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November 19, 2007

Google Magazine?

Michael Arrington

60 comments »

googleogo13.gifAn interesting patent was granted to Google on November 8, titled “Customization of Content and Advertisements in Publications.”

A number of blogs picked it up and speculated that Google may soon begin to offer users the ability to create customized, printed magazines from Internet content. And print ads included in the magazine would be customized, too.

The speculation doesn’t appear to be far off. The patent, which was filed in May, 2006, points out the flaws in existing print magazines:

Consumers may purchase a variety of publications in various forms, e.g., print form (e.g., newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), electronic form (e.g., electronic newspapers, electronic books (”e-Books”), electronic magazines, etc.), etc. The publishers define the content of such publications, and advertisers define which advertisements (ads) may be seen in the publications. Since consumers have no control over publication content or advertisements, they may purchase a publication that contains at least some content and advertisements that may be of no interest to them.

Publishers often lack insight into the profiles of consumers who purchase their publications, and, accordingly, miss out on subscription and advertisement revenue due to a lack of personalized content and advertisements. Likewise, consumer targeting for advertisers is limited, and there is virtually no standardization for ad sizes (e.g., an ad that is supposed to be a full page may need to be reduced in size to fit within a publication). Accordingly, advertisers sometimes purchase sub-optimal or worthless ad space in an attempt to reach their target markets. Advertisers also have difficulty identifying new prospective market segments to target because they have limited insight into the desires and reactions of consumers.

The solution, Google says, is to give users the ability to search and browse their own content, and receive an electronic or hard copy version of the final product. And that final product will include advertisements highly relevant to the user.

Google also possibly sees the use of kiosks to create and print these documents:

…the customer interface documents may be provided via a kiosk. For example, kiosks containing the customer interface documents may be provided in stores (e.g., Target, supermarkets, retail stores, etc.) in a similar way as picture kiosks are currently provided in such stores.

Of course, this is just a patent at this stage, and Google’s history when dabbling with print stuff is terrible. It could be years, if ever, before Google tries to productize this. But I also wonder how effective this patent would be if established magazines tried to allow users to customize content in a similar way - Google could step in and claim infringement. Their hope, of course, would be to license the patent and supply all the advertisements.

Thanks for the tip, Patrick.

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Comments

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  1. tomthree

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:06 am

    my question is how does google file a method patent in 2006 and have it GRANTED in 2007, when there is such a backlog for pending patents at USPTO?

  2. Michael Woo

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:07 am

    Ads are rather lucrative - any forms of ads, mags, TV, radio…

    I believe that this is part of Google’s plan to monopolize the online advertisement arena

    I wonder how far will they go..

  3. Adam Benayoun

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:15 am

    Michael,
    i think your last point is the most valid, they will probably want to negotiate an advertisment deal with anyone trying to customize content claiming its a patent infrigment.
    I am not really surprised that Google is pushing its business into new directions, my question would be will they be able to run all their operations sucecssfully in these several paths?
    Don’t forget that a lot of Googlers are leaving them to found their own startup.

  4. Search◊ Engines Web

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:16 am

    . :-) :) :-) :)

    Here’s a better idea, why doesn’t TECHCRUNCH develop a magazine?

    Unlike the website, it could include interviews with the creators of these startups being profiled.

    It could also be marketed as an advice and resource publication for entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists.

    Perhaps, you could even partner with other vertical websites such as: Engadget, Gizmodo etc to expand the magazine to a wider audience.

    Perhaps even a Cable TV or YouTube ongoing series.

  5. Daniel @ Daily Bits

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:51 am

    Most print publishers are trying to migrate online to secure their declining profits, so I am not sure how Google will develop this idea.

    It could be promising for sure if it enabled individuals and small organizations to leverage Google’s assets to create their own magazines or print publications. Not sure how to sustain the model though.

  6. NickeyD

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:08 am

    Layouts, white spaces, font-tweakings are important in publications, sometimes more important than the content itself. It’s part of its expression and that’s why most firms hire design professionals.

    So what Google is saying is “Yeah, our robot scripts can do that”. Sad day.

