[I think I have a different version of Editors’ Choice. Robinson described one that “takes advantages of the device’s large-screen display, as well as video and slideshow capability” with “simple navigation, offline reading and sharing options.” Simple navigation yes, but the app I have—and yes, it’s updated— is limited to e-mail when it comes to sharing, has no offline option that I can find. No video right now, either.]

—Advertising: Robinson said NYTimes.com saw “sizable gains” in blue chip display advertising from large format display ad units—Polo Ralph Lauren, CBS (NYSE: CBS), Discovery Channel, Starbucks. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) AdSense is the only indirect inventory; no outside ad networks. The wuarter started off with postive growth that accelerated with increases in January (5 percent), February (12 percent) and March (18 percent). About’s display advertising showed “marked” improvements from top brands lie Disney (NYSE: DIS), T-Mobile, P&G.

One particularly interesting number from the Q&A—classified is down to 14 percent of nytimes.com ad mix. The numbers are more what you might expect for the Boston Globe and the regional group, 48 percent and 42 percent respectively, but overall for the company, including About, it’s 13 percent.

—Competition: Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp (NYSE: NWS). team make no bones about taking on the Times with their upcoming New York edition. But Robinson and the NYT want the WSJ to be viewed as part of the competition, not singled out. That resulted in Robinson, always a lady, being challenged by analyst Craig Huber about combating Murdoch and pushing back in the firmest tone possible—“We don’t shy away from the competition. We never have and we never will.”—then launching into talking points about why the NYT is better positioned than WSJ. Edward Atorino came back at it, asking if Robinson has “a particular strategy” or will just “keep on trucking”? 

“Oh no,” Robinson quickly replied, “There is definitely a very well-orchestrated, well-planned strategy in regard to how we compete both in New York and beyond against every category and really against every advertiser. We’re very used to competition. When you are the lead dog, people are constantly going to go after you. ... The strategy is to make sure that our content continues to be invested in and continues to expand. It means that indeed the audience will continue to grow.”

SeekingAlpha has a moderately glitchy transcript that details the exchange. (It’s About, not Abbott.) I’ve also uploaded an audio clip. The full mp3 is here.