So, how do Ryuzine Machine and the Ryuzine reader web apps compare to the increasing competition in the self-service e-publishing sector?  The following two tables show you how our web apps – both technically still in beta – stack up.

* In order to sell through iBookstore you need to have an iBookstore Account, a copy of iTunes Producer, an active contract with iTunes Store, a bank account registered to recieve electronic payments from iTunes, an ISBN for each title, and a US Tax ID. Additionally, any .ibooks file you create with iBooks Author for sale cannot be sold anywhere but the iBookstore (terms apply to the file itself, not the content).

During development of Ryuzine a decision was made to not reproduce within the app those features which are already built into most web browsers.  For example, multiple bookmarks and bookmark management is done with the browser’s bookmarking tools.  Searching text is another example.  For other features such as bookmark syncing, highlighting, or annotation Ryuzine readers have the freedom to use any one of many plugins or online services to accomplish those tasks.  Even within the web app itself you have the option of using any widgets, scripts, or plugins you want to use.  No installations, no DRM, no App Stores.  This is what the web is supposed to be like.

What About Professional Layout Software?

Quark XPress 9 ($899) can create magazine apps for the iPad and iPad 2.  To publish and distribute through Apple’s App Store you also need a License Pack which varies in price from one issue ($349) to 24 issues ($6,799).  Templates cost extra for a single issue ($149), multiple issues of one title ($749), and multiple issues of multiple titles ($1,499).

Adobe InDesign CS 5.5 ($699) users can also purchase the extra Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. The “Single Edition” ($395) can also create magazine apps for the iPad and iPad 2.  ”Professional Monthly Edition” ($495) creates them for iPad, iPad2, Android Tablets, Amazone Kindle Fire, BlackBerry Playbook, and Desktop.  There is also a “Professional Edition Annual” ($5,940) and “Enterprise Edition” ($47,940).

Both these digital publishing options deliver content to the devices through the platform’s respective “app stores.”  For iPad publications there is also the possibility Apple will reject the publication, and if you can’t distribute it in through their App Store you can’t distribute it for the iPad at all.  Google, Amazon, and RIM’s apps stores are more forgiving, but you’re still asking your readers to purchase, download, and install a magazine on devices that often do not have a lot of storage space to spare.  In addition to the overhead just to start publishing, for each sale, the app stores will also take a percentage of whatever you charge for the publication.

If your point is to get a digital magazine in the hands of your mobile and desktop readers and not spend a small fortune doing it, Ryuzine is your cost-effective solution.  Distribution is via the web just like any other site, which also means Ryuzine targets a wide range of devices and platforms from desktops to tablets to phones.  No app stores, no app to download and install since the browser already installed on the device is the “reader app,” no requirement for an additional expensive Authoring application, plus Ryuzine is FREE to use if you aren’t making money off of it, and if you are making money the “Commercial Use License” is an incredibly reasonable one-time flat fee per title – no matter how many issues of that title you may publish or how much revenue it generates for you.

As these two tables above demonstrate, the Ryuzine Machine and Ryuzine web apps offer publishing and reading experiences on par with (and we’d argue even better than) the other options presently available, but without the restrictions.  So if you want to start putting together your own Ryuzine publications DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDK right now!