Online magazines

[Theakerr]

Forgot to ask in my post yesterday. Another issue is what happens to the e-mags I have purchased if I decide to cancel my subscription. Will I still access them?

[Guest jim s-w]

Theres room for a couple of other options here

 

I dont buy paper mags but would buy digital ones (this one is new markets rather than the same)

I dont buy paper mags and i wouldnt buy digital ones either.

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[scouser]

I've tried Model Railroad Hobbyist Mag. online and have decided I don't realy like it. I like a mag I can flick through for a while before taking out any useful items and binning the rest. I wonder if the different attitudes towards online usage in general apply here. I know lots of younger people with Kindles and their like, and I don't like these either, give me a book anytime!

Maybe us old f**ts are just set in our ways.

Whilst on the subject of mags I am steadily getting to the point were I only find Rail Express any use. All of the others seem to be set firmly in the 20th century, some of them can't get past steam.

Quite bizarre from a modelling point of view as modelling the 21st century allows much more variety of loco and rolling stock, I'm including preserved stuff of course. Just a thought

[backofanenvelope]

Hi Scouser,

 

How can you be and ol' f**t if you are modelling "modern", well anything after steam

 

Like most progress its one of those things that just happen. I remember having to go down to the call box to call my friends, now I can videocall rellys all round the world from my smartphone. Somewhere in the not too distant future it will be the norm to read mags electronically and although books won't die out they will be come more specialised. Take the camera market, although the tidal wave of change has meant most people now use digital, film hasn't died out completely and look at vinyl records, there making a come back. So like many things technology moves us on and some may resist that change but there may be something round the corner that makes it more acceptable to all, i.e the roll out digital sheet etc. Think of the things that our grand and great parents saw and thought that will never catch on, like the motor car, going over 4mph etc etc and thats just in the last 100 years!

T.

[JeremyC]

Personally I prefer a printed magazine. While I have an e-reader I don't think their screen size is sufficient where photographs are involved. For the same reason I wouldn't buy photographic reference books in electronic format either.

 

Why should publishers offer the e-format free? They are a business and still have to pay an editorial staff and other business costs. Yes they save on printing and some distribution costs, but at least some of that saving is lost [assuming magazines are the same as ebooks] in that while printed material is VAT zero rated on electronic formats 20% VAT is payable.

 

Jeremy

 

Jeremy

[zigzag]

A couple of reasons why Im not sold on electronic magazines, and Im in my 40s and no technophobe.

 

Firstly its the convienice of the reading experience as follows

 

i) It takes me 5 minutes to get the pc or laptop switched, booted up and ready to work - by that time Im halfway through a paper article.

ii) I can get much more comfy with a paper copy than either sitting at a desk on a pc, or with a lpatop

iii) I can remain social in the living room and read a paper copy whilst the rest of the family watch tv or play games etc, at my pc I cant do that (problem allieviate dwith a laptop, but see ii above.

iv) For now magaziens are publised portrait on paper, this doesnt eaily translate to a pc or laptop screen.

v) I dont want to take my laptop near my workbech with its glue and paints lying around.

vi) I dont want to carry round a laptop with me to read things when Im waiting in the car to pick the kids up, or on the bus, or on holiday etc etc

vii) I could go down anb ipad/kindle version, but as far as Ipads go I see them as a less capable laptop and both ipads & kindles are not confortable for the reasons above, finally both are a significant cost which I cant justify.

 

These points also apply to books, I still buy paper books and would not resort to ebooks for the reasons outlined.

 

Which brings me onto the second factor, which at present is a blockage, but with a significant change downwards might (and I mean only might as I would probably still be happier with a paper copy) help me overcome the points above - the cost factor. At present the costs of emags and books are way to high, Id rather pay a bit more and have the paper copy. Only if costs were drastically reduced then this might overcome the comfort factors. For e-magazines and e-books, there is not such a significant cost saving as to make me buy the hardware (kindle/ipad) and then put up with the discomfort. If the price was aroud 10-20% of the paper copy only then would I consider the switch.

