Model Rail now available for iPad

[dibber25]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/model-rail-magazine-app/id561959863?mt=8

 

First digital version of Model Rail is now available for iPad users.

[Western Scottish]

Hi Chris. A good move I think.

 

A few questions. The app costs $21.99 what is that for? When would digital subscribers receive their digital editions, at the same time as main mag subscribers (which can be a week ahead of official date) or date when appears in shops?

 

Sorry if this is covered, the app doesn't open up for me on my PC, maybe it would if I had an ipad

[roundhouse]

Looking forward to an Android tablet app!!

[daftbovine]

I've had no luck with downloading the free sample to my iPad, it keeps crashing before the download completes. I'm sure this is just a teething problem so I'll keep on trying.

 

[4630]

Works well for me, including the embedded video of Dduallt.

 

Not sure that I want to substitute my paper subscription for a digital subscription yet, although I have to admit I'm tempted.

[brushman47544]

A good move I agree.

 

Do you have to pay twice if you want both versions, or can existing subscribers get the digital version as an add on - some magazines (non-railway that I know of) offer the digital edition free to the printed copy subscribers.

[stewartingram]

No use for me then with that Apple rubbish. What I want with digital is simple:

 

Same content as the paper mags.

Ability to store it without the bulk of paper. At best, on my hard drive (& backup drive), at worst I have to download it to discs.

A format that is recognisable for the foreseable future, such as .pdf (may not be the best but easily used, and not proprietary to some publisher's whim).

 

So I still keep my paper subscription going!

 

Stewart

[backofanenvelope]

Are there any plans for making this available for non iPad but Apple users? or other methods of distribution. I feel that some of the traditional print media is still dragging their feet with new media and don't necassarily understand it, hopefully they will eventually embrace this technology to its full extent allowing customers to easily download and view there content on any device. But if I had an iPad I would definitely subscribe.

 

Tom

[big jim]

just tried the sample issue, not for me im afraid, its a shame as i was looking forward to having a digital copy but im struggling with the layout, in landscape the writing is too small and zooming spoils the look, portrait is better but double spread pages just look wrong with only seeing half the article without "turning the page" to the other half

 

however as brushman says, do you get the digital copy free with a paper subscription?

 

if so id be tempted to subscribe on paper

[southern42]

A good move I agree.

 

Do you have to pay twice if you want both versions, or can existing subscribers get the digital version as an add on - some magazines (non-railway that I know of) offer the digital edition free to the printed copy subscribers.

 

The following is on this link: http://www.model-rail.co.uk/ipadfaq.html

 

I am a print subscriber and want to access digital editions as part of that subscription: can I?

We regret to say that, at this time, we cannot offer this service. We are working on the facility to offer digital access on the Apple Newsstand to print subscribers and will be writing to all print subscribers in due course with full details of policy here.

[Tase]

Excellent news and thanks to Chris and Ben!

It's a shame that cover items cannot be sent to digital subscibers however.

May I ask why you chose the iTunes approach instead of going with Zinio?

Thanks

[fender]

a general question with digital magazine subscriptions: are you able to store the edition on your tablet, or is it simply accessed remotely every time you want to read it?

 

I've heard of problems with being able to access digital magazines when on your travels..

[roundhouse]

I generally prefer those obtained though Zinio. You can view on multiple devices when signing In with the same account.

 

You can view offline. However every so often Zinio does require an Internet connection so you can get caught out when aboard for more than a few days.

 

Many hotels and bars abroad do have free wifi so you can get round this some of the time.

 

OK, you can read a hard copy any time but you have to be carrying it to do so. At present I have about 30 magazines on my iPad and many I may never read again but they are tree if I want to ndI don't have to queue up in Smiths where they have cut outthe people serving, forcing you to use the useless autotills.

 

Ian

[Tase]

a general question with digital magazine subscriptions: are you able to store the edition on your tablet, or is it simply accessed remotely every time you want to read it?

 

I've heard of problems with being able to access digital magazines when on your travels..

 

With Zinio (Hornby Magazine, Rail Express) they are stored locally ie on your device and are yours to keep for ever.

 

BRM uses PocketMags which are also stored locally and are yours to keep for ever.

