Blurb has announced major improvements to its ebook offering today. The enhanced Adobe InDesign plug-in allows designers and photographers to optimise their ebooks for the iPad using an online editing tool. This new functionality allows users to create ebooks in ‘fixed format’, which ensures they will be recreated identically on the iPad. “We’ve been hearing from our Adobe InDesign users that they want a straightforward way to design and create beautiful books for the iPad that respect their design decisions. So, we are truly delighted to respond with such a rich set of capabilities including the new plug-in for fixed format ebook creation, free online editing tools, plus the ability to sell their ebooks for profit in the Blurb bookstore” said Eileen Gittins, CEO of Blurb.

Blurb Press Release

Blurb enables Adobe InDesign users to design ebooks for the iPad

New offering allows users to design, sell, and share graphically rich ebooks for iPad® at Blurb.co.uk

18 July 2012, London - Blurb, the creative publishing and marketing company, today announced massive improvements to its ebook platform and plug-in for Adobe® InDesign®. A key feature in the update enables creative professionals to create ebooks which display on the iPad® exactly as they were designed.

The enhanced Adobe® InDesign® plug-in allows designers and photographers to optimise their ebooks for the iPad using an online editing tool. This new functionality allows users to create ebooks in ‘fixed format’, which ensures they will be recreated identically on the iPad. This tool was created in response to the limited options for authors of graphically rich ebooks that exist in the market today - the majority of ebook tools available are designed for text heavy books, so do not respect the layout and design of the file. Users can also make use of the new preview function to confirm how their book will display on the iPad before purchase.

For creative professionals, ebooks represent a growing distribution channel and an additional revenue stream, as well as driving broader exposure and awareness. For a limited time, Blurb ebooks for the iPad can be created for free.

The key features of the update are:

·      iPad Preview: Preview how books will look on the iPad before purchase

·      iPad Optimisation: Optimise ebooks for iPad, resulting in a higher-quality, more commercially viable product

·      ebook Editor: Adjust layouts, edit and format text and images and delete pages

·      ebook Bookstore: Share, promote and sell ebooks for profit

·      ebook Friendly Fonts: Use sourced popular and legible fonts, royalty free

“We’ve been hearing from our Adobe InDesign users that they want a straightforward way to design and create beautiful books for the iPad that respect their design decisions.  So, we are truly delighted to respond with such a rich set of capabilities including the new plug-in for fixed format ebook creation, free online editing tools, plus the ability to sell their ebooks for profit in the Blurb bookstore” said Eileen Gittins, CEO of Blurb.

“We have seen the beautiful print books that these users have created using the first edition of Blurb’s InDesign plug-in and honestly, many of these books have been spectacular.  Now we’re putting these new ebook creation tools in the hands of such talented people - and then having a front row seat to see how these creative people advance the art and design of ebooks…it doesn’t get much better than that.”

The enhanced Adobe InDesign plug-in is an extension of the company’s current integration with Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 4, which offers a seamless experience by providing the tools directly within Lightroom 4 “Book module” to create professional-quality photography books.

Customers who have already created a print book using Blurb will also now be able to easily convert those books into ebooks via the new plug-in – giving creative professionals a new channel to distribute their work.

For more information, please visit blurb.co.uk

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