Next Issue Media to launch digital store in early 2011 no comments
Remember the Skiff ereader? The Skiff was 
a large format (11.5-inch) plastic ereader designed to read digital magazines and newspapers. Hearst and Sprint were working together on the Skiff project. Unfortunately, the Skiff, much like Plastic Logic’s Que ereader, withered on the vine after the iPad was launched.
About five months ago News Corp purchased the Skiff’s software but not the ereader itself. There was speculation at the time that News Corp would use the ereading software for Next Issue Media, a joint project of five leading periodicals publishers — Time, Conde Naste, Hearst, Meredith and News Corp — and often described as the “Hulu of Magazines.” Next Issue Media has been in the works at least a year.
All Things Digital is reporting that Next Issue Media is now expected to open its digital media storefront early in 2011, but it will initially bypass the iPad and only work on Android devices. Apple is still apparently less accommodating to newsstand publishers and their wants than Google.
When Next Issue Media launches, whatever is left of the Skiff may launch as part of it.
