YUDU Blog

YUDU Wins Award for Customer Engagement

Brian — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:54:52 +0000

One thing that has been consistent here at YUDU is the awards. Over the last several years, we have been recognized several times for our efforts to bring the publishing industry into the 21st century. Recently, we have been lucky enough to add another new trophy to our case.

At the recent industry event, Catalogue Exchange/ECMOD 2009 Supplier Awards, YUDU SmartCat won Most Innovative Solution for Online Customer Engagement. YUDU SmartCat is the new dynamic eCatalogue management system from YUDU Media that links product codes, product descriptions and prices in real time ensuring eCommerce sites and online catalogues are fully integrated and display the same data at all times. It also also gives catalogue marketers a variety of swift product ordering options for the user as well as letting marketers display different prices to different customers.

YUDU SmartCat was only launched earlier this month and it is already picking up accolades. This is just one more confirmation that we continue to deliver great value to the marketplace. Thank you to all who support what we do.

Darwin vs. Animal Activists

Brian — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Though Charles Darwin lived 150 years ago, his philosophies are still the topic of heated discussion worldwide. A recent publication on YUDU.com takes a new look at Darwin’s teaching and contrasts those against popular animal activist arguments today.

Matthew Watkinson spent 8 years as a veterinary surgeon before coming to the realization that he might be fighting natural selection, “thus making welfare problems worse, not better.” In his new book, On the Destiny of Species by Means of Natural Selection, Watkinson examines the “conservation (the preservation of unfavoured races) and Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection (the elimination of unfavoured races).” He published this work exactly 150 years after Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.

Watkinson and his publishing company, Fish Snorkel, have published a chapter from On the Destiny of Species for free on YUDU.com as a teaser. Check it out at http://www.yudu.com/item/details/90112 and decide for yourself whether activists are merely delaying the inevitable.

The full book is available for purchase at http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=1033

Are You a Cheater?

Brian — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:58:53 +0000

No, we are not referring to loose morals or artificially inflated school grades. This kind of cheating can be done with a clear conscience. In How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS4, Chris Georgeness teaches us the tips and tricks that can save hours worth of work as well as how to trick your audience into seeing what you want them to see.

For those who don’t know, Adobe Flash is the technology upon which much of the animation on the web is built. In fact, when you view a digital document on YUDU.com, you are using Adobe Flash technology.

For those who want the inside scoop on how to get the most out of Adobe Flash, check out How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS4. It could save you some time and some sanity.

Inside The Ring

Brian — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:38:32 +0000

Do you ever stare at someone in public wondering how easy it would be to lift them over your head and ram their head into the ground in a pile driver? When a fight breaks out, do you instantly look for a folding chair? Do you often find yourself suppressing an urge to wear Spandex and colorful masks? Then The Wrestling Press is for you.

The Wrestling Press is a free online publication for Pro Wrestling fans. The September 2009 issue has a lead article about John Cena, off and on Champion of WWE. In the article, author Charlie Reneke lays out arguments both for and against Cena as one to cheer or scorn. There are articles that argue the merits of celebrity hosts and interviews with up and coming wrestlers.

If you would like to see more wrestling-dedicated publications, check out PWPed’s Library on YUDU.com. There is no better place to get your wrestling fix than on YUDU.

Making Science Fiction into Reality

Brian — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:19:46 +0000

All of us have a little “geek” hidden deep within the inner recesses of our psyche. It is that geek side of us that gets excited every time there is a Star Wars marathon on television or the latest fantasy blockbuster movie is released into theaters. It is that geek in all of us that always wanted to know how laser guns might become a reality some day or if we might eventually figure out to beam a human being from one location to another.

In the meantime, there are true “geeks” making fantasy into reality through models and replicas, as highlighted in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Modeller Magazine. The latest volume, for example, showcases a model of the Batmobile - Dark Knight style - as well as a lunar module model for the upcoming movie, Moon.

For volume 14 as well as a few previous volumes, check out the Happy Medium Press Library on YUDU.com. Better yet, share some of your own “geeky” interests on YUDU.com.

Vacationing Up Close

Brian — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:34:25 +0000

There is nothing that brings vacation destinations up close and personal like a walking vacation. The Wayfarers have been doing walking vacations since 1984. As it says in its eBrochure, “At the Wayfarers we seek to forge our own path, providing a walking vacation that is different, distinctive and highly respectful of the environment and the culture of the local communities we are privileged to visit.”

Whether you are looking to visit Jane Austen country in the rolling hills of England or the stunning backdrop of South Island in New Zealand, a walking vacation provides an opportunity to connect with your surroundings like never before.

If you are interested in a walking vacations, check out The Wayfarers eBrochure on YUDU.com. Each page has information about an individual walking tour and is hyperlinked to more information on the company website.

Visit YUDU at the World of Learning Conference

Brian — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:33:58 +0000

YUDU Media will be exhibiting at the World of Learning in NEC Birmingham, UK from 30 September - 1 October, 2009. At the show, we will be showcasing YUDU Pro technology for anyone interested in creating digital catalogues, text books, prospectuses, training manuals, and any publication used in learning and education.

If you are interested in learning about how YUDU Media can help you improve your training, increase learning retention, and reduce costs, come visit us at the show. YUDU Media will be in stand F120. You can register for free by visiting http://www.learnevents.com/exhibition-registration–register-now.php. You can also learn more about YUDU in education by reading our Learning Brochure.

20 Years After the Fall of the Wall

Brian — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:02:27 +0000

Most of us remember where we were the day the Berlin wall fell. We all knew we were witnessing something special, something historic. However, it is not often that we get to hear the first hand account of those who witnessed the fall of the Iron Curtain first hand and those grew up in its shadow.

Now on YUDU.com is the uncorrected proof version of “The Wall in My Head: Words and Images From the Fall of the Iron Curtain.” This compelling anthology is a collection fiction, essays, images, and historical documents that reflect on this momentous occasion which occurred 2 decades ago. According to the description, “The Wall In My Head provides a unique view into the change, optimism, and confusion that came with 1989 and examines how each of these has weathered the twenty years since that fateful year.”

To read “The Wall In My Head” and other compelling works, visit YUDU.com and explore the library. You’re bound to find something that grabs you. Tell us about some of your favorite works on YUDU.

YUDU Launches Virtual Newsstand - YUDU Store

Brian — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:52:12 +0000

Are you looking for a single place to read all of your favorite magazines online? Are you interested in finding interesting magazines to read from around the world? Are you a publisher looking to increase your global reach while lowering your costs? Look no further than YUDU Store.

This new service, designed by the award-winning creators of YUDU.com and YUDU Pro in conjunction with some of the UK’s leading publishing houses, will be launching Tuesday September 1st. Magazine publishers will now be able to host their editions online and utilize secure subscription tools to drive traffic to, and monetize, their online publications.

According to a recent release, YUDU Store will benefit consumers by providing:

A wide selection of titles from some of the UK’s leading publishers
New innovative subscribers’ clubs with interactive pages such as forums and polls, alongside access to magazines’ back catalogues
Traditional payment methods including single issue and fixed term subscriptions (alongside the subscribers’ clubs)
A smart navigation system letting consumers quickly find their chosen magazine

In addition, YUDU Store will provide publishers:

Multiple streams of revenue including extra advertising space
Free distribution of all advertising copies reducing financial and environmental costs for the publisher
75:25 revenue share
Built-in communication with consumers through the new subscribers’ clubs, designed to assist marketing managers
Marketing support including free flash banners for advertising purposes
Weekly and monthly in-depth reports containing unit sales, demographics, ad clicks and individual article popularity figures

If you are looking for the future of magazine publishing, look no further than YUDU Store.

Cuddle Up With a Good Techno-Thriller

Brian — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:40:08 +0000

As we discussed in our last blog post, many authors today are choosing to self-publish their books, reports, and white papers. Those authors wanting to save on printing costs, improve distribution, and add extra WOW to their publications are turning to YUDU.com for digital publishing.

The latest novel that is quickly climbing the charts on YUDU.com is Null_Pointer by Ken McConnell. This techno-thriller is a Joshua Jones mystery involving murder, programming code, and the Internet. When the man in the cubicle next to him is found dead of an apparent heart attack, Jones must unravel a mystery that involves “a psychotic hacker who can strike through the internet, leaving no trace.”

If you are interested in a quick read that will leave your blood pumping, check out Null_Pointer by Ken McConnell. As of this blog post, it has climbed from number 35 to number 25 on the YUDU.com list of top publications in a matter of a single day. Check out Null_Pointer and other great content at YUDU.com