It’s been a big week for lifestyle and women’s magazines on the iPad.
First, Meredith titles Better Homes and Gardens, Fitness and Parents released their respective first issues for the device, followed by Condé Nast’s Self [iTunes link] and a “bonus issue” from Cosmopolitan [iTunes link] magazine, owned by Hearst.
While the latter two were by no means as elegant as Better Homes and Gardens — which re-drafted its layouts and used video and manipulable graphics to enhance much of its staple content — they made up for it somewhat in interactivity.
Cosmo‘s quizzes are much more fun (and easier to keep track of) on the iPad than in hard copy, while Self‘s monthly slew of workout moves, for instance, can be more quickly identified and replicated thanks to sliding animations.
Some interactions, however, are more flash than substance. Cosmo‘s animated makeup how-tos are far too vague to be useful, and the diet tracker Self included in its April issue is likewise useless without a way to enter notes (i.e., keep track of anything at all).
By far the most interesting — and certainly shocking — use of in-app audio to date goes to Cosmo, which recorded men simulating various sex noises. (We don’t suggest you play “the loud moaner” at top volume in your office.)
Although neither Self nor Cosmo are groundbreaking magazine apps, regular readers of both titles will find a better experience on the iPad than in the magazines’ respective print editions. And with time and feedback, we hope, both titles will develop better versions for the device.
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