Thoughts on Digital Publications

Hey all, the "Thoughts on tablets" thread got me thinking: You guys could probably provide some much-needed feedback on different magazines' digital offerings.

Although we have the browser-based "flip book" digital pub right now, we are looking at several options for app-based (downloadable) magazine editions. There are lots of choices out there, and they all claim to be awesome, so I'm throwing the question out to you.

What magazines do you all read as digital editions? And what do you like/not like about those editions? How were they priced? How was the buying experience?

Don't worry, paper's not going away... we just recognize it's time yet again to push the "more" button for what we're offering our readers. Thanks for the input.

Margie

None. I only read paper magazines and books. I won't go to Kindle or whatever.

I read the paper ones as well, not fond of digital copies. But I spend alot of time on a computer at work doing print catalogs, that could be a factor.

Honestly, It's not the same flipping pages on a tablet when on the can.

I can read a paper magazine while holding the sleeping baby. Fold it in half, read one handed in low light. I can't manipulate a tablet with it's lit up screen without waking her up. The idea of digital "print" media sounds good in theory, but sucks in practice. I have attempted multiple publications and it just doesn't work for me, personally.

Sorry for not being a help to your direct questions, but indirectly I guess I'm saying "don't stop printing on trees or you'll lose me as a subscriber". PS - Another publication tried "exclusive digital content", that got them a cancellation from me. I'm a paying subscriber, I get all the same material as Mr. iPad or I go by-by. That mag is now desperate for subscribers again, so it wasn't just me.

Nah, we're not stopping print magazines until they pry the web press from my cold dead hands. I even have an iPad, but I prefer to read mags on paper. (I do read books on my Nook, but magazines don't translate well to the e-ink format.)

We're looking at app-based offerings in part because they get your title in front of a wide audience on Apple's Newsstand, and in part because advertisers want 'em.

That said, I don't want to end up with a sucky one.

Margie

93EXCivic wrote: None. I only read paper magazines and books. I won't go to Kindle or whatever.

I said the same thing up until last week. I bought a Asus Transformer and absolutely LOVE it. I've read 6 books on it in the last week.

I'm all for a digital version. Make it a generic format and deliver it by email.

In reply to Toyman01:

I don't have any kind of e-reader, but it seems like everyone without reservation shares your opinion once they try it.

I don't mess with digital publications much unless I get like a cook book or something through the kindle app.

What I would like (and you may already do it) is a feed, so I can see the new online stuff from my homepage like I do for the forum and local news sources. It would grab my attention better unless you always use Nelly lyrics in the title thread.

One of the conundrums on the web - there's a very strong belief that stuff on the web should be free - kind of includes digital content. Personally, I like thumbing through the paper - I can hold it and I own it - sits on a shelf and doesn't accidentally get deleted. Still bugs me that you never own what's on a kindle and content you pay for can disappear at someone else's whim. As a addition, getting an ipad version of GRM might be nice, then again, the barrage of e-mails letting me know I have content gets irritating. I looked at the GRM digital version once - sorry, didn't do anything for me.

Here, some useful feedback, even though I could just walk down the hall and tell you:

I really enjoy National Geographic's iPad interface. I get both the print and digital versions for $19 total per year, which I think is fair. I enjoy the extra content found in the digital version--interactive maps, videos, etc. Even though it's available through the Apple Newsstand, I did my purchase through Nat Geo's website. Then they sent me a code to access the iPad edition.

Paper mags only here.

Although I've never tried reading a mag on the Wife's Transformer Prime, so I don't know if I'd like or it not.

I have free access to the Ipad version of SI, so I should see what it's like.

I'm big into reading e-books. Not so much for magazines.

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to Toyman01: I don't have any kind of e-reader, but it seems like everyone without reservation shares your opinion once they try it.

True for books. False for magazines.

Thanks, Eric, if you don't mind... and I agree with the e-books/magazines divide. Same here, though as David said, he's enjoying the additional content made possible with Nat'l Geographic's electronic edition. I think that's key to making the digital offerings worthwhile.

Margie

In reply to Otto Maddox:

I have a Sony something or other. It has not been used in about a year.

