LESIDO
The head of the Munich-based startup Lesido, publisher Peter Frank, came to us with an ambitious idea. The team later presented this project on the German investment show "Die Höhle der Löwen." The task was to create a service for collaborative long-distance reading. Having worked with classic paper books for a long time, the client wanted to bring this experience to the screens of tablets and laptops.
We developed a website and a tablet application. They feature built-in video calls and tools for shared reading. Adults and children call each other, open the same fairy tales, and read them together while in different cities.
Two Sides of One Story
To ensure consistent product performance across different devices, we moved all the mechanics into a shared core module. Based on this, we built the website and the application in parallel. This approach optimized the development process and allowed for a balanced budget, as the core logic was created and tested only once. As a result, all family members can open the same book on different devices and read it together.
The program supports video communication and instantly flips pages for both readers. It also synchronizes every touch. An adult can tap a character in the book on their tablet screen, and the child instantly sees the gesture on their own device. Data synchronization algorithms work in the background to ensure reading without pauses.
A Library for Young and Old
To organize access, we implemented a family account system. One adult pays for the subscription and invites other family members to join. Linked profiles gain shared access to all books and can call each other directly from the app interface.
The library is divided into free editions and subscription-based books. Readers use age filters to find suitable stories. The app tracks reading progress and saves bookmarks automatically. A family can stop on a specific page and resume reading from the same spot next time. Any story can be read either during a call or individually.
The final stage of the project was the release of the finished product. We prepared all necessary materials and successfully launched the app on the App Store and Google Play, making it easily accessible for download on tablets.