[scouser]

Hi Scouser,

 

How can you be and ol' f**t if you are modelling "modern", well anything after steam

 

Strangely enough you are not the first person to ask that!!

I think it's like the division of brain functions. One side likes choice, lots of variety, that's now. The other side hates instruction manuals, that's modern electronics. Even most of the young blokes I work with can't get to grips with the things their smart phones can do!

Besides, one of the few things getting older allows is a massive amount of contrariness.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you and everybody at RMWeb, sod the rest!!

[backofanenvelope]

{snip}Why should publishers offer the e-format free?

 

Jeremy

 

I don't think anyone is saying that they should be free as such, but when the publishers are charging the same for the emag and the print media there is little incentive for those that want to take it as a emag and the perception is that the product is over priced due to savings in the distribution of the magazine. Media in general is changing take MI it has the potential to be downloaded to 100k devices and is reaching a world wide audience. How many more non UK residents would boost circulation of UK mags if able to get the mags at time of circulation for a percentage of cost and no expensive postage?

 

Ultimately this boils down to personal choice but time waits for no man/woman/child...

[backofanenvelope]

Strangely enough you are not the first person to ask that!!

 

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you and everybody at RMWeb, sod the rest!!

 

And to you, I have to add I am heading to ol' git status as the eyes are squinting, knees are squeaking and the back is aching

T.

[Grovenor]

Why should publishers offer the e-format free?

The answer, of course, is to keep their business viable, as if they don't do it someone else will. As in the case of Model Railroad Hobbyist, it would be interesting to know how many readers it is taking from Model Railroader. I cancelled my 30 year subscription to MR in favour of MRH. It looks as though their business model is succeeding, certainly getting plenty of adverts.

 

I always understood that the sales price of a print mag primarily covers the printing and distribution costs and that they rely on the advertisers for the staff salaries and profits. Which makes the free on-line concept look sensible. And as for the VAT, 20% of 0 is still 0.

Regards

Keith

[The Q]

I must admit I'm not enjoying the electronic BRM experience even on a 24 inch monitor As I still have to mess around zooming in and out just to read and see the pictures. I haven't tried a tablet of some form yet( are you listening Santa?). I also must get round to trying the Railway Modeller e version as it's now part of my normal subscription, just to see if it's different. I seriouly would like to find a tablet that was good for my magazines as I'm drowning under copies OF RM, BRM, Landrover international and Practical boat owner plus all the MRJs, lLsander owners association and numerous other bodies I belong to.

 

Has any any recomendations for a good colour ereader/ tablet ?

 

The Q

[Revolution Mike]

Part of the problem I found with e-mags is that the pictures are reduced in quality (understandably to make the file sizes smaller) which removes one of the advantages of having an electronic version ie being able to zoom in on images!

 

Cheers, Mike

[Ron Ron Ron]

....... Interesting how things have developed since this thread was started in 2010.

Isn't it just? One of the weakest choices at the time ' I would change my existing subscription to online if it were available.' would probably be somewhat stronger now from the comments I've listened to at shows. Two years ago not many of us had tablets and smartphones weren't quite as large*; I reckon in another couple of years it'll be close to a 50/50 uptake between online/paper.

 

* I see the volume of people using RMweb with Android OS and mobile versions of the site steadily increasing.

 

Things have definitely moved on.

I've taken the opportunity to look back at my own earlier post in this thread, from two years ago, in a vain attempt to check out my Soothsayer credentials.

Back then I said.....

 

I buy-in to the idea that devices like the iPad (and the whole raft of copycat devices about to hit the shops over the next year or so) will revolutionise media distribution and consumption.

Desktop computers and laptops will still play a big part in our lives, but I believe devices optimised for media consumption will become the mainstay of most peoples internet experience in years to come; not as replacements for PC's, but in their own right.

