Alice for the iPad: Revolutionizing the eBook

The app has been viewed by millions and continues to inspire the next generation of eBooks. Atomic Envelope, the company behind Alice in Wonderland (the interactive app) continues to reinvent reading and is working on bringing more classics to life. So, we spoke with the company's co-founder Ben Roberts about the app, enhanced eBooks and how you can jump into the future of digital reading.

What does an app like Alice for the iPad add to a reader's experience of the book? 

Alice for the iPad adds a level of engagement that had not previously been an option on the printed page.  The familiar story is enhanced with full screen physics modeling to bring the pages to life. Readers can make Alice grow, help the Caterpillar smoke his hookah pipe, throw tarts at the Queen of Hearts.

Do you think that seeing an app as comprehensive as your Alice app will win over authors who might not have wanted to digitize before?

Our vision is to create something that's engaging, entertaining and enhances the story. Once an author sees what we've built I think it's fairly simple for them to understand that this only builds on and enhances their story.

Traditionalists might say that your app has just turned a classic book into an interactive game, therefore taking away from the literary experience. How would you respond to that? Do you still consider this app to be primarily in book form or is it something completely new and different?

We don't see this as taking away from the literary experience at all - it simply expands on it and provides a richer, fuller literary experience.

Do you think an app like this would work for most genres of books or is there a specific appeal here because The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland is considered a classic children's book?

The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland made for a great app because it was so well known and such a beloved story.  It was also in the public domain so it made sense to build an App for this particular story.

BBC called Alice for the iPad "a glimpse of the future of digital reading". Do you believe your app is a pioneer in the eBook world? After seeing what your company has done, do you think other companies will follow in your footsteps?

We certainly believe Alice for the iPad is a pioneer in the enhanced book category.  We were the first to use the iPad to its full capabilities - yes others have followed but I'm really proud that we set the bar and so many people like the App. 

 Does Atomic Antelope have plans for other apps similar to this one?

We're currently working on Wizard of Oz - Oz for the iPad and we have a few more titles that we'll be releasing over the summer. 

If authors wanted to create something like this with their own books, how would they go about doing that?

They would contact us!  Seriously, we have expertise in the space and knowledge of how to turn a story into something captivating, compelling and engaging. 

We would like to thank Ben Roberts for the time he took to answer our questions. You can visit the Atomic Antelope website here.