MagCloud

From skateboards to toys, the Web 2.0 world of make-on-demand continues to expand for a populace that runs on a mixture of Adderall and instant gratification. Magcloud is just one of the latest in the trend, a print-on-demand service where you upload a PDF and they print you a real, professional paper magazine with saddle-stitched covers. You can order as little as a single issue printed with the Indigo printers developed by HP (MagCloud is an HP Labs project). If you, like me, grew up in the era of zines and got a job at OfficeMax to use the copy machine and long-reach stapler, MagCloud is an interesting endeavor in outsourcing the DIY aesthetic (which makes it more like DIT — Do-It-Themselves). I have to admit I’m kind of excited about it though, and am already brainstorming ways to use the technology. The project is still in the beta phase, but fully usable for those with a major credit card and a US address.