Best Place to get digital Magazines.....

[gabby98]

I started to post this in deals, but went with this location instead. Hope it was the correct choice.

I like to have my digital Magazines in epub format, or at least something movable (and able to be 'freed'). With B&N going loco, I am trying to be proactive.

I know a lot of users are going with Zinio. And I do occasionally view Library Magazines through them, but prefer to be able to keep my mags in another file.

Where is everyone else getting their digital magazines? How does it work, i.e delivery, 'backup', formatting?

Thanks!

[cromag]

I'd avoid Google. I bought some Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazines, just to try them out. They're provided DRM-free by the publisher so I thought I'd be safe.

The downloads were in two formats. One consists of JPGs of pages and reads like a PDF (DRM-free, so in theory I could assemble a PDF of them, but the labeling scheme is non-intuitive.) There is a "flowable" format, but I haven't had the time to explore it.

If you stick to their formats (which I've had to do so far) you can only read using the Google Newstand app, or online with Chrome. Since these are primarily text, and DRM-free, I thought I'd have better luck.

[gabby98]

Thanks...I was hoping they would be a viable option since i finally figured out how to get my ebooks from them, but from above and everything else I've heard, i'll need more options.

[pwalker8]

I get my digital magazines from Zinio and directly from the publisher. The directly from the publisher magazine used PDF format. Most magazines make their money on advertisements, not subscriptions, so they want a format that lets them keep the pages (and ads) the same in both the dead tree and digitial edition.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by gabby98

I started to post this in deals, but went with this location instead. Hope it was the correct choice.

I like to have my digital Magazines in epub format, or at least something movable (and able to be 'freed'). With B&N going loco, I am trying to be proactive.

I know a lot of users are going with Zinio. And I do occasionally view Library Magazines through them, but prefer to be able to keep my mags in another file.

Where is everyone else getting their digital magazines? How does it work, i.e delivery, 'backup', formatting?

Thanks!

At one time, I had several free subscriptions to Zinio magazines. The format wasn't too bad (like halfway between a PDF and epub), but you were stuck using the Zinio reader. I was never able to remove the DRM, so I never bought any paid subscriptions.

The two digital magazines (Scientific American and Biblical Archaeology Review) that I subscribe to now are DRM-free PDF. I bought each one from its respective publisher. The formats for both are just like the printed magazines, which means they're meant to be read at 8.5"x11", so they sometimes look crowded on a 7" tablet.

Scientific American is pure PDF. You download the issues from the website and back them up as you choose.

Biblical Archaeology Review has on online, interactive reader, from which you can also download the DRM-free PDF. They also have tablet apps for Android and iOS. I've never tried the iOS one, but the Android one is crazy slow. I deleted the app and just read the PDFs. Their website is chaotic and it always takes me a bit of wandering around to find where to download my magazines, but I manage.

Neither of those has a sample issue (which seems like it would be easy to do), but I read a few trade magazines that use a similar online reader/PDF setup as Biblical Archaeology Review. SMT Magazine discusses surface mount technology and allows access to the digital magazine without requiring a login. The subject matter may not be the most riveting, but you should be able to get a feel for how an 8.5"x11" PDF looks on your reader of choice.

[mrmikey]

I recently got Next Issue https://www.nextissue.ca/en/ for $10 a month it's great. Believe it or not even the free trial is easy to cancel should you so desire....Mike

[gabby98]

Originally Posted by mrmikey

I recently got Next Issue https://www.nextissue.ca/en/ for $10 a month it's great. Believe it or not even the free trial is easy to cancel should you so desire....Mike

Isn't this the same type of service as Zinio?

[WillAdams]

I used to get them from www.qmags.com DRMd .pdf w/ nifty features --- are they still around?

[mrmikey]

Isn't this the same type of service as Zinio?

Never heard of it until you mentioned it, appears to be. I just had a quick look at their site. I never looked too deep but couldn't find a price....Mike

[robko]

Originally Posted by mrmikey

Never heard of it until you mentioned it, appears to be. I just had a quick look at their site. I never looked too deep but couldn't find a price....Mike

About $10/month (in Canada) for access to all the magazines they carry. I've never used Zinio but I believe it is similar. I haven't checked the options in detail, but Next Issue runs off an app on various OSes. You can download whole issues for offline viewing. Probably not directly compatible to an eink ereader unless it was Android and then I'm not sure it would have the power and the b/w might not make for a great experience.

[Penforhire]

Still using Zinio here. I generally don't care about the DRM for my magazines, which are read-once for me. Paper magazines are passed around at the office or with friends and I do miss that.

I made the mistake of buying a puzzle magazine subscription once. I can print the pages out from my PC without any difficulty but Zinio's app doesn't allow annotations to "play" a crossword puzzle or anything similar within the app.

[crane3]

If its Zinio, then check the "local" library as it might also have the Zino mags available for reading; I didn't see anything on audio/stereo but did see "Car and Driver", etc.

Depending on how your public library is being managed, the library does have many uses; haven't looked at it yet but my library also has the local paper & "Consumer Reports" which I do use from time to time. Lots of other publications under "Research" rather than magazines. I was thinking that the same stuff is available at other public libraries also but maybe not.

Or rather people forget as one has to read the magazine online after logging in........

[cromag]

Our local library uses Flipster -- online in the browser or downloadable for offline browsing via the Flipster App (Android 4.4 as far as I know). I've never used the offline App -- reading via the browser gets you JPGs of the pages on the magazines I've tried.

[crane3]

I'm a bit mistaken about the Zino; it's located in the ebooks area, Consumer Reports is in the Research area to get an article, not reading the magazine.

Also just viewed the Zino tutorial at the library & the 1st thing the tutorial is that one can check out as many mags as available & keep them as long as one wanted! One can also use a browser or use a Zino app for the ios or android or windows or for the desktop.

Didn't get the format BUT the magazines will look like the printed version along with any/all the advertisements.

Guess I'll check out a couple of car mags or other subjects....

[Sweetpea]

I gave up on online magazines, considering most of the suppliers even think about people that have a tablet, but not an android or ios one. (Zinio doesn't have the magazines I'd like)