  7. Shawn G

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:26 am

    I just recently read about another company doing the exact same thing with a product called FeedJournal (http://www.feedjournal.com) which won Microsoft’s software development competition Made In Express. Basically, the service allows you to mesh your RSS feeds into a page that looks like a newspaper that is fit for printing, and then obviously print it out and read it on the go.

    In the author’s own words, “The idea of generating a personalized newspaper from RSS and Atom feeds started to take form around the end of 2005. A few months later the “Made In Express Contest” launched, a competition to promote the free line of Express development products from Microsoft. There were 1,500 entry submissions, and FeedJournal was picked as one of the 12 finalists. FeedJournal was called “RSS Star” back then.”

    I am not an attorney, but something like this would seem to probably be a prior art reference that could pose patent trouble for Google down the line(although it does lack the advertising dimension).

    Obviously, Google is a big enough company that the could just buy out FeedJournal and be done with it. But if it takes awhile for Google to get their idea off the ground or it gets abandoned, at least the concept won’t go to total waste.

  8. Jonathan

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:30 am

    Great idea. I’m not sure if I stand behind patenting it and comes as a shock to me considering google’s “open philosophy”. As a consumer, this is something I 100% hope to see hit the market, I’m sick of untargeted ads everywhere.

  9. Dan Blank

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:34 am

    There is a lot of effort being put forth by publishers to bring their magazine business models online, and find ways to innovate to take advantage of today’s “digital lifestyle.” I am not sure how many of these publishers are aggressively looking for ways to innovate what print can be, and how their audience can find new and exciting ways to use printed media.

    Google may well be one step ahead of us all, knowing that there will be a renaissance of print down the road, and that likely, it will take a fresh look to be successful here as well. There is also a *potential* for them to be a step ahead because they don’t have to undo a process and culture around print magazines that other brands have built for decades.

    Likely, they will want to partner with established brands on the content side… so Google could end up helping magazines like BusinessWeek distribute and monetize not just their digital content, but their print content as well. Either way, it is always great to see new ideas around print.

  10. Steve E

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 am

    Could be a little like the e-brochuring that goes on on travel industry websites. Custom PDF e-magazines filled with targeted ads from Google. Or they could offer a digital printed version, you can be really targeted with that now.

  11. Dexter

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:39 am

    Conservative Pulse is the new alternative to the liberal bias of the mainstream media!

    http://www.conservativepulse.com

  12. IdeaTagger

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:59 am

    Sounds very much like ShelfMade - shelfmade.com - which I read about recently. In fact, I commented on one of shelfmade’s blog posts that they could benefit significantly from a tie-in with RSS Readers like Google Reader.

  13. Sprague Dawley

    November 19th, 2007 at 5:32 am

    So Google’s going to be a publishing company, in addition to a search engine, advertising company, wireless company, video production company (the rumor about teaming with Simon Fuller) and productivity app supplier. Either the concept of “core competency” is out the window, or they’re still flailing to find an alternate revenue stream.

    Keep in mind that, according to their last SEC filing, 98% of their revenue comes from online advertising and most of that on their own websites.

  14. Steve Ballmer

    November 19th, 2007 at 5:43 am

    AKA INTELECTUAL PORN!

  15. Brian Pate

    November 19th, 2007 at 6:35 am

    IdeaTagger - That’s shelfmade.net, not .com

  16. RealEstateMarketingBlog.org

    November 19th, 2007 at 6:41 am

    This is good news for the real estate industry as many more real estate agents with websites are learning the importance of loading up their sites with content. With all of this content being made into a local magazine, these agents would then have the possibility of mailing or having people subscribe to these. Very interesting.

    I think it is also kind of funny that Google has taken away huge amounts of business from traditional print media materials like newspapers and magazines and now they are slowly moving parts of their business to expand into those areas. Kind of like this magazine thing.

  17. Voices.com CEO

    November 19th, 2007 at 7:24 am

    It’s the Lulu for magazines. Could work…

  18. Mike

    November 19th, 2007 at 7:45 am

    @ Ideatagger and Brian. It is Shelfmade.net, not .com.

    It’s pretty rough for a Monday morning to find that google has patented the idea for your site.

    I thought that I was in the clear with them after this April Fools Day joke.
    http://google.about.com/gi/dyn...../more.html

    If there are any patent attorneys interested in this space, please contact me.

