fever articles than a typical Web page, and article pages are "dead ends."
• Looking ahead. When introduced, advertising will probably clutter pages.

Five advantages:

• Microsoft is backing the software. As usual with Microsoft, the next edition will be better. (Although some people, including Yelvington, see this as a weakness rather than a strength.)
• Readability. Fonts are very easy to read on the screen.
• Lots of content. Integrates seven-day newspaper and three sites in one interface.
• Updates. The system updates whenever the computer is online, but you can use JP2 offline.
• Speed. Navigation is quick -- once JP2 has loaded.

At a recent conference, Jutland Post online editor Jørgen Schultz-Nielsen called JP2 "an exercise for the future. In maybe 5-10 years the electronic paper will become interesting. Especially because paper, printing presses, and distribution are extremely costly." (NOTE: That quote was modified after its original publication.)

My take: Users will not register, pay, install special programs and learn new navigation just to get the news. There are simply too many free alternatives.

JP2 may have a future when portable, flexible e-readers are ready for the market in three to five years. But not in the same format. Until then,I think JP2 is just an exercise that may not survive long.

But... there is a comment button right below this post. Let me know if I'm way off target.

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