Flipboard spices up social magazines with sound

Social magazine Flipboard has brought sound to its publishing platform, delivering additional sticky hooks to its readership.

Teaming up with NPR, Public International Radio (PRI) and SoundCloud, the latest release of Flipboard gives Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch users access to audio through the new Audio category on its Content Guide.  

Tasters from shows such as Fresh Air and PRI's The World can be found from the Audio category through NPR and PRI programmes. Users can also receive Flipboard's recommendations created from SoundCloud, ranging from updates from This Week in Tech to original beats from Snoop Dogg and songs from Atlantic Records' artists.

Exposing sound to a social publishing platform is an interesting move bringing an addictive hook for its audiences as Mike McCue Flipboard?s cofounder observes, "With this latest addition, we're giving our readers a personal soundtrack to their Flipboard."

In addition the adding sound, Apple's VoiceOver features make it easier for people with visual disabilities to interact with the social magazine. VoiceOver gestures can control Flipboard change and everything on a page can be read out aloud as McCue recognises, "The addition of SoundCloud is a great example of how Flipboard makes social content more discoverable and a more immersive experience.?

Flipboard app is available in the Apple App Store.