Computer and Library Learning (Archived)

Facebook announced its acquisition of Push Pop Press, a digital book publisher with a specialization in interactive books designed for the Apple iPad and iPhone. The books have a “movie-like” feel using interactive graphics with words strategically placed. Push Pop Press is the digital publisher of Al Gore’s book Our Choice. The Our Choice app used a combination of Al Gore’s narrative, interactive graphics, animations, documentary footage, and photography with a multi-touch interface. Push Pop Press indicated on its website that Facebook does not intend to publish digital books but rather to integrate “the ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press” and give people value-added means to share stories. Push Pop Press has no plans to continue publishing new titles but the Our Choice app will remain available to buy with future proceeds going to the Climate Reality Project chaired by Al Gore.

Why buy Push Pop Press? Speculation abounds with the reasons being many or few. Facebook has an entertainment component including video games (like Farmville) and streaming movies in co-operation with Warner Brothers. Many Facebook users invest many hours playing games through the site and now have the opportunity to spend time there watching movies. Increased usage and time spent on the site will result in larger advertising revenues for Facebook as other companies showcase their products and services. Facebook users are familiar with promoting their “likes” through the site. Some of the talented Push Pop Press software engineers are going to work for Facebook. Various commentators have wondered whether publishers should be worrying about this development with a Guardian writer noting that certain building blocks for a “social newspaper” have been put in place. Time will tell…