 

Railway Modeller uses a cloud based approach and one can only access issues as long as one has a subscription.

 

As Ian mentioned above occasionally Zinio requires an internet connection but from personal experience this doesn't happen to often.

[Jon Gwinnett]

Just to add to others observations, i find the BRM and Hornby mag apps very unstable, whereas the Railway Modeler and Zinio ones are much more robust.

 

So frustrated with constantly losing or being unable to access Hornby mag issues that I resorted to a paper copy this month.

[Tase]

Jon, do you not get your Hornby mags through Zinio?

[Jon Gwinnett]

No, although I did once buy one on pc with zinio. On the iPad the app is pocketmags. But I'm off to explore zinio again!

[Tase]

Try Zinio again for Hornby....I've been using Zinio's own app - not Pocketmags- since August 2011 and not had any problem whatsoever even when I retired my original ipad and restored my purchases on the new ipad and my Mac.

 

You can also buy subscriptions or single issues from the Zinio website which automatically appear in your library on each device.

[chris_irl]

Looking forward to an Android tablet app!!

 

Amen to that, why Apple always seem to get priority when it's a minority format is beyond me.

Cater to the majority, release an Android version!!!

[daftbovine]

If all else fails don't read the instructions! Despite saying that the app is suitable for iOS5 and later versions, (I had iOS5 installed) it is now working perfectly with an upgrade to iOS6.1.

[dave_long]

The Zinio needing a internet connection thing can be got around, on my Nexus 7. If I have no connection and it requests one I just close the app, then reopen, it often takes 2,3 or 4 attempts but then lets me in.

 

Pocketmags is bad on android if you have a second non gmail account on your device. I have to order through a web browser on my device and then open the app to download to device.

 

Please release Model rail to android and if not on a new system then please use Zinio.

 

For those that think that Apple rule the roost, have a look at the sales figures for Google's Nexus 7, with more variants of the 7 nearing release!

[dibber25]

Amen to that, why Apple always seem to get priority when it's a minority format is beyond me.

Cater to the majority, release an Android version!!!

 

I am told that:

The Apple format is more secure.

The download rate is ten times that for other formats.

I'm afraid I can't answer the other technical questions above - they are way beyond my understanding.

As far as the comment above is concerned (Post No 8 ) we are not 'dragging our feet'. We have a very small team of people and every new thing that we do puts an increasing load on that team - the printed mag HAS to come first.

CHRIS LEIGH

[Revolution Mike]

It should be relatively easy to find out figures, but my guess is at the moment Apple still is the majority on tablets (as opposed to phones) though the Nexus may well help to change that.

 

I have Zinio on my 7 inch Galaxy Tab and have got a fair few issues of Rail Express, but I am in two minds as to whether it is false economy. 7 inch tablets are great for books, but not so great for essentially A4 magazines.

 

The Zinio solution IIRC is a DRMed PDF. I have no real issue with DRM in theory, but I do wonder how long a particular file format will be supported.

 

Plus the resolution of the images (an important reason for buying any rail mag) is pretty low.

 

Cheers, Mike

[backofanenvelope]

Mike I agree about the quality of the images of the version Zinio I have seen. I feel that there needs to be a common format used by publishers and one that is not going to die out in a relatively quick time. It just makes it confusing and annoying for the consumer and that in the long run is not going to stop people buying but will slow the take up of these products. I for one don't want an tablet as the dont work for me, but I would like to be able to view on my laptop and keep the archive locally.

Tom

[backofanenvelope]

As far as the comment above is concerned (Post No 8 ) we are not 'dragging our feet'. We have a very small team of people and every new thing that we do puts an increasing load on that team - the printed mag HAS to come first.

CHRIS LEIGH

 

Chris,

 

I was in no way trying to be negative about MR and understand the logistics of web production and have to say that you guys do a great job on the mag! I was trying to point out that web technologies move rapidly, which maybe a hinderance but the publishing industry needs to embrace it more fully and the figures I have seen are that it increases profits. I know this is all subjective

 

I use to prefer the printed material but am now slowly coming round to digital media, as has been said before I feel that piles of paper that never get read are not for me

Tom