Cannot get Analog and Asimov's anymore...

[ballfresno]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I wrote a week ago. I got back

"Thank you for your email. I will pass it along to our Digital Team for review.

We appreciate your readership!"

I'm glad you got a response. I hope it means something; i.e. I hope somebody on their Digital Team is listening!

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ballfresno

I'm glad you got a response. I hope it means something; i.e. I hope somebody on their Digital Team is listening!

Hopefully. They weren't real receptive to the requests back when they announced their current sales methods.

[Alfy]

I had written to them to let them know about some very annoying formatting issues (there never is an extra break between paragraphs when the story jumps to another location or time. It's not always noticeable, but some stories become very difficult to read because of that). I received no answer, so I tried once more, but still nothing.

My understanding is that Analog is a very small operation, and it is very possible they don't have the personnel or the know-how to deal with this. And they can also be like the editor of F&SF, completely out of touch with the ebook world...

Anyways, if anyone from Analog or Asimov's reads this: I would buy from you directly, if you only gave me the chance!!!

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by Alfy

I had written to them to let them know about some very annoying formatting issues (there never is an extra break between paragraphs when the story jumps to another location or time. It's not always noticeable, but some stories become very difficult to read because of that).

I agree, the lack of scene breaks is very bad, and impossible to automatically correct, unlike most of the rest of the poor formatting. The formatting has got worst and not better over time: when I first started to get Asimov's from Fictionwise it was not great but it was better than now; then at some point (I think it was last year) it was changed to the current format which is quite poor.

[Alfy]

Well, I received my Kobo Aura HD a couple of days ago, but bad surprise, I can't buy Analog or Asimov on it. Turns out Kobo magazines can only be read using the Kobo app on Android, iOS and Kobo tablets. There's actually really, really few ways left to get those magazines on e-ink.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Alfy

Well, I received my Kobo Aura HD a couple of days ago, but bad surprise, I can't buy Analog or Asimov on it. Turns out Kobo magazines can only be read using the Kobo app on Android, iOS and Kobo tablets. There's actually really, really few ways left to get those magazines on e-ink.

I suggest you ask Kobo questions about this. Amazon and Barnes & Noble allow downloads of Asimov's and Analog to their E-Ink devices.

[Marcy]

What is truly ridiculous is I can't easily buy these like I could in the good old Fictionwise days, but I can take them out of my local library every month and have unlimited and forever access to them via the Zinio app.

I would rather pay money directly to the company for a multi-year discounted subscription and get DRM-free copies to put where I want, but instead I'm getting them free from the library, and just have to read them on the iPad.

Something seems wrong with this picture.

[ballfresno]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I suggest you ask Kobo questions about this. Amazon and Barnes & Noble allow downloads of Asimov's and Analog to their E-Ink devices.

I asked. Here is the response.

[cromag]

I get Analog and Asimov's at B&N. They can't be downloaded from my browser -- I download them to an Android tablet and copy them over to my ereader (which is B&W only) where they look just fine.

There must be another reason, even if it's just ignorance.

[ballfresno]

Originally Posted by cromag

I get Analog and Asimov's at B&N. They can't be downloaded from my browser -- I download them to an Android tablet and copy them over to my ereader (which is B&W only) where they look just fine.

As do I.

There must be another reason, even if it's just ignorance.

Exactly. As said previously, they've been told that Analog is a magazine so "obviously" it cannot be read on an ereader. They haven't bothered to consider that not all magazines are glossy. Ignorance rules.

[Alfy]

Originally Posted by cromag

I get Analog and Asimov's at B&N. They can't be downloaded from my browser -- I download them to an Android tablet and copy them over to my ereader (which is B&W only) where they look just fine.

B&N does not sell Analog outside the US, and I have not succeeded to go through with a VPN (I assume they check my credit card's address). This is a silly situation.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Alfy

B&N does not sell Analog outside the US, and I have not succeeded to go through with a VPN (I assume they check my credit card's address). This is a silly situation.

They do sell it in the UK at nook.co.uk Perhaps that might work for you if you don't want it from Amazon?

[Alfy]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

They do sell it in the UK at nook.co.uk Perhaps that might work for you if you don't want it from Amazon?

Thanks, but you might want to check a few pages back about the limitations of the Amazon and Nook versions. (and by the way, why wouldn't I want it from it Amazon? Where did that come from?)

[ballfresno]

So, having pointed out to Kobo that their logic on why Analog is not available on their ereaders is rather flawed as this publication is more like a book than a glossy magazine, I actually got a response which gives some hope:

you are totally correct however none of our eReader are able to download eMagazines due to its compatibility with the updated software on all eReaders. You have brought up a strong point and we will refer this to our Development Team to see if we can find a possible solution to make these eMagazines compatible with eReader.

Let's see what happens! I'm not entirely sure what they mean by updated software; the problem remains that they think of Analog as a magazine (i.e. as a glossy publication). Anyway, I'll keep you all posted. In the meantime, I'm reading the June issue of Analog (novelettes disappointing but short stories quite good).

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by ballfresno

So, having pointed out to Kobo that their logic on why Analog is not available on their ereaders is rather flawed as this publication is more like a book than a glossy magazine, I actually got a response which gives some hope:



Let's see what happens! I'm not entirely sure what they mean by updated software; the problem remains that they think of Analog as a magazine (i.e. as a glossy publication). Anyway, I'll keep you all posted. In the meantime, I'm reading the June issue of Analog (novelettes disappointing but short stories quite good).

They said the same thing about including the book format on their website, so I wouldn't count on it.