  19. Brandon

    November 19th, 2007 at 7:54 am

    Sounds like Gmail Paper but for real.

  20. matt

    November 19th, 2007 at 7:58 am

    interesting concept, Soon everything we do will be based on our search criteria within google.

    Subscribe to Google Magazine, it will create a custom mag based on what you search for last month…

    Subscribe to Google Netflix, get movies sent you based on your search criteria.

    Subscribe to Open Social, have google plan your weekend based on search criteria

    Subscribe to google books, same concept as above as I could go on and on…

    Never receive again receive unwanted products, or un-wanted total control?

  21. Greg

    November 19th, 2007 at 8:09 am

    There’s another company doing something extremely similar. Take a look http://www.shelfmade.net . ShelfMade also allows for the creation of personal magazines from internet content.

  22. Cavenger

    November 19th, 2007 at 8:41 am

    This may be a good move for Google. Seems like a sound concept.

  23. sumit

    November 19th, 2007 at 9:00 am

    I love every products that the good makes. i am always happy when they launch new stuffs..
    i hope this one comes too.

  24. RBA

    November 19th, 2007 at 9:24 am

    #22 … “the good”?

  25. Richard

    November 19th, 2007 at 10:37 am

    This patent was not issued to Google, it is a patent APPLICATION. Patent applications are published unless a request is made for nonpublicatin. A request was made by google to rescind a previous request not to publish. Nevetheless there is a link between Patent forecasting and Technology forecasting/business forecasting. Stay tuned at patentforecasting.com

  26. Deltorode

    November 19th, 2007 at 11:31 am

    ..and I hope this one come through..Image what this could change in the overscrusted, tweedy
    and old fashioned print & media industry!!! Great!!! Go for it!!!

  27. Deltorode

    November 19th, 2007 at 11:38 am

    …and why always Google has to be the innovator for these kind of media solutions…I really think “others” are sitting in there think tanks, but do not have the courage to commit and say: “Let´s do it!”…

  28. Deltorode

    November 19th, 2007 at 11:56 am

    …and finally a answer to this:

    November 18 2007
    Yahoo Newspaper Partnership Expands, Total Now 555

  29. Mike

    November 19th, 2007 at 12:01 pm

    Netvibes and everyone else who lets user customize webpages already does this. The user is already able to print the customized content and targeted ads.

  30. Slappenstance

    November 19th, 2007 at 2:08 pm

    We’ll probably have super thin wireless enabled in e-paper within the decade so magazines can just update themselves with new content and ads. No need for this.

  31. Eric

    November 19th, 2007 at 2:29 pm

    This is interesting, i am waiting for targeted billboard ads from google!

    Sent from my mobile using FeedM8

  32. Justin

    November 19th, 2007 at 2:37 pm

    Back in 2004, I worked on a project for Reason Magazine where we produced an issue with a personalized cover, letter from the editor, and ads for every subscriber (pulling in data relevant to their location).
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f.....A9629C8B63

    In the resulting press coverage, there was a large amount of discussion about fully customized magazines, ad models, pulling in articles from various sources, etc. Nonetheless, I’ve learned never to underestimate the ability of the patent office to ignore prior art or any rational standard of obviousness.

  33. Moe Glitz

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:00 pm

    What is it with these huge Corporations like Google, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and so on - that spend every year applying for thousands of new patent applications.
    Out of these applications I reckon at least 99.9 per cent of them will never see the light of day. All they are doing is trying to predict the future and looking at ways of preventing their main rivals from getting into future applications that may be a threat to their businesses.

    For example I may apply for a patent that allows Users to send psychical items through their broadband connections just by scanning the item first.
    Of course I may never build a proper working model from this, but if somebody else finds the right technology to do it, then my original patent could either become really valuable. Or I could use my patent to place a poison pill on their business operations.

    I think that there is no level playing field in applying for patents in the technology sector, especially if you are an individual or small start-up.
    The big corporations are now just applying for anything and everything which in the long term will stifle competition for new ideas from normal people.

    This is just Pac-man Patenting.

  34. SMS-uri de craciun

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:13 pm

    Yes, true “Customization of Content and Advertisements in Publications” to me sounds more like a “trying to predict the future and looking at ways of preventing their main rivals from getting into future applications” like Moe Glitz said.

