Comments for Times Reader - Exclusive Screenshots Of As Yet Unreleased Microsoft App

Times Reader - Exclusive Screenshots Of As Yet Unreleased Microsoft App

2006-08-31T12:24:38Z

Times Reader is an upcoming new application from The New York Times and Microsoft, which lets users read the NY Times electronically using advanced screen reading technology from Microsoft. The app is due to be launched as a free beta soon - an article about it is now available at the NY Times' First Look Blog.

I got the chance to check out a prototype of Times Reader at the recent Microsoft TechEd conference in Auckland. Arik Cohen, a Program Manager on the Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly known as "Avalon") team, showed me how Times Reader works. I have screenshots taken from a screencast that Arik Cohen prepared after TechEd, but first a little detail about Times Reader - courtesy of the First Look Blog.

Times Reader was unveiled by Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Bill Gates in Seattle on April 28th this year. It will work online or offline - in a way that is said to be "an interesting mix of the print and Web reading experience." Windows XP or the current beta version of Windows Vista is a requirement to run Times Reader, because it uses the new Windows Presentation Foundation technology. However it will eventually run on the Mac, Linux and mobile devices - once Microsoft's "Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere" initiative is up and running on those platforms.

In the demo Arik showed me on his Tablet, I saw Times Reader resize and reflow content (including images) to best fit the screen or the reader's tastes. I was impressed with the slickness and smoothness of the re-sizing - it definitely will make reading text on a screen a lot easier. Another interesting thing is that the advertising is automatically re-sized according to the dimensions of the page - which is a great feature for media companies like the Times, because they can now assure advertisers that their ads will be optimally presented in Times Reader at all times.

You can also highlight text, add a note and then email it to someone. Plus you can organize your notes/annotations by topic. These features alone will be very useful to travelers who like to take notes on what they're reading (I do this all the time).

Another very cool feature is that when you do a search, the page automatically loads relevant Times articles below the search box - like it's a custom newspaper page forming before your very eyes.

All in all, I came away from the demo very impressed by Times Reader. I can see this being used a lot by Tablet-wielding professionals.

Here are some screenshots of Times Reader in action:

Frontpage of NY Times on Times Reader

Sports article on Andre Agassi at this week's US Open

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This shot shows some advertising (bottom right), which can be re-sized according to page layout at the time

Highlighting text, to note or annotate.

Right-clicking shows menu options for creating text notes and more

An example of a note

Emailing article and note

Search and the results forming automatically beneath

Comment from Phillip Pearson on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T13:41:46Z

Interesting... I saw a presentation from a few guys from Microsoft, talking about reflowing newspaper-like content, at WDA2003 in Edinburgh:

http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~wda2003/

http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~wda2003/Papers/Section_II/Paper_6.pdf

I wonder if there's any connection.

Comment from David on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T15:57:25Z

this is a very intersting article!
but all the Kudos should go to the NYT for putting together such an exciting applications taking advntage of the new technology. thx for sharing

Comment from TQ White II on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T17:14:22Z

Does anyone really expect that people will use an application to read a newspaper that is received from the web? I'm sorry, that horse has left the barn. I just can't believe anyone would ever use anything except for a web browser.

Though a nice page flow experience would be great. The only way it will happen is if they create it in Flash or some other ubiqitous platform.

Comment from michael arrington on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T18:48:18Z

"Times Reader is an upcoming new application from The New York Times and Microsoft, which lets users read the NY Times electronically using advanced screen reading technology from Microsoft."

Isn't a browser an application that lets users read the NY Times electronically?

Comment from Kevin C. Tofel on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T18:53:27Z

Sure it is Mike, but are the browsers providing the rendering control that I expect the Times Reader to provide? How about highlighting? They could do it, and I suspect that Times Reader at it's core is a browser-like app, but it appears to be a more specific application of that app. Just my initial thoughts as a mobile technologist and long-time eBook and digital mag reader.

Comment from Abby on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T19:56:00Z

Free or paid?

Comment from Ashish on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T20:52:41Z

If you look closely at the screenshots you will see that the text is laid out in columns, the kind you're used to seeing in print magazines and newspapers, not in your typical content in a browser. Also notice the auto-hyphenation...often overlooked and non-existent in reading content online. For instance, look how the Agassi article when resized, shows words split up and hyphenated when they're at the trailing edge of the columns. Now, show me a browser that does that.

Kudos to the Times for making this jump to using Windows Presentation Foundation, which offers several features to make better reading experiences possible. Reading: isn't that what most people spend most of their time online doing?

Comment from Juha on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T21:14:53Z

The Evil Troll in me wonders if the Reader didn't come about because Microsoft is unable to add full, standards compliant CSS support in IE which in turn would perform the required rendering of pages.

