Jan 25 2011

AppSpin: Zinio

Taking the app Zinio for a spin

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New Scientist is an excellent magazine – but very demanding, as it arrives weekly. Despite all good intentions, eventually you are faced with a guilt-provoking pile still ‘wrapped in plastic’.

So now I subscribe through Zinio. It is still hard to keep up, but at least it is about a third as expensive – and less confronting when you have a backlog.

Zinio produces electronic versions of popular magazines. It has an enormous stable of both Australian and International titles, and they are generally available at significant discounts from the printed version. Periodic specials make the prices even more competitive – 12 months of Harpers Bazaar (US edition) for $10!

The magazines are available in your library on the day they are released. The Zinio App is available on Windows, Mac and iPhone, but comes into its own on the iPad. 

The app is a free download. