Last night, when I downloaded the latest issue of Time Magazine for my iPad mini (March 17, 2014), I had no idea about the treat that was waiting for me.

The cover is a 360-degree panorama from the top of the Freedom Tower (The One World Trade Center) in New York. As I tapped and moved my index finger on the cover, I could explore the city below. This is something that could never be done with a paper edition of the publication.

I have been a big fan of iPad-compatibile publishing for some time now. I subscribe to Time, Popular Photography, c't Digital Photography, the San Francisco Chronicle, and others, plus USA Today, which is free. Publishers have continued to improve their offerings, making periodical reading on the iPad more than just convenient... it's compelling.

In my mind, this latest issue of Time is a watershed moment. My hope is that people will try these publications and see that the change from paper to digital isn't just an inevitable economic decision, but can actually move the periodical medium forward.

As a bonus treat, here's a behind the scenes about making the GigaPan image.

The iPad version of Time Magazine has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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