Also, is Reader really that much different from Adobe PDF? Errm, Display PostScript anyone?

Comment from Richard MacManus on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T21:14:54Z

On the browser vs WPF app issue, Kevin and Ashish summed up the differences well. I'll also note that NY Times specifically wanted a newspaper-like reading experience - with the columns, fonts, readibility, etc. So they probably felt a browser didn't quite give them that, hence the decision to create a rich desktop app. Personally I think this is the right move for NY Times - because of their premium brand, their subscribers won't mind downloading an app to get a premium reading experience.

Comment from Zaine Ridling on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T23:04:20Z

Oh goody, like I want to read the conservative pabulum spewed by the NYTimes; the same people who thought Bush's spying and fake WMDs were trifles that could be printed more than a year after writing the stories. NOT!

Comment from Tony on 2006-08-31

2006-08-31T23:55:44Z

This sounds like something I would seek out and try. No mention of whether it is free or subscription only in what I read above. I would like to see others adopt this system if it works out. I currently read the Investors Business Daily IBD online in PDF and sometimes in their electronic format. I also get a few magazines in Zinio...

Comment from Patmore F Douglas on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T00:17:11Z

Juha,

The Times Reader has Cleartype that goes a long way to making reading on the computer screen easier. In addition, Adobe PDFs are essentially sealed whereas the content in the Times reader is dynamic - meaning that it is contiually updated. The reader also has interactive ads, hyperlinked content, and has the potential to become very, very sophisticated - in part because it is not held back Web Standards. Here (http://www.microsoft.com/winme/0605/27748/ASNE_MBR.asx) is a link to a video that includes a demo of the Times reader. (The demo is about 30 minutes into the video, so you can jump ahead to the demo in the video if you want.)

Comment from Lady on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T00:25:00Z

This isn't new. Perhaps it is new with Microsoft putting their name on it, but this reader has been offered from the New Times and used this for quite some time over a year ago. At that time Microsoft was not connected to this.

Comment from Marc on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T01:04:44Z

Not held back by Web Standards?! NOT HELD BACK BY WEB STANDARDS?! Web Standards are held because of f-ing Microsoft! Web Standards would be able to do all this and more if it wasn't for the fact that Microsoft has been dragging its feet on support for web standards for years now. Maybe if Microsoft had used their investment of resources to rebuild Internet Explorer with full support for both XHTML 1.0, XHTML 1.1, and CSS2.1 this supposedly new "Windows Presentation" format wouldn't even be necessary to create such a rich reading environment. But of course, as always, Microsoft is more concerned about being able to brand such capabilities.

What a crock!

Comment from Nigel Parker on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T01:48:51Z

Following on from Patmores response to Juha...

He mentioned Cleartype support in WPF... this IMO is a huge advancement in the platform and in readibility! Check out this ligatures support - http://fortes.com/2005/10/26/ed-interlock. If you are a real font nut make sure you also check out this video with Bill Hill - http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=146749

IMO you can't go past the "" control. This control provides the zooming, auto columns, sub pixel clear type font and search of text... you need to see it on an lcd to see how sharp it really is.

With regards to PDF a scaled down version of this technology does provide an alternative that is the XML Paper Specification.... http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps.

As a side note I posted a demo reel today - http://blogs.msdn.com/nigel/archive/2006/09/01/734282.aspx - that showcases other WPF aps that Microsoft and our partners are working on.

Comment from Patmore F Douglas on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T02:13:03Z

As a general principle, technologies spearheaded by committees take a longer time to develop, and are almost invariably fraught by politics. So even if MS acted perfectly, there would have been little chance a solution such as the Times Reader could be implemented in the browser. (There is a significant amount of proprietary technology in the browser not found in XHTML 1.0, XHTML 1.1, or CSS2.1. As I indicated before, there is Cleartype. There is also special kerning technology, etc.) It is far better that standards committees work on the smallest set of standards they can get away with (e.g. web services, HTML) to support important things like interoperability, and allow companies to create proprietary solutions around them (e.g. Java, Flash, Apollo, WPF, WPF/E).

Comment from Patmore F Douglas on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T02:15:20Z

Sorry, I meant to say, "There is a significant amount of proprietary technology in the [Times Reader]"

Comment from Juha on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T04:42:13Z

Patmore: Cleartype is built into Windows and while Adobe Reader doesn't make use of it, browsers can. Cleartype is nice, but it's not the main feature of Times Reader surely?

Seems we're talking about a "WPF Internet browser" then. I can see where this is going actually, and it explains perhaps why IE only got an overhaul, and not a total spruce-up.

How does the Times Reader work? Does it download XML files with presentation markup plus content that is then rendered with WPF?

