Zinio Magazine Reader App Released

[MacRumors]

Zinio, a digital publisher of magazines and books, announced the launch of its new magazine reader iPhone app today. The app [App Store link] offers Zinio subscribers the ability to read select magazines on an iPhone or iPod touch, featuring zoom capabilities and a special enhanced text reading mode as well as other multiimedia features.

Only a handful of magazines in Zinio's portfolio are currently available for reading through the iPhone app though more will be available in the future:

Zinio’s highly anticipated free application for the iPhone and iPod touch initially launches with access to titles including: Automobile Magazine, Car and Driver, Chicago magazine, iPhone Life, Marie Claire, Motor Trend, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Redbook, The Independent Guide to the iPhone 3GS, Transworld Motocross, Transworld Skateboarding, Vegetarian Times, VIVmag, Yoga Journal and many more. Subsequently, the rest of its global catalog of thousands of books and magazines will be released.

The normal view (left) and the optimized text view (right)

Users can purchase magazine subscriptions directly on their iPhone or iPod touch - tapping on a magazine in the Shop tab opens a page in Safari where the purchase options are available. Magazines can also be purchased from Zinio's web site, though only those compatible with the new app will be visible on an iPhone or iPod touch.

Magazines can only be downloaded when connected to a Wi-Fi network. Once downloaded, content can be read even when no internet connection is available.

Zinio also offers a reader application for the Mac. This application will display all other digital content in a Zinio user's library beyond those subscriptions that are currently compatible with the iPhone app.


Article Link: Zinio Magazine Reader App Released

[kiljoy616]

Can't see this taking of on a small screen but it could be just a precursor to Apples really bringing out a real iTablet for sure this time.

[JGowan]

Originally Posted by kiljoy616

Can't see this taking off on a small screen but it could be just a precursor to Apples really bringing out a real iTablet for sure this time.

I agree with your first thought -- the iPhone/iPod Touch are just too small for reading. I've got tons of books on my iPhone and although I've played around with them and read a few short stories, it's just too small.

[rhett7660]

Bout time.

[jamespa66]

Originally Posted by kiljoy616

Can't see this taking of on a small screen but it could be just a precursor to Apples really bringing out a real iTablet for sure this time.

I already installed the App, yes hard to read on the small screen. A 10.1" "tablet" would be the perfect device for this.

[mikeinternet]

not sure if i get forcing content intended for magazine to an electronic device.

i just think i'd rather get whatever information they have to offer some other way.

[MotoBeat11]

Did y'all actually download the app? I wasn't sure about it at first...

Yes, the iPhone screen seems too small to read a magazine on. But it's not too small to read a text on. And that's the sweetness of this little app. It takes the articles in the magazine and turns them basically a more functional text message. You can resize and rewrap the text (can't do that with the pinch, eh) in the "optimized text view".

Here's the best way to do it: Download the PC Magazine entirely; the app doesn't do much until you get the whole magazine downloaded. Then, turn the thing on it's side and use landscape mode to swipe through the pages. The text is big enough to see the pictures and read the titles, so what more do you want for something that fits in your pocket? When you get to the article that you want to read, tap the magic button at the bottom.

The magic button turns the image into pure text. If more than one story is on the page, it'll even ask you which one you want to read. When it comes up, you're in business. Tap for font size selection. Go as big as you like, because it'll rewrap the text. It's even got links in the story that will open up safari and take you right to a website. It'll even send the whole article as an email (complete with any of the above mentioned links).

When you're done, you hit the magic button again and go back to swipe mode for more magazine-like reading. Spend 10 minutes with it and you'll start to wish that you could use this thing to check your gmail. Spend 20 minutes with it and you'll wish they had more magazines available for it.

Fantastic.

[Mr. Gates]

This is to be expected right about now. I wonder if other Apps will be enhanced in other ways when they hit the iSlate.

[Becordial]

Originally Posted by MotoBeat11

Did y'all actually download the app? I wasn't sure about it at first...

Yes, the iPhone screen seems too small to read a magazine on. But it's not too small to read a text on. And that's the sweetness of this little app. It takes the articles in the magazine and turns them basically a more functional text message. You can resize and rewrap the text (can't do that with the pinch, eh) in the "optimized text view".

Here's the best way to do it: Download the PC Magazine entirely; the app doesn't do much until you get the whole magazine downloaded. Then, turn the thing on it's side and use landscape mode to swipe through the pages. The text is big enough to see the pictures and read the titles, so what more do you want for something that fits in your pocket? When you get to the article that you want to read, tap the magic button at the bottom.

The magic button turns the image into pure text. If more than one story is on the page, it'll even ask you which one you want to read. When it comes up, you're in business. Tap for font size selection. Go as big as you like, because it'll rewrap the text. It's even got links in the story that will open up safari and take you right to a website. It'll even send the whole article as an email (complete with any of the above mentioned links).