  35. Omer Zach

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:16 pm

    This looks like it could actually be pretty cool. If this ever actually becomes a reality, I think that it would be important for Google not to charge extra for a printed version, although I don’t know if that is possible.

  36. Vinay

    November 19th, 2007 at 3:31 pm

    GMagazine in development :O ? :( Not again!

  37. Roy Osherove

    November 19th, 2007 at 4:09 pm

    That sounds like an already existing product called FeedJournal:
    http://www.feedjournal.com/
    I wonder if they will claim patent infringement.

    Roy

  38. John Asher

    November 19th, 2007 at 6:11 pm

    I really do not think anything devious is being done by google. They’re just covering all angles in their business model, similar to Microsoft in theirs. They go down one street and come across another. Looks like sound business to me.

  39. www.CARversation.com

    November 19th, 2007 at 9:19 pm

    whats next ads in my tooth paste in my mirrors, in my shoes, google is everywhere.

  40. bhc3

    November 19th, 2007 at 10:31 pm

    If this ever became real, here are things I’d want to see:

    1. Low-maintenance for consumers. I want to pick a category (model trains, solar energy, Britney Spears, etc.) and have articles populated to my magazine. Don’t make me pick specific articles. If I have to do that, I’ve likely read them and bookmarked them.

    2. Frequency - assuming there will be a decent volume of articles, I need this to be run pretty frequently. On demand production or selected frequency (e.g. every other day, weekly).

    3. Delivery. I’m assuming the target audience is not necessarily the most web-savvy. Initial thought is online delivery, but that would be an RSS reader, no? Snail mail would be fine. The kiosk idea is interesting. Consumer adoption would be an issue though. Stop your shopping to pick up that personalized magazine? Maybe…

    4. Quality. I can see this being the undoing of a personalized magazine. Much of the web content is quick hit stuff - perhaps not compelling for a magazine. Also, the entries are often part of a larger conversation the blogger is having with his readers. The Google magazine would be more like a newsletter. The quality and research applied to established publishers’ content would be available through…the traditional magazines. Perhaps the traditional publishers would release their content for this.

    Assuming the target audience is the less-than-tech-savvy segment, are they ready for the quick-hit, inconsistent quality that marks web content?

  41. aşk sevgi resimleri

    November 20th, 2007 at 6:11 am

    Sent from my mobile using FeedM8

  42. Eva Leonard

    November 20th, 2007 at 8:28 am

    For me, a big part of the delight in reading magazines (or Internet content, for that matter) is in stumbling across articles on topics that I previously had no idea that I would be interested in reading, thereby broadening my horizons.

  43. Geof

    November 20th, 2007 at 11:31 am

    This attempt is a lot like shoveling smoke when it comes to consumer utility. It shows a lack of Google understanding about both the technology of reading and the publishing process. There is a far more efficient and effective manner to deliver content in a reader accessible format that Google could monetize - and I say this having developed the most successful digital medium for print publications.

  44. Spam Fritter

    November 21st, 2007 at 5:55 am

    Productize? What the heck does that mean? Produce?

  45. claudio cannella

    November 21st, 2007 at 2:14 pm

    dear sirs
    every google enterprise looks interesting from inception and this is no exception but there are two things that i want to submit to your attention
    1) you talk about a GRANTED patent , that should , under law imply a patent number issued by USPTO , what we see here is just an application
    which means that the filing has been accepted but no even preliminary examination has been made and you link to application form
    This is of paramount importance : legally things have names
    2) as you probably know this implies agreements with the actual publishers of the news sources as law against deep link and free use of content is yet on validity in several countries like EG Danmark and Germany and on examination in other [silly as it may be it is law ]
    so while a search engine [and its spiders ] can scan news content the application outlined in the patent [which is not even new anyway ] may cross obstacles of several kinds before getting practical
    regards
    claudio cannella

  46. Mel

    November 25th, 2007 at 8:30 pm

    This exists already, it’s called BLOOKS.

  47. tapit

    December 10th, 2007 at 11:15 am

    Print on demand magazines. Brilliant! I can hardly wait…

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