Hard on the heels of our coverage of Kult—the vintage-arcade-machine-turned-3D-magazine—comes word of another paradigm-busting publication. Rather than breaking the mold on its form, however, this one shatters the norm by virtue of the fact that it was created and produced in 24 hours.

The clock began at 3 pm Central European time on June 27, when an all-volunteer team of designers, photographers, writers and others began to work nonstop on 24Hour Magazine, beginning from scratch with no design and no content. Twenty-four hours later—at 3 pm on June 28—the magazine was ready for the printing press, featuring articles, photos and illustrations on topics including lifestyle, fashion, music and design. The point was not just to create a product, however. Rather, the concept focused heavily on the experience of the process as well. With that in mind, the Kortrijk, Belgium-based team meticulously shared the day’s experience with the world through a variety of social media and other online avenues, including live video feeds, Twitter updates, continuous blog posts and a behind-the-scenes Flickr stream. The 47-page magazine itself was produced using Issuu—the publishing platform we covered last year—and is now available online. The 24Hour team expects it will soon be available in print as well, both for order online and through select bookstores, priced somewhere between EUR 20 and EUR 30. Also on the way is a “making of” DVD and music created specially for the experience.

No word yet on a next issue—or, indeed, on reactions to the magazine-cum-experience—but in the meantime, 24Hour Mag is actively seeking sponsors and advertisers. One to get involved with?

Website: www.24hourmagazine.com
Contact: tuffer@24hourmagazine.com

Digital publisher Zinio has teamed up with Starwood to offer guests free digital copies of their favourite magazines. As of last month, a variety of well-known titles can be downloaded at Starwood's Element hotels, with Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton joining at the end of the year.

Zinio's 'digital newsstand' can be accessed on guests' laptops in their rooms, or via a kiosk in the lobby. After logging on to the Starwood portal and registering with Zinio, guests can select as many single titles as they wish, choosing from a wide range of popular publications like Caribbean Travel & Life, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Field & Stream and Ski Magazine. (Prices for magazines purchased through Zinio are normally similar to those paid for paper copies.)

With editions that can be read online or off—and that are identical to their printed brethren—travellers are freed from schlepping around a bag full of paper. Zinio gets the chance to demo its service to new users, and Starwood can offer its guests magazines they actually want to read, instead of a standard selection. And there's an environmental benefit too, of course, which is fitting since Element is Starwood's new 'green' brand. Reminds us of another download service for travellers we spotted recently: airline alliance offers free audiobook downloads at airports.

Website: www.zinio.com — www.starwood.com

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

When Singapore creative agency Kult launched a self-titled art magazine earlier this month, it didn't just produce print and online editions, as most publishers might. Rather, the group also created a touring, 3D version of the magazine crafted out of a vintage arcade machine.

With a premier issue focused on the theme of "trust," Kult Magazine aims to visualize its topics through the work of young artists from Asia and around the world. Emphasizing photography, illustration, graphic design and other visual arts, Kult hopes to use the free publication to "blur boundaries and encourage the viewer to participate in a visual dialogue with the works," in its own words. Toward that end, the Kult ArtCade is a roaming, vintage arcade machine that serves as a 3D version of the magazine. Instead of a traditional control panel, the ArtCade features a selection of art, illustration, photography and personal vignettes on the magazine's current theme.

Indeed, if magazines can be published on bottles or reconceptualized as objets d'art, why not a vintage arcade machine, which stands just as much chance of surprising and delighting consumers while the publishing industry recrafts itself? One to be inspired by! (Related: Smoking is bad, art is good.)

Website: www.kult.com.sg
Contact: alvin@kult.com.sg

Similar in many ways to Hollrr, the site where consumers help promote the products they love, Thinglink is a new global catalogue for design that enables designers, brands and enthusiasts to connect and converse on the web.

Currently in invitation-only beta, Thinglink launched at the Milan Furniture Fair in April with 10 design brands: Arabia Finland, Design Eero Aarnio, Fokus Fabrik, Helsinki Design Week, Iittala, Harri Koskinen, Martela, Selki Station, Ilmari Tapiovaara Design and Woodnotes. Designers and brands can use the site by uploading their catalogues and building a community of fans around their products. Enthusiasts, meanwhile, can use the free service to post messages about their latest design discoveries, flag products they own, ask and answer questions about new and vintage products, and share photos of their favourite design objects in real-life settings. The Thinglink catalogue includes a wide variety of products from classic and contemporary designers and manufacturers, ranging from serially produced products to limited edition items and unique one-of-a-kind objects; on Thinglink, any of them can become the center of a conversation, with photos and discussion by owners and fans.

Besides giving enthusiasts a place to connect and learn more about the brands they love, of course, California-based Thinglink also gives brands a way to keep tabs on consumers' impressions of them. Next step? Do more than just create conversation and actually put consumers to work for the brand—tapping into their design suggestions or their grassroots marketing muscle. Ask the crowds, and ye shall receive—just make sure to thank them in kind! ;-) (Related: Consumers get paid for input on new products.)

Website: www.thinglink.com
Contact: info@thinglink.com

Spotted by: John Greene

Air passengers everywhere may soon be getting a literary boost, thanks to a new offer from the Oneworld alliance. As of June 2009, travellers passing through Brussels, Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino airports can download three audiobooks for free.

Oneworld, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, JAL and 7 other airlines, offers the service over wifi at the aforementioned airports. Consumers can download audiobooks to their laptops, smartphones andPDAs—any device that connects to the airports' wifi networks. They can pick from forty titles, covering fiction, business, society and travel; available in English, Dutch, French and Italian. And for customers who always get in a forgetful flap at the airport, an email reminder can be requested for the day before the flight, reminding them of the freebies on offer.

The initiative complements Oneworld’s Travel Stations, which enable users to download travel advice and information onto mobile devices, and its Charging Stations, which give gadgets a bit of extra juice. In an unusually inclusive move, all travellers, whether Oneworld customers or not, are invited to make the most of the perks—as Oneworld hopes to be the alliance of choice for the user’s next journey.

It’s a relatively cost-effective way of treating customers, requiring little infrastructure or installation to get up and running. And a great example of what our sister-site trendwatching.com calls free love, or the art of (relevantly) giving away stuff to build your brand. (Related: Personalized in-flight magazines at Heathrow’s Terminal 1.)

Website: library.oneworld.com
Contact: www.oneworld.com/ow/contact

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau