Review: Top Extensions for Creating Publications with Page Flipping Effect in Joomla!

Joomla Extensions Directory and Google Search led me to 4 following components:

• HTML5 Flipping Book Joomla Extension;

• Flipping Book Joomla Gallery Component;

• Ari Smart Book;

• Photo Gallery Joomla Extension;

The choice was based on the used technology (HTML5 or Flash), mobile devices’ compatibility and a number of features provided per price offered.

Let's go to details for each component below

HTML5 Flipping Book Joomla! Extensions

The component’s title says that it is HTML5 technology based and as it follows is IPhone, IPad, iPod and Android compatible.  Plus, vendor declares mobile reader availability.  After testing the Flipping Book Extensions on a tablet and iPhone, the extension seemed pretty good.

 

What concerns price and features, there are 2 extension’s versions – Standard and Professional. The difference lies in the number of features offered. Standard is 49$ (12 months support and 1 domain installation) and a Professional one is 89$ (12 months support and 1 domain installation). Plus, there are additional options such as unlimited domains support and product lifetime access available.

HTML5 Flipping Book’s features seemed reasonable for the price of 89$:

• Zoom and Full Screen Mode;

• Search Engine Optimization;

• PDF Download;

• Publications conversion to txt, pdf, mobi, epub, fb2 formats;

• Email & JomSocial sharing;

• Social media integration;

• Different Display modes;

• Possibility to insert publications into Joomla! articles and third-party extensions;

• Two templates;

• Text Search.

The feature that I have never seen in any other product is Reading Room. It allows building communities based on reading preferences. The user can login, have access to his favorite or last-opened publications. It all looks like a personal library. Even book shelf-view is foreseen.

Flipping Book Joomla Gallery Component

The product is not listed in Joomla! Extensions Directory. The vendor offers additional FlippingBook Publisher edition for Joomla! CMS. It is a dynamic web-application based on JavaScript, CSS and Flash. The publication cannot be flipped on a mobile device but there is HTML layout for non-flash devices.

Like in HTML5 Flipping Book mentioned earlier, there are zoom and full-screen mode, the publications can be printed and downloaded. You can display publications inside the template or in a popup window without template elements and embed FlippingBook publications into your Joomla! articles using the plugin from the Addon Pac.

FlippingBook Joomla Gallery Component works with images only (JPG, PNG). You should export PDF to images, upload files to the server and create pages using Batch Adding Pages.

In comparison with HTML5 Flipping Book, Flipping Book Joomla Gallery Component doesn’t support social media integration; the publications cannot be shared via email but have a flipping sound.

The prices start from 40€ (3 months support, 1 website installation) to 199€ (12 months support, unlimited domains installation).

ARI Smart Book

Ari Smart Book looks like HTML5 Flipping Book simplified version. The extension has zoom, a full screen mode, is social-media compatible and Search Engines optimized. Like HTML5 Flipping Book, it allows email sharing. Very convenient features from my point of view are Zooming with a mouse wheel and auto rotation.

It is possible to integrate the extension with different light-box extension and open books into a light-box. Like in both previous extensions, you can insert audio, video into your publications.

The publications can be viewed on mobile devices; however there is space for improvement. Pages were difficult not only to flip but to turn.

The price is just 36$.

Photo Gallery Joomla Extension

Photo Gallery Joomla! Extension is one more tool for creating portfolios, wedding albums and online publications. There is zoom and full-screen mode, auto-play, flipping sound, printing option. The main shortcoming is Flash technology basis. The extension cannot be viewed on mobile devices.

The vendor offers a free version which, of course, is a great plus. The prices vary from 14$ (1 site installation, 3 months support) to 38$ (unlimited domains, 12 months support).

Here is a detailed comparison table:

As you can see, depending on the amount of features necessary you can buy a component as low as 14$.

Of course, there are other extensions available on the market but my choice was based on components’ reviews availability and company’s reliability.

Feel free to suggest Flipping Book software you are using!

Ilona Hetsevich