When you're done, you hit the magic button again and go back to swipe mode for more magazine-like reading. Spend 10 minutes with it and you'll start to wish that you could use this thing to check your gmail. Spend 20 minutes with it and you'll wish they had more magazines available for it.

Fantastic.

Thanks for the good review of this. It's easily enough to get me to trial it properly.

One thing I think they might want to reconsider is the restriction on getting it only over wi-fi. Crippling apps like this because we might spend too much on our mobile data, is patronising and treats us like children that need to be protected for our own safety. The very time you might often want to read a magazine is not necessarily when sitting cozily at home with a home wi-fi signal, but at other times when people love to read; like on the train or in a waiting room somewhere or when there's a bit of time between meetings.

Magazines are sold on the street as that is where people want them enroute to where they're going. By limiting it to wi-fi only, your magazines won't be able to be bought on the street through this app right?

Unlock the 3G functionality in this please app makers.

[Becordial]

Oh and now I find its not even available in my App store.

[cmschmidt]

damnit. I was excited for a second. I get high times through zinio, but of course it's not available to read on the iPhone yet. oh well, hopefully soon.

[sjinsjca]

Originally Posted by MotoBeat11

Did y'all actually download the app? I wasn't sure about it at first...

Yes, the iPhone screen seems too small to read a magazine on. But it's not too small to read a text on. And that's the sweetness of this little app. It takes the articles in the magazine and turns them basically a more functional text message. You can resize and rewrap the text (can't do that with the pinch, eh) in the "optimized text view".

Here's the best way to do it: Download the PC Magazine entirely; the app doesn't do much until you get the whole magazine downloaded. Then, turn the thing on it's side and use landscape mode to swipe through the pages. The text is big enough to see the pictures and read the titles, so what more do you want for something that fits in your pocket? When you get to the article that you want to read, tap the magic button at the bottom.

The magic button turns the image into pure text. If more than one story is on the page, it'll even ask you which one you want to read. When it comes up, you're in business. Tap for font size selection. Go as big as you like, because it'll rewrap the text. It's even got links in the story that will open up safari and take you right to a website. It'll even send the whole article as an email (complete with any of the above mentioned links).

When you're done, you hit the magic button again and go back to swipe mode for more magazine-like reading. Spend 10 minutes with it and you'll start to wish that you could use this thing to check your gmail. Spend 20 minutes with it and you'll wish they had more magazines available for it.

Fantastic.

Great review, and I agree it is a fantastic app. Those who complain that the screen is too small have obviously not discovered its "optimized" (that is, text) mode. You can, of course, also zoom in in the usual way, and there are some clever navigation tricks. I like this app a lot and will really enjoy having it on airplanes. Downloading the magazines takes a while but you can read them as the download proceeds.

Verdict: really slick, and some commenters are just clueless.

[macUser2007]

I used to be a Zinio subscriber, but would never touch this garbage again.

Heavily DRM-ed, can't save anything, useless as tearsheets.

The moment you are no longer a current subscriber, all of the issues, of all publications you've already paid for, became unavailable to you!

Only an idiot would subscribe to this.

[3goldens]

all my favorite magazines, Yoga, iphone life, PC, Redbook I mean what more can one ask for in a magazine subscription?

Sure to be one of the worst apps to date!

[NightGeometry]

Originally Posted by MotoBeat11

Did y'all actually download the app? I wasn't sure about it at first...

Yes, the iPhone screen seems too small to read a magazine on. But it's not too small to read a text on. And that's the sweetness of this little app. It takes the articles in the magazine and turns them basically a more functional text message. You can resize and rewrap the text (can't do that with the pinch, eh) in the "optimized text view".

<blah>

Fantastic.

Off topic maybe and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but... Doesn't it seem strange that someones first and (so far) only post is an insanely positive review for a product.

It trips all my alarms anyway.

Just thought I'd say.

[optophobia]

Originally Posted by NightGeometry

Off topic maybe and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but... Doesn't it seem strange that someones first and (so far) only post is an insanely positive review for a product.

It trips all my alarms anyway.

Just thought I'd say.

[jamespa66]

Originally Posted by sjinsjca

Great review, and I agree it is a fantastic app. Those who complain that the screen is too small have obviously not discovered its "optimized" (that is, text) mode. You can, of course, also zoom in in the usual way, and there are some clever navigation tricks. I like this app a lot and will really enjoy having it on airplanes. Downloading the magazines takes a while but you can read them as the download proceeds.

Verdict: really slick, and some commenters are just clueless.

Even in the "optimized" mode the text is a bit small for my eye's to be read comfortably. The ability to change the font size would be great like what the Kindle reader allows. As for the "clueless" comment go look in the mirror you'll see clueless, not everyone has perfect vision, you ever cross someone with glasses? they aren't on our faces to make us look nice.

