Although the jury is still out on whether the iPad will save magazine publishing, for executives like Chris Wilkes of Hearst, the innovative device means one thing: an opportunity to actually profit from digital content. (This, of course, is opposed to the free-is-better mentality of the Web.)

“What we finally have when the iPad is here is ubiquitous Internet connections, portability, and a large color screen which really gives us a palate with which to create beautiful products on,” Wilkes said in our Media Beat interview.

He points to Hearst’s iPad offering for Popular Mechanics, which is already receiving consistent praise, as an example of the company’s approach to digital magazines.

“It’s about not adding bells and whistles and animation for the sake of doing so, but it’s about enriching the storytelling experience and adding complimentary interactive features.”

Part 1: Hearst’s Chris Wilkes on Landing a Mobile or Digital Job

Part 2: Hearst’s Chris Wilkes on ‘The App Lab’

Chris Wilkes discusses how print brands can create applications and mobile sites that meet consumer needs at Think Mobile on September 23 in San Francisco.