Model Rail Digital

[davidjhope]

Hi guys,
I'm getting a new tablet for Christmas and I'm very tempted to get Model Rail on digital.
The thing is I don't want to purchase a years subscription and find I don't like it.
What I would like to do is be able to purchase a digital sample. I've looked and found that this is not an option.
Can I ask for your thoughts on digital magazines?

Thanks

David

[scotsoft]

Hi David,

I would check that you can download the digital magazine to your tablet, some only allow you to read them when you have an internet connection which to me defeats the purpose.

cheers John.

[davidjhope]

Hi David,

I would check that you can download the digital magazine to your tablet, some only allow you to read them when you have an internet connection which to me defeats the purpose.

cheers John.

Thanks John.
The main reason was that once a week I spend over an hour at the local swimming pool with the children having lessons. I wanted to be able to read it then.
Thanks again, you might have saved me a years subscription.
David

[EtchedPixels]

Dunno about Model Rail but BRM in digital format was somewhat annoying. You could read it offline once it downloaded the issue however.

- its a copy protected thing, which only works with their own (or rather their vendors) crapware, not even a "standard" DRM like Adobe as far as I could tell.
- The supplied crapware had no usable search function I could find
- if you zoomed into a page you had to zoom back out to change page
- at full zoom some of the smallest print wasn't readable, even on a good 10" tablet

The software was improving, I think the zoom/scroll actually got fixed just after I gave up.  It was probably equal to the paper one - better in some ways, but broken in others. Unfortunately it didn't alter the fact I didn't think the magazine was worth buying in any format which was the real decider.

Model Rail seems to use a different system as its only available on iphone and ipad rather than most devices. BRM was at least available online, on Android etc too so worked with the usual suspects.

Alan

[4x2]

Hi guys,
I'm getting a new tablet for Christmas and I'm very tempted to get Model Rail on digital.
The thing is I don't want to purchase a years subscription and find I don't like it.
What I would like to do is be able to purchase a digital sample. I've looked and found that this is not an option.
Can I ask for your thoughts on digital magazines?

Thanks

David

I did try a digital mag but I used 'Model Railroader' (US mag) and it is good idea... But, I still ended up buying the mags instead, especially if there was an article I was really interested in.

Might just be me, but I've tried digital... I would still rather read a good old fashioned mag ! 

[davidjhope]

I'm getting the impression that it might be worth waiting a few years to give them the chance to iron out the issues and the internet will be automatic on all tablets.
Lets see what the future brings.
Thanks

David

[d-a-n]

You can't take them in the bath...

They are a great idea for some people and an even better idea for publishers (less costs for them) - some publications allow you look at images at a greater resolution and there may be additional content which you can't get in the printed copy. Also, once you've bought a few issues, having them all together in one place is a very attractive proposition. Being able to download back issues can also be a useful (but pricey) thing.

However, I find they don't suit where I do my reading - I'm happy to leave a magazine on show in the car, not so much a tablet. I like being able to give an old magazine to others, or ditch it after I get off a plane/train; a tablet is hard work to read in direct sunlight if you read outdoors (when the weather is good). I like reading a magazine at bedtime and get off to sleep better if I've not been interacting with a glowy-screen based device. I don't know whether you'll be able to transfer magazines to a new device when you upgrade your tablet in 2, 3, 4 or 5 years time.

[EtchedPixels]

I'm getting the impression that it might be worth waiting a few years to give them the chance to iron out the issues and the internet will be automatic on all tablets.

Many publishers appear to be adopting a quite clear "over my dead body" approach to digital, or to doing digital sensibly. I fear it's not a case of the technology changing but the people. The tech is a solved problem, the mindset isn't. I suspect many of the magazines will only do it properly because someone comes along from a fresh base and does it right.

(assuming the magazine industry isn't eliminated by forums anyway)

Alan

[silly moo]

Model Rail do a digital sample edition and the other magazines allow you to buy a single copy at a time without a subscription. In some cases you need to download the app first but it is usually free of charge and once you've downloaded it you don't have to buy a magazine, it can always be deleted later if no longer needed.

Single issues of some of the magazines are available from Pocketmags.

I have a tablet and would prefer real magazines but they do take up a lot of space at home.

Digital magazines are ideal for me as I live thousands of miles away and overseas subscriptions are very expensive, plus our postal service is very bad.

We do get railway magazines at newsagents but they are a month out of date and very expensive.

One other advantage of digital magazines is the ability to zoom in on images and type to make them easy to see, some magazines have bonus short video clips and extra photographs but you do sometimes miss out on free gifts and calendars.

So the answer to the OPs question is yes, you can get sample editions of Model Rail and most of the others are available as single issues so you can try them all out.

[davidjhope]

So the answer to the OPs question is yes, you can get sample editions of Model Rail and most of the others are available as single issues so you can try them all out.

Thanks for the info.
I prefer a magazine but as I was getting a tablet I thought it was worth a go. Now I'm having second thoughts and will stick to the paper version.

Thank you all

David

[ParkeNd]

So the answer to the OPs question is yes, you can get sample editions of Model Rail and most of the others are available as single issues so you can try them all out.

Thanks for the info.
I prefer a magazine but as I was getting a tablet I thought it was worth a go. Now I'm having second thoughts and will stick to the paper version.

Thank you all

David
[/quote]

Probably a good idea. Gives them a chance to get more realistic about the prices too. Charging the same for a a download as a hard copy magazine feels like money for old rope.

[RST]

I've tried it and don't like it. I think if you want something electronic the internet is all there in front of you.  I don't like reading stuff on screens as much as on paper though so I get much more out of flicking through a magazine.  As someone who doesn't read novels, I'm more than happy to buy technical and hobby magazines.

[Bigric]

I have a sub for Railway Modeller & they made the digital version available free to subscribers . It may only be temporary , I can't remember . Anyway , I've looked a few times at it & its nice being able to see those luvverly pics BIG on a decent size screen . However , if it was a straight choice , one or the other , it's the magazine every time for me !! Ho ho ho & all that rubbish , Ric