[jamespa66]

Originally Posted by NightGeometry

Off topic maybe and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but... Doesn't it seem strange that someones first and (so far) only post is an insanely positive review for a product.

It trips all my alarms anyway.

Just thought I'd say.

The fact that it's his first post, new member as of Jan 2010, yup it stinks

[talkingnewmedia]

I started a thread on this over the weekend (here it is).

As I wrote there, the Zinio reader is OK, but the real problem with it isn't the app, but the fact that the magazine publishers are not able to (or haven't yet been able) to customize their magazines for the reader.

For instance, compare any magazine on Zinio with this Sports Illustrated demo video of how their magazine might look on a tablet complete with embedded video and more natural ways to read the magazine online. Which would you prefer to read using a mobile device?

iPhone apps are great, but the real game will be played on tablets & readers and online. Right now most magazine sites are terrible, just attempts to sell subscriptions (some of the better consumer magazines do a good job, though). Maybe things will improve when the publishers start to rethink their approach for the tablet environment.

[macUser2007]

Originally Posted by talkingnewmedia

I started a thread on this over the weekend (here it is).

As I wrote there, the Zinio reader is OK, but the real problem with it isn't the app, but the fact that the magazine publishers are not able to (or haven't yet been able) to customize their magazines for the reader.

For instance, compare any magazine on Zinio with this Sports Illustrated demo video of how their magazine might look on a tablet...

You might be missing the point here....

We are talking about magazines, which can be presented adequately in PDF format. Not a fantasy multimedia presentation, which in real life will make a user dizzy....

Zinio the application is the real problem - it is DRM0ed to the hilt: it will not let you do anything with your paid subscription, including using it as tearsheets.

Once your subscription expires, all your archived issues disappear, too.

Stay away from Zinio, no matter what the shill poster tells you.

[talkingnewmedia]

Originally Posted by macUser2007

You might be missing the point here....

We are talking about magazines, which can be presented adequately in PDF format. Not a fantasy multimedia presentation, which in real life will make a user dizzy....

Zinio the application is the real problem - it is DRM0ed to the hilt: it will not let you do anything with your paid subscription, including using it as tearsheets.

Once your subscription expires, all your archived issues disappear, too.

Stay away from Zinio, no matter what the shill poster tells you.

I may agree with you about the app, but completely disagree about PDFs being adequate. Who wants to read a PDF of a magazine, or even a Flash version? They add nothing to the experience, and are not native to the web or to computing. If you want the same experience as print . . . buy the print version.

Visit my YouTube Channel and you will see about a half dozen or more versions of how different companies see an iPhone or tablet-native reading experience. The French video I just added even uses Apple's built-in accelerometer for navigation.

Magazine and newspaper publishing will radically change in the next few years. Print will still be there, but new forms of the mediums will arrive to take advantages of the new capabilities inherent in the iPhone and tablet/readers.

[cuestakid]

Just a quick update from Zinio that I got-

Initially, only the current issue will be able to be copied to the iphone/ipod touch. Down the line(apparently WAY down the line, several months down) we will get back issues synced.

The person I spoke with could not give me an indictator of when my publication (The Hockey news) would be available but she told me she would ask their engineers and would get back to me.

I encourage any user to do the same; otherwise I can see this app getting many bad reviews very quickly just because this or that magazine is not yet available.

Having said that I am quite happy with the app and what it brings; I have actually been waiting for something like this ever since I switched to digital publications

[Marky]

Originally Posted by macUser2007

I used to be a Zinio subscriber, but would never touch this garbage again.

Heavily DRM-ed, can't save anything, useless as tearsheets.

The moment you are no longer a current subscriber, all of the issues, of all publications you've already paid for, became unavailable to you!

Only an idiot would subscribe to this.

i was a Zinio subscriber and then ceased (my interest in the title i was subcribed too went down) - all my purchased magazines stayed put and i still have them now, mags from 2007 and 2008, all there and fully readable.

[Chris Rogers]

How about those Magazine prices??? JEEEEZ way too expensive

[kiljoy616]

Originally Posted by macUser2007

I used to be a Zinio subscriber, but would never touch this garbage again.

Heavily DRM-ed, can't save anything, useless as tearsheets.


Only an idiot would subscribe to this.

Though I can see how I would use this if I was a heavy flying again. I do understand having a heavy DRM that once you go off subscription you can't still keep what you have is a problem.

But if your also like me who does not keep magazines for more than a few months and then send them to the dump this is not an issue. It really depends on your personal taste when it comes to document archiving. Books on the other hand can really become a problem if this is the standard. Not including that no matter how nice a tablet or iphone maybe, there are no standard on how the DRM is done or the format for the document is shown.

Still I would like a DRM that would show maybe ID based but still work for you anytime anywhere. Year after year until the end of time.