Comment from Nigel Parker on 2006-08-31

2006-09-01T06:11:26Z

Juha - I missed seeing you at Tech.Ed Auckland.

I don't know the answer to this (re the architecture of the Times Reader) and I think it's best to leave to Arik or someone on the WPF team to answer.

I'd assume the content is available as an rss feed and that the reader just databinds to the feed.
I don't believe there is any presentation mark-up in the feed. The flowcontrol component in XAML looks after that... and properties such as ColumnGap FontFamily and Anchors do the rest.

That said WPF and Web are distinct technologies although the lines are blurring between web and smart client as you have picked up yourself. Microsoft is backing BOTH technologies heavily.

A couple of places to look to learn more...

ARC209 - Microsoft Client Strategy - http://download.microsoft.com/download/
5/5/5/5552dff1-4854-411a-b0f6-d102d77371c0/ARC209.ppt (11.1MB) - Presenter :- Brenton Webster

Windows Presentation Foundation: Introduction -
http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?
EventID=1032298156&EventCategory=5&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

Comment from Nat on 2006-09-01

2006-09-01T12:30:22Z

The Times Reader is, at its core, an RSS reader on presentation steroids. The reader syncs to an extended, authenticated rss2.0 feed which contains content in NITF format + xaml for presentation. The NITF content is converted on the fly to WPF presentation.

It's fast and fun to use. And it's unlike any other RSS or newsreader out there because of its readability and presentation. There's no panning or zooming (well there is zoom for text size but it's not required to bring all of the content into view). This is a scrollbar-free experience since everything is laid out in the window exactly per screen size - and not one pixel more. Ads, when placed, are fully visible (no clipping). And ads work offline or online.

In fact, this could've been a nice browser-hosted application but the offline features make it a better standalone application.

Devices and adaptability - the Times Reader works great on everything from a tiny Sony Vaio with a 4in screen to a slate Tablet to a massive 30 or 50in Plasma screen. You can drive navigation with a mouse, keyboard, DPad control, a remote control, or touch gestures. If you have Vista, speech works pretty well too.

Look, this doesn't solve the world's problems. But this is a nice little reader that moves the bar on readability and presentation. We need client apps like Picasa, Keyhole, Vongo, and Times Reader to blaze a trail on innovation. The good features eventually get included in the next generation browsers.

Comment from Patmore F Douglas on 2006-09-01

2006-09-01T12:45:32Z

Juha,

A program manager from MS working on the Times Reader, mentions a few things concerning what you were asking in the following video.

http://www.on10.net/Blogs/TheShow/3392/

Comment from bowerbird on 2006-09-01

2006-09-01T20:02:02Z

first of all, give my regards to bill hill...

now, um, gee, i would be a _lot_ more impressed
with those "reflow" capabilities if the app was
smart enough to downsize the text of the "agassi"
headline in order to copy-fit it onto one line,
as no respectable layout-designer would allow it
to go out the way it looks now, especially since
so few major screenshots have been leaked.

but maybe that's planned for the 2.1 version...

-bowerbird

Comment from Juha on 2006-09-01

2006-09-01T23:09:21Z

OK... as a former typography geek I am impressed by Kevin Gjerstad's demo. It is, dare I say it, Microsoft displaying (NPI) some real innovation for a change.

Shouldn't this be made more widely available?

Comment from Patmore F Douglas on 2006-09-01

2006-09-01T23:49:01Z

MS will be coming out with a lite version of WPF called WPF/E (i.e. Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere). The framework should be available on just about any platform that wants it - including the Mac, Linux, and devices such as Smartphones. The NYT plans to use WPF/E to come out with versions of the Times Reader for other platforms.

Comment from Joe on 2006-09-05

2006-09-05T15:28:35Z

On the WPF/E point. I understand that flow layout was dropped from the WPF/E spec (as per Channel9 videos on WPF/E). I would imagine that this would make it hard to port this app to WPF/E.

Comment from Michael G. Emmons on 2006-09-27

2006-09-27T22:25:52Z

To Comment #3 by TH White:

Does anyone really expect that people will use an application to read a newspaper that is received from the web?

Two points here. First, most WPF applications can be deployed as XBAP and be hosted in the browser, much like Flash applications. So, there isn't a hard requirement that the browser need be downloadable. Second, the reason people will use such applications is because they add value far beyond what standard web browsing will allow.

Michael G. Emmons
http://xamlxaml.com

Comment from Michael G. Emmons on 2006-09-27

2006-09-27T22:31:52Z

In response to comment #13 by Lady:

That is incorrect. This is a completely new application with new technology and is not in any way, shape, or form part of an old NYT reader application. This reader has been developed using Microsoft's new soon to be released development platform and uses Windows Presentation Technology (WPF), XAML, and the .NET 3.0 Framework.