Some of you will remember when many newspapers were afternoon publications, or when you could choose between a morning or evening newspaper.

It's been decades since you've had that choice in the Sacramento region – in print. Yet news online has meant you could get updated reports any time you wanted. And now, here at The Bee, we've added an iPad app edition with an updated report each evening and morning to make it even easier to stay informed.

We quietly launched our new app in early February and have spent the last month refining it. While it updates throughout the 24-hour news cycle, we launch more focused editions each evening and early morning because that's when most iPad owners spend time reading.

If you subscribe to our digital news, either solely or in a package with print, this new app is a free addition to that package. You can find it at the App Store by searching for The Sacramento Bee. We have two iPad apps, one that is a replica of the printed newspaper (that icon has Scoopy on it) and our new interactive app (the icon says THE BEE and is blue).

Across the world, tablets are eating away at the market share of PCs. In the fourth quarter of 2012, tablet sales in North America increased more than 75 percent year over year, according to International Data Corp. Some predict that tablet sales will exceed PC sales by 2015.

Such eager adoption of technology paves the way for new products to distribute news. And of all tablets, even with recent market erosion, more consumers have iPads. IDC reported in January that Apple snared 44 percent of the market in fourth quarter 2012. Chitika, an online advertising network, reported in January that the iPad market share of U.S. and Canadian Web traffic on tablets was 81 percent.

Among The Bee's most devoted print readers, about one-fourth owned tablets before this past Christmas season.

With iPads in so many of your homes, our editors and reporters can put together a news experience different from print or reading at sacbee.com.

"The a.m. edition emphasizes the big news and a look ahead to what's happening," said Linda Gonzales, The Bee's multiplatform news editor. "The p.m. edition is geared to the tablet reader who is ready to 'lean back' in the evening and savor some great journalism. Our priorities are investigative journalism, in-depth reads, superb writing and excellent photography."

Photo galleries are highlighted in the app, right below the "Front Page" and "Daily Magazine," a section of national and international news along with in-depth reporting. Scrolling through a photo gallery on the iPad is a visual treat, with perfect color and resolution. And you can email, share and save articles.

If you're a news aficionado who owns a tablet, you already have experienced how satisfying it can be to read this way. I spend a lot of time at digital news sites and the editing and design of news apps makes for an engaging experience. Enjoy the depth, and check for updated headlines under "latest news."

For those of you with a special interest in Capitol news, we'll soon introduce "Capitol Alert Insider Edition," which can be read on an iPhone or an iPad. The Insider will combine notifications of the best of our Capitol Bureau reporting with special early access to certain kinds of information, including the Field Poll and Bee editorials and cartoons, along with bill tracking and a legislative directory.

The Insider isn't aimed at a general audience so it will sell at a separate subscription price.

"The world moves quickly at the Capitol, and information is a valuable commodity," said Amy Chance, The Bee's senior editor for politics. "We're looking to serve the people who follow California policy and politics most closely – giving them immediate and even early access to news and opinion they need to do their jobs."

Reach Executive Editor Joyce Terhaar at (916) 321-1004. Follow her on Twitter @jterhaar.

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