We've been thinking about subscribing to the digital versions of a few magazines. Our current mag storage is maxed out and we pretty much live online, so it seems that a Zinio subscription would be a natural next step.
Right now, the Home and Garden titles that they offer are pretty limited but we'd go for Met Home and Elle Decor.
But we're hestitating - will the experience of reading a new issue be as enjoyable on a monitor?
How well does the reading interface work? Will we even really get around to checking them out if we don't have the physical copy here to remind us?
At this point, we'll probably give one a go, If nothing else it's an interesting experiment - but we'd love to hear your thoughts.
So we are asking all of you - our tech savvy, web loving readers - any thoughts on this service?
How about recommendations for others? We don't even know if Zinio has any viable competitors in this arena. Let us know!
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
If you have a subscription, can you copy and paste the photographs to your hard drive? I would love to digitize that aspect of my home decor magazine habit without scanning pictures I have cut out of my mags.
avocado - I don't know if the photos are protected from a simple click and copy in any way - but I figure you could always do a screen capture to obtain the images you like...it's one of the aspects of this whole thing that I've wondered about myself...
Original web contents, like AT, are great because they're designed and packaged specifically for the web. Also, if I own a magazine worth any salt, why would I digitize it? I'd have a sister publication geared for web readers and designed for easy screen reading instead.
I read digital versions of UK spreadsheets sometimes, because I can't get them, but I'rather have the real thing in my hand.
Also I would worry about spending too much time online, swinging the balance, if you know what I mean.
But with the price that zinio offers, why can't you do both?
i see the benefit in being able to save pics,etc on your hard drive but to me nothing compares to a great magazine in my hand that i can always reach for no matter if i am in the tub or on the train.
I've been using Zinio for about a year, and I am not thrilled. As a city dweller, I like to take magazines on the subway, to the park, or even the restroom - things that Zinio would make impossible without a small laptop that doesn't burn your thighs.
Every page requires you to zoom in on a section before reading, and digitized photos are often noticibly choppier than their printed counterparts.
Unless you're on an evironmental mission to digitize all of your mail, go with the printed thing.
I use it to augment my hardcopy subscription. I find it a great way to archive magazines. I have stacks and stacks of interior magazines that I never throw out because I like to reference them or reread from time to time. For less than a dollar an issue, I can archive some of those (elledecor and methome) digitally and reduce the clutter. It costs less than one of those cardboard magazine butlers to hold the magazines and the issues take up no space. Also, you can take high quality screen pics of your favorite rooms and items for an idea board or presentation. Now, if they just had Living, Etc., Dwell, Surface, Wallpaper, and British Elle Decor, I could clear up some serious shelf space...