The New State of the Art

NEXT MONTH, WARDSAUTO WORLD launches as a digital only publication. If you have not read the digital edition yet, you should fire it up on your PC, laptop or tablet computer right now (wardsauto.com/digital). It's more fun and engaging than any print publication could ever hope to be.

If you're like me, you will see immediately that digital magazines are the wave of the future. Almost every major magazine in the world has launched a digital version or plans to. It's easy to see why.

User-friendly digital magazine designs, better computer screens, and the Apple iPad and computer tablet revolution are energizing magazines. They are bringing back the pleasure of browsing through a publication full of brilliant colors and detailed illustrations. That's especially true for a publication that leans to the technical side such as WardsAuto World.

Besides having all the content of the standard print publication, the digital edition also has embedded videos and other features from Ward's 10 Best Engines and the Ward's Auto Interiors conference.

As we go forward, the magazine will feature additional multi-media coverage of these and other special Ward's events as we take full advantage of the new digital platform's capabilities. For instance, next month we'll be increasing the standard type size for optimal on-screen reading.

As always, if you want to further enlarge the type on each page, all you have to do is scroll the thumbwheel on your computer mouse; hit the “plus” key on your laptop or the usual functions on your tablet.

With digital pages, you can look forward to seeing bigger, more detailed photos, diagrams and illustrations that you can zoom in and analyze.

Check out the advertisements, too. Most are linked to informative websites and videos.

Every aspect of the digital edition is interactive. Just click or tap on a cover blurb or title in the table of contents and suddenly you are on the page. Links to related stories all are live and will deliver you to WardsAuto.com, the most comprehensive source for auto industry news and data.

And best of all, the digital magazine is free. Just watch your email for the WardsAuto World digital edition.

If you are not already seeing the emails, go to wardsauto.com/digital to provide your address and check out the digital magazine.

Email me and let me know what you think and what new features you would like to see.
[email protected]