Marco Simonetti

Bubmag Magazine second Issue

Bubmag’s well-read 2020 issue continually reveals new and interesting stories of the 120 curated images that present current topics regarding politics, society, and culture. Subjects such as the coronavirus pandemic and the political crisis between the Chinese Communist leadership and Hong Kong are just some of the interesting topics found in the new issue.

Visit the online edition here: bubmag.com

The periodical Bubmag is available both physically and digitally (bubmag.com) and acts as the bridge from visual stimulus to in-depth information.

Bubmag Magazine first Issue

“A New Digital Simulation of the Analogue” – Periodical as a digital bridge from visual stimulus to in-depth information. The concept addresses the confrontation with the analog and the digital and its transformation. It seeks a new way of conveying information: the increasing importance of the image is met uncompromisingly, without losing any depth of content. In the process, digital influence and manipulation are significantly reduced because the concept allows for a wide variety of viewpoints – as a counterpoint to the process of selective exposure. The periodical (Bubmag) is physically and digitally available and complements itself to a symbiotic system. The curated images on the specific themes serve as emotional catalysts and the linked, in-depth text content is dynamically generated algorithmically from aggregated information from various sources. The technology acts as a new form of link between the analogue and the digital.

The mechanism: The Bubmag concept allows access to a diverse array of information on current topics and provides a wide range of opinions. Bubmag is curated and available as  a physical and digital product, both forms expanding and complementing each other. Topics are algorithmically generated from aggregated information of various sources. The technology acts as a link between analog and digital, and the design supports the user experience both in analog and digital form.

The ideal medium: a medium that can be used both analog and digital is suitable for the concept; a similar user experience can differ noticeably and situationally from analog and digital. Periodicals provide the best conditions for the idea. The first periodicals appeared at the end of the 16th century and developed in various forms, but the essential components of the design remained the same for the most part. This new concept, on the other hand, changes the conventional design in its most basic form by separating text content from the image content. The basic idea is that the update-value can be maintained by dynamically generating text content using a search algorithm and adding it continuously; in contrast, static-text content quickly loses its topicality. On the other hand, the image is linked to the dynamic text, is less transient (higher update-value), serves the user as a thematic basis, and as a call to action.

Aggregated texts: The text contributions are automatically retrieved from various sources and collected on bubmag.com. The effectively linked article is always on the original page. The user has a wide range of articles at their disposal, which conveys the diversity of opinions on a particular topic. The aim is to promote the discourse of cognitive dissonance and to minimize selective exposure.

Thematic images: The implemented images are curated and used as emotional catalysts for current themes. They are both entry points and triggers for specific critical stimuli so that photography is increasingly in the focus of the dynamic Bubmag concept. Hashtags also support the images to limit the thematic and subjective space of interpretation.

The symbiosis: The digital form serves, above all else, to convey information, whereas in the physical form images visually extend the content. In addition to the similar design language, both forms complement each other to form a symbiotic system. Nevertheless, there are essential differences between the physical and digital form of the magazine: the haptic perception (sensitivity) or the modality of reading or viewing are different in all characteristics.

The physical magazine consists exclusively of predefined photos supported by hashtags. QR codes are also used, which store the corresponding subject areas as web links and enable the playback of VR videos, to connect the analog and digital world. The use of barcode markers makes WebAR possible, thus overlaying the analog world with digital content. The periodical is published yearly, and the 120 curated images depict the current topics regarding politics, society, and culture.

The digital form of the magazine consists of a website and a progressive web app (PWA). Similar to the analog magazine, the topics are teased with photos and linked to the corresponding text contributions.

The result is a printed and digital magazine. This concept was created at ZHdK in Zurich as a part of the CAS Design Technologies Study.

Bubmag Magazine Online Edition

Visit the online edition here: bubmag.com

The digital form of the magazine consists of a website and a progressive web app (PWA). Similar to the analog magazine, the topics are teased with photos and linked to the corresponding text contributions. QR codes and markers of the physical magazine can be scanned through the integrated scan app, which can be found under the navigation, or directly through the photo app of the smartphone. The corresponding links lead to the thematic text contributions or the VR/AR contents. A specific search algorithm continuously generates dynamic text content. The source is NewsAPI.org information platform. Virtual Reality (VR) video content is streamed directly from YouTube, and the A-Frame framework builds augmented Reality (AR) content.

Lineup (Magazine)

BUBBLE MAGAZINE Pop your Filter Bubble Featured on the Ello editorial homepage

Experimental editorial concept, that utilizes QR-codes for encoding data instead of displaying text or links. Scanning the QR-code triggers a predefined search request at search engines. The content accompanying the photo is generated by personalized search results from search engine algorithm, based on information about the user, such as search history, click-behavior and location. That means that content may vary from user to user.

The result is a filter bubble effect, a state of intellectual isolation, that occurs when search engines selectively assumes what information a user expects and wants to see. The algorithm generates tailored information and users become separated from undesirable information, isolating them in their own cultural and ideological bubble. The implication of the filter bubble may have negative impact for civic discourse according to Eli Pariser (Internet activist, 2010). This phenomenon has called into question the impact of filter bubble on user exposure to fake news, echo chambers and astroturfing. Many concerns have attributed this to the fact that the phenomenon may harm democracy.

Martin Stiftung Redesign