Web-to-Print Missing Link Revealed in Chicago

Sept. 12, 2009 - PRLog -- Walnut Creek, CA — Two new publishing applications from Silicon Publishing, Inc., will be on display from September 11 to 16 at the Print ’09 convention in Chicago.

The two tools, Silicon Designer™ and Silicon Reader™, represent the latest breakthroughs in technology for publishing and authoring online. “Silicon Publishing looks to have created a solution that fills in ‘the missing link’ with web-to-print challenges faced by many,” said Dan Ablett of ABG Marketing and Business Communications, a longstanding Silicon Publishing client.

Silicon Designer combines creative authoring freedom with reliable PDF output using Adobe® InDesign® CS4 Server to offer an online, drag-and-drop editor that you can integrate into your existing storefront or document management system.

Silicon Reader lets you view document pages online like real pages of a book. With this interactive, rich-media, page-turning technology, you can eliminate redundant production workflows to publish online what has already been meticulously designed for print.

“We looked at what our clients need, jumped on the latest technology updates, and teamed up again with friends at Adobe and XMPie,” said Max Dunn, CEO. “The result is more multi-channel publishing power than ever before, with two superb tools that provide the level of quality our products are known for.”

Both are based on the Adobe Flash platform and can integrate with Adobe InDesign CS4 Server, XMPie®, or Adobe Scene7®.

Edit Print-Ready Files Online with Silicon Designer

Unprecedented Creative Freedom Online
Silicon Designer users can enjoy the creative power of InDesign in an online, drag-and-drop editor, with the full range of blend effects including drop shadows, glow, blur and transparency.

Custom iPhone Storefronts
Silicon Designer lets you create custom storefronts for the iPhone that allow customers to personalize and order printed products while they’re on the go.

Easy-to-Manage Templates
Silicon Designer lets organizations create and manage rich, complex media on the web. They can upload documents initially authored in Adobe InDesign for online editing through a Silicon Designer Flash interface.

Reliable Output for Cross Media
Silicon Designer can generate static or variable files for print, web, and mobile devices. It retains highest quality in every final product.

Role-Based Editing Levels
In addition to free-form editing, the robust Silicon Designer engine allows for controlled authoring based on role. While administrators can change templates and radically alter designs, end users can be constrained to have limited control, for example being able to choose images without the privilege of repositioning them.

Private-Label Integration
Silicon Designer can be licensed for branding so publishers can offer customers do-it-yourself tools. It is designed specifically to be able to integrate with existing web-to-print storefronts on the front-end and many workflow systems on the back-end.

View Interactive Documents Online with Silicon Reader

Silicon Reader is a Flash-based, dynamic document reader. Automatic conversion of Adobe PDF or InDesign documents turns print-ready source data into dynamic web and mobile content with virtually no loss of quality.

When recipients choose to decline paper and instead receive information enhanced by the dynamic, interactive document-viewing features of Silicon Reader, print costs can be reduced, or even eliminated, without changing the production process or workflow.  

Silicon Reader can be licensed for branding so printers or publishers can deliver content in an enhanced, interactive format online.

Silicon Reader features include:
•   rich content and layout
•   page-turning
•   automatic conversion of Adobe InDesign files
•   automatic conversion of Adobe PDF files from any source
•   hyperlinks, embedded video, bookmarks, annotation
•   precise zoom and navigation
•   advanced administrator interface
•   Adobe Flash publisher tools, techniques, and effects
•   batch or per-request processing
•   delivery as personalized documents with variable elements throughout
•   server-side or client-side personalization and customization with any skin

More to Come from Silicon Publishing

Silicon Publishing programmers are continuing work on future releases of both applications. “We’re pursuing an ambitious roadmap for the future,” Dunn reported, “with the support of several large organizations that have already become early adopters of these products.”

Contact:
Aaron Hodges, Silicon Publishing, Inc.

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Silicon Publishing is an Adobe Solution provider, providing composition automation and web-to-print development services. Silicon Publishing resells Adobe InDesign Server and Scene7, with two integrated applications: Silicon Reader and Silicon Designer.