Filter

Being a music snob is really hard. The sheer quantity of musicians, bands and collectives is enough to make your iPod explode. As far as Google tells us, that has in fact happened at least a few times. They claim it's due to overheated batteries, but we know better.

It is for this reason (but not this reason alone) that we love FILTER. Between their website, Good Music Guides and magazine, they live and breath music — then tell us what's worth paying attention to. They literally filter the world-wide music scene into easy to take doses. It's a beautiful thing.

When FILTER decided to add an iPad app to the mix, we were poised to contribute a little more awesome to the world of music journalism. Dylan, Gainsbourg, Ke$ha — optimized for retina screens everywhere.

With the FILTER app, every issue of FILTER Magazine is free dollars. Yes, free. Shortly after each magazine hits the press, it's added to the app's magazine library where users can read, bookmark and share until their hearts' content.

Most magazines are designed in portrait. FILTER is not most magazines. The print version is laid out in landscape orientation making it a perfect publication for the iPad. Of course, we are orientation agnostic and built each page to display beautifully either way.

As users swipe left and right, turn upways and sideways, they can keep track of their place in the magazine using the subtle progress bar to the left of each page. If all that page flipping causes severe disorientation, the table of contents is a quick tap away at all times.

This app wouldn't be an official member of the FILTER family if it didn't contain music, and we're not in the business of creating illegitimate apps. We integrated with Slacker Radio to include a music player that enhances the reading experience. Just tap play.