 

As predicted, despite the muted response in some quarters to the arrival of the iPad, the computer and consumer electronics industry wasted no time in jumping on the bandwagon.

Despite the first couple of waves of "similar" devices being largely inferior and almost total sales disasters, there are now (as of this year) credible tablet products available at all price ranges, including the low cost budget options.

As such the market has not only taken off, it's exploding.

 

....and as predicted, the PC has diminished in importance and popularity, particularly in the home environment.

Sales of desktop and laptop computers have nose dived in the last two years (for various reasons), but the rise of the tablet is now reaching astonishing levels that nobody really predicted (apart from Steve Jobs).

 

As for electronic magazines (the subject of this thread), the publishers are very aware of the possibilities; probably more so than they thought they were a year or so ago.

One only has to look at what has happened to the market for books.

 

Problem is the cost. As brilliant as it is, the iPad range starts at over £400.

However it's early days. No doubt competing devices will flood the market in due course and prices will tumble.

 

Obviously I'm a genius in making such a prediction !!!

If only it would work with the Euro Millions ?

 

Of course I was stating the bl**ding obvious. Prices were always going to fall.

Even Apple price points have remained the same, during which time they've substantially improved and updated the product, whilst inflation, production, distribution and retailing costs have soared.

They even have lower cost options in their own range.

 

It won't stop there though. Expect tablet devices to become even more ubiquitous than at present, a couple of years down the line.

The magazine publishers (speaking generally here, not model railways) will have to be careful how they deal with this, or they'll run the risk of currently profitable lines falling by the wayside.

 

 

.

[Ron Ron Ron]

i) It takes me 5 minutes to get the pc or laptop switched, booted up and ready to work - by that time Im halfway through a paper article.

ii) I can get much more comfy with a paper copy than either sitting at a desk on a pc, or with a lpatop

iii) I can remain social in the living room and read a paper copy whilst the rest of the family watch tv or play games etc, at my pc I cant do that (problem allieviate dwith a laptop, but see ii above.

iv) For now magaziens are publised portrait on paper, this doesnt eaily translate to a pc or laptop screen.

v) I dont want to take my laptop near my workbech with its glue and paints lying around.

vi) I dont want to carry round a laptop with me to read things when Im waiting in the car to pick the kids up, or on the bus, or on holiday etc etc

 

To be fair, electronic publishing is now not being aimed at desktop or laptop computers.

These are not the most convenient or user friendly devices for media consumption. Hence the rise of the tablet.

 

Almost instant boot-up from switching on, relatively small, very portable and as the technology improves, becoming lighter and easier to hold and handle.

Portrait mode is easily achieved by rotating the device, with the better optimised devices not having a 16:9 or 16:10 widescreen aspect ratio.

 

 

vii) I could go down anb ipad/kindle version, but as far as Ipads go I see them as a less capable laptop and both ipads & kindles are not confortable for the reasons above, finally both are a significant cost which I cant justify.

 

iPads and other Tablets shouldn't be seen as laptop replacements or substitutes, but devices in their own right.

A concept that was lost on a least a couple of copycat manufacturers, when they tried to rush out alternative products to the earlier iPad. Most of those products naturally "bombed".

 

Less capable laptops were the short lived Netbooks. Underpowered and poor on specification, gaining very little in the way of portability or user experience.

They were just cheap rubbish laptops and despite a brief flourishing market for them, they have now died a death, having been "found out".

 

As technology develops, tablets are becoming more user friendly with lower weight and slimmer, more comfortable designs.

Just go and take a look at the new iPad Mini for instance. It's thinner than two rich tea biscuits and incredible light, considering its metal body.

 

 

.

[TT3]

I must be in a minority as I already subscribe to several online mags. These are, BRM, Hornby, Model Railroader and classics monthly. I have to say I much prefer the feel of the traditional mag but this is outweighed by the following:

 

Cost - subscription a huge amount cheaper most expensive is MR is $45 per year, indivuddal mags are $12.50 or so here.