Toyman01 wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: None. I only read paper magazines and books. I won't go to Kindle or whatever.

I said the same thing up until last week. I bought a Asus Transformer and absolutely LOVE it. I've read 6 books on it in the last week. I'm all for a digital version. Make it a generic format and deliver it by email.

I tried my mom's Kindle.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: We're looking at app-based offerings in part because they get your title in front of a wide audience on Apple's Newsstand, and in part because advertisers want 'em. Margie

Welp, you gotta keep the advertisers happy, I know. I personally have a Kindle(not Kindle Fire) but other than that, I stick to printed media. But if I had to choose, I'd go with a color e-reader first, then phone, then a tablet.

If I remember correctly, doing a layout for each type of e-reader/phone/tablet is different. Like if it is Android or Apple, correct?

I got Motor Trend for free after having attended the Richmond auto show. I chose online delivery - they use Zinio to deliver the online editions. Zinio appears to do nothing more than scan the pages of the magazine and slap it online, which is not the experience I would expect from the e-reader. When you zoom in, the text blurs out a bit, and the interface controls are all clunky (granted, I am reading mainly on the computer, but was using a smartphone-size device for a while).

The online format affords the opportunity to do so much more - simply slapping images of mag pages online and calling it a day is a waste of time to me.

Thinking about it, interactive options and videos, more pictures... This interests me.

Unless you're giving away your content for free (and we still expect to get paid for the work we do, sorry world), you can't just email it to people who've paid and expect they're not going to share with everyone. (Carfax, anyone?)

So if you don't want people to have to go to your site and view that content without being able to download it, you need an app that downloads the files in a proprietary format that must be read by the app, which also handles the payment/user-control end of things.

You can try to write an app yourself, which involves becoming an Apple developer and jumping through multiple hoops, then figuring out the same thing for Android, etc. etc., or you can go with a prepackaged provider that does it for you. Most magazines have taken the latter route. The main players are Zinio, Pixelmags, and Texterity, and usually the provider is proudly/loudly proclaimed when you buy.

I'm curious what people have purchased, if they know who the provider was, how the experience was, etc.--not so much in the existential question of electrons vs. print... pretty sure I've thought a lot about those already.

Margie

I can't offer any insight into what digi-pub thingy is best except to echo what's been said. I prefer a paper magazine.
I'll also comment on what I think Javelin was saying. I have dropped two mag subs because I'd read an article and get some stupid box at the end that, basically says: "We want more money. So, to get more money from advertisers, we've withheld some information from our paying subscribers and put it on the web. Please go to the website to see what we didn't want to put here so we can be paid per click."
Yeah, some things can't go in the pages of a magazine, like video's and such. But please don't pull that crap on us. At this point I feel like saying something about taking you out on MY patio if you ever did, but I'm terrified of you Margie, so I won't.

The BMWCCA's Roundel has an impressive one. I assume since you guys are Club Racing sponsors and BMW owners you have access... log in to the main site, navigate to Roundel -> Magazine -> View Issue

It has all of the issues since going digital available, also. It has infinite zoom, good search and looks great on both computer and Droid phone. All of them can be a little kludgey. This is no exception but it is very readable.

It says "Powered by iMirus" in the header. Not sure if that is the actual provider or just the hosting.

As well you should be, Dr. B.

That said, we've had a long policy of underpromising and overdelivering, and don't plan to stop that now.

Let me repeat: We like our print magazine. We would like it to stay around. It probably needs to circulate electronically, too, or there may come a day when people don't know it exists. And if we do that, we probably need to give people a reason to go see the electronic version, which means adding extra stuff to the digital pub, not taking stuff out of the print one we love and respect. THIS THREAD WAS CREATED SO I CAN TRY TO OFFER THE BEST DIGITAL PUB POSSIBLE FOR OUR READERS.

I'm already used to working harder and providing more all the time for less--welcome to the Brave New World where creative has no value--but being met with constant suspicion while doing so is a tad wearying.

Margie

Marjorie Suddard wrote: ...which means adding extra stuff to the digital pub...

This scares me. Unless I can find that extra here on GRM.com easily.