Times Internet Brings Tweek, A Tablet Magazine For India

Times Internet Limited (TIL) has launched Tweek, what it calls India's first Tablet magazine which can be accessed on an iPad, Tweek will soon be launched for the iPhone and Android devices. The application has been developed in partnership with GENWI, a cloud-based mobile publishing  platform GENWI.

The weekly tablet magazine will feature stories from around the world across business, entertainment, lifestyle and sports. Keeping an urban perspective, its interactive format will allow readers to instantly share stories through social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, and also share their feedback with the Tweek team. Tweek will also enable its readers to access content in a multimedia format.

Tweek comes free of cost for all the tablet users now, the firm will make it a paid service eventually.

Rishi Khiani, chief executive officer, Times Internet Limited, said, "Tweek's content will be kept fresh and relevant by the large database of content available within the TIL network. With its launch, we intend to pioneer the tablet magazine space in India."

TIL is part of the country's largest media group Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd.

Given the flexibility of GENWI's mobile content management system, the partnership with GENWI will allow TIL to deliver a magazine-like experience on an app.

PJ Gurumohan, founder and CEO, GENWI said, "With the power of the cloud, Tweek will save time and production costs by reusing design layouts from week to week--all in standard web-based protocols such as HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. But, the most groundbreaking aspect of the application is the way it surfaces existing content and takes full advantage of the tablet experience to create higher levels of reader engagement and the flexibility to explore new monetisation channels."

GENWI had last October raised $4 million in series A funding, led by Nexus Venture Partners. The company had earlier raised seed funding of $1.1 million from Inventus Capital Partners and Quest Venture Partners, who also participated in the last round of funding. The firm's angel investors include Inventus Capital's Manu Rekhi and John Dougery Sr., besides Manish Chandra, chief executive and co-founder of Kaboodle (acquired by Hearst in 2007).

Co-founded by PJ Gurumohan, Rahul Patel and Raju Sagiraju in 2010, GENWI enables publishers to create and manage interactive, social, and live media apps on various platforms.

Last year, media moghul Rupert Murdoch led News Corporation had launched a Tablet newspaper, The Daily. Although it can be updated to take in breaking news, it is primarily a daily, not an hourly.