 

Timley - I get the mags when they come out, not months later, downside of being in the colonies.

 

Storage - I just threw/gave away boxes of old mags so where to keep the old ones becomes a concern, also individual mags are on the device to easy access.

[grahame]

One thing I like, on top of all the other usual advantages of a paper magazine, is the ability to browse in a shop (Smiffs reading rooms) and purchase just the occassional copy if it catches my eye. I don't need to take out a subscription and, for example, may only buy one or two issues of Hornby magazine per year. Are you able to do that with e-mags or do you have to take out an annual subscription?

 

G.

[kandc_au]

You can buy mags individually.

Cannot preread them though.

You would need to see in the shops and then buy online if you wanted an electonic copy.

Doesn't mean you can print it though.

 

Khris

[AngryMeerkat]

If someone had said to me 2 years ago that I would very rarely read a 'paper' or 'proper magazine' because I would do everything electronically, I would have laughed long and hard. Back then a tablet was a paracetamol or way out of my price range, and a smart fone could show a picture of the caller, really smart eh?

 

At the time I was working abroad for around 8 months of the year, my laptop was a business tool, and I was due an upgrade to my mobile fone contract. I was offered a free IPhone and free IPad on a calling/data plan that fitted my life for a measly £66 per month. I did the maths and you couldn't even buy an iPad for the additional monthly fee on my contract!! So I got the deal, and how the hell did I ever manage without it? My iPad goes everywhere with me, it is my tv (sky go) and my weather service and my games device, but more importantly it is my media tool. Nowadays everyone I know has a tablet of some description, with the Blackberry version being a cheap and credible threat to the iPad dominance.

 

The point of this thread - electronic magazines. For the most part I love them, and read emags more than paper mags well over 5:1. The only exception is things like this months BRM which has a calendar, handy for work but only available with the paper mag for obvious reasons. I use Newsstand on the iPad as my e-reader, and it allows me to browse the first 10 pages or so of a magazine before I have to purchase it. The magazine isn't stored on my iPad, so takes up no space, yet is available in seconds to read wherever I choose to read it.

 

Can I browse before I buy - yes

Are e-mags cheaper - yes

Is a tablet ok to read them on -yes

 

E-magazines tick all the boxes for me.

 

Mark

[dave_long]

One thing I like, on top of all the other usual advantages of a paper magazine, is the ability to browse in a shop (Smiffs reading rooms) and purchase just the occassional copy if it catches my eye. I don't need to take out a subscription and, for example, may only buy one or two issues of Hornby magazine per year. Are you able to do that with e-mags or do you have to take out an annual subscription?

 

G.

 

Well you can do what I do, I go to smiffs when in town and have a quick flick through the mags to decide if I should go home and get one on my tablet or not. It pleases SWMBO as I spend less time in smiffs and dont clutter up the house with mags anymore. I don't buy mags to see super high def photos, so the images on line dont bother me. I subscribe to MrNevards blog so get stunning photos online almost everyday!

Being on andorid I dont have access to Model Rail and don't like the system that Railway Modeller is on, where you subscribe more to the web hosting company for a period and have access to the whole catelogue. Its a good idea if I had a good month to my self to read lots and lots but that doesnt occur very often (strangely).

Yes I would like the ability to keep hard copies of these on a seperate HDD but in the end I can always buy back issues if I need something later down the line and have it instantly, with no chance of it being out of print.

[grahame]

 

Being on andorid I dont have access to Model Rail and don't like the system that Railway Modeller is on, where you subscribe more to the web hosting company for a period and have access to the whole catelogue.

 

 

Hmm, I don't like the sound of that. Does it mean there is a limitation that restricts your the choice of mags depending on the system you're on? At least my Mk1 eyeball doesn't have that problem in reading through them in Smiffs or at home.

 

G.