CNN buys Zite, popular iPad magazine among lawyers
As widely reported yesterday, CNN has acquired Zite, an iPad application that learns about readers’ tastes and customizes a digital magazine with stories from blogs and news sites.
Following my blogging this spring about how Zite worked and how much I liked it, Zite became a popular alternative to RSS readers for many lawyers.
From USA Today reporting on the Zite sale,
Zite delivers different editions to different readers based on their individual interests. After downloading Zite’s free iPad application, readers can specify certain topics they want to read about, such as stories about the Pittsburgh Steelers or Lady Gaga. The magazine is programmed to learn more about readers over time, based on the kinds of stories that they tend to click on.
I’ve been able to create Zite channels for social media, entrepreneurism, Seattle, blogging, and more. The content fed to me in an eloquent reading environment is excellent.
As reported by USA Today, K.C. Estenson, general manager of CNN’s digital division, believes Zite’s technology can be used to customize CNN news on the iPad and other mobile devices.
CNN reportedly has no plans to change Zite. “”This is a product that people love, it just needs to be in the hands of more people,” per Estenson.
I wouldn’t be so sure of ‘no change for Zite.’ Other news organizations may not be so hot about CNN, owned by Time Warner, using their content in entirety free of charge. Zite drew a cease-and-desist demand last March from some heavy weight news organizations, including Time Warner, for using copyrighted material.
I also see CNN’s news stream through Zite complementing social media content produced by people on blogs, video, and Twitter. A super CNN iReport fed out on the mobile app Zite may be in the works.
Flipboard has been the iPad magazine darling of the tech and investment community.
But for a valuable user experience for someone like me with lots of RSS feeds and a deep Twitter network, Zite, which customized my news based on this social media experience of mine, is the hands down winner.
I hope CNN is true to its word to only improve Zite and bring it the masses. You have to wonder though.