Encyclopædia Britannica App Available on Smartphones and Tablets

London, 19 April 2012

Encyclopædia Britannica today announced the release of a new app for smartphones and tablets, which will provide access to its extensive digital content in the UK.

The announcement at the London Book Fair comes after the company announced it was phasing out sales of its 32-volume printed edition last month to continue concentrating on digital and mobile publishing.

The new app will adhere to the same principles of outstanding reliability and quality, for which Britannica is renowned and provide immediate access to clear, current and correct information through a unique mobile format. The app has also won the 2012 Appy Award in the Reference category.

It will also contain a number of unique interactive features specifically designed for the increasing number of digital users who seek quality and reliability of information over availability. Alongside an extensive range of images and video, it will also contain an innovative link-map to other relevant articles, which is designed to help users navigate the large body of information and provide context to current world events.

The app is currently available for download on iPad and iPhone (using iOS 4.3 or later) and will shortly appear on other operating systems. It’s free to download and will operate on a subscription basis, with users paying £1.99 a month to enjoy full access to regularly-updated Britannica content. Non-subscribers can also enjoy several features of the app, completely free of charge. The app is currently available for download via the iTunes App Store.

The app will be one of the few high-quality knowledge-based resources available on smart devices and will be continuously updated to reflect world events by Britannica’s teams of editors and contributors. It contains a huge range of subjects and will include articles from leading academics, journalists and notable figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Bill Clinton and novelists Ian Rankin and Anthony Burgess.

The app also contains a number of other interactive features, including: Top Articles - 100 free articles on popular topics such as “Manchester United” or “William Shakespeare” The first 100 words of every article for free On this day – a daily list of notable births, deaths and events which occurred on the day when the app is being used My Britannica – an area that keeps track of users’ favourite articles

Ian Grant, Managing Director of Encyclopædia Britannica UK, said: “Throughout Britannica’s 244-year history, we have sought to inform, educate and inspire generations of learners across the globe using the latest technology. This app will provide access to our expertly edited and curated content for millions of people and continue our commitment to education in the mobile age.”

“The release of the Britannica app also marks another important step in the transformation of the Britannica business following the cessation of the publishing of the 32-volume print set. The app will significantly add to our existing extensive online and mobile product offerings.”

The Britannica app also marks the latest development in Britannica’s mobile publishing series, with nine Britannica Kids Apps titles having been launched throughout 2011.

Selected Abridged Articles:

Truth & Reconciliation Commission, South Africa Primary Contributor: Desmond Tutu Court-like body established by the new South African government in 1995 to help heal the country and bring about a reconciliation of its people by uncovering the truth about human rights violations that had occurred during the period of apartheid. Its emphasis was on gathering evidence and uncovering information from both victims and perpetrators and not on prosecuting individuals for past crimes, which is how the commission mainly differed from the Nürnberg trials that prosecuted Nazis after World War II. The commission released the first five volumes of its final report on Oct. 29, 1998, and the remaining two volumes of the report on March 21, 2003. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/607421/Truth-and-Reconciliation-Commission-South-Africa-TRC

Edinburgh: A City of Stories Primary Contributor: Ian Rankin It is impossible to be an author in Edinburgh without being conscious of the many previous generations of writers for whom the city has provided sustenance and inspiration. The visitor who arrives in Edinburgh by train emerges from Waverley Station (named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel) onto Princes Street and cannot fail to notice the jagged, towering presence of the Scott Monument (at some 60 metres [200 feet] in height, it is the tallest structure in the world built to celebrate a writer’s life and legacy). Other statues and memorials are dotted around the city, commemorating Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Fergusson, and the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. There are pubs with names such as the Jekyll and Hyde and the Conan Doyle. Walking downhill from Edinburgh Castle—down what is known as the Royal Mile—the pedestrian passes, in quick succession, the Writers’ Museum (dedicated to Scott, Stevenson, and Robert Burns), the city’s two main libraries, the offices of Canongate Books (Scotland’s most successful and enterprising independent book publisher), the Scottish Storytelling Centre, the Scottish Book Trust, and the Scottish Poetry Library. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1273556/Edinburgh-A-City-of-Stories

Notes to editors:

About Encyclopædia Britannica:
Today Encyclopædia Britannica is a global leader in educational publishing, providing world-class educational resources to universities, colleges and schools around the globe. A pioneer in digital publishing since the early 1980s, the company markets a variety of curriculum products for schools, language-study courses, online learning services, encyclopedias and other reference works.

Since launching in 1994 Britannica Online has grown and developed an extensive range of online products for learners of all ages. The largest and most comprehensive is the Britannica Online Academic Edition, which delivers relevant, web-based content for further and higher education. It is continuously updated, revised and developed with new articles, allowing its users to research confidently with expert information and a host of research tools designed to support advanced study. For schools, the Britannica Online School Edition provides a comprehensive reference and education service specially designed for primary and secondary schools, while the Britannica Online Public Library Edition, delivers three encyclopaedias for different levels, under one product.

Alongside the traditional encyclopaedias, Britannica has also increased its offering to educational institutions through two innovative products, Britannica Image Quest and Britannica Pathways: Science. Britannica Image Quest provides access to more than two million stunning images, sourced from some of the best collections in the world. Britannica Pathways: Science supports effective teaching for students aged 11 – 14 and tackles common misconceptions through interactive and discussion-led resources. In 2012 Britannica Image Quest was selected as a finalist at the BETT Awards in the Best use of Digital Resources category.

For further information about Britannica and its products, please visit: www.britannica.co.uk

Follow Britannica on Twitter: @Britannica_UK Britannica Flickr Feed: www.flickr.com/photos/britannica_image_quest/

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CONTACT:

For further information, please contact:
Ersen Erdem
Business Development Manager
Encyclopædia Britannica (UK) Ltd
EErdem@britannica.co.uk
or:
Eoghan Hughes
PR Manager
Encyclopædia Britannica (UK) Ltd
2nd Floor, Unity Wharf
Mill Street
London SE1 2BH
DDI: +44 (0)20 7500 7805
Fax: +44 (0)20 7500 7878
ehughes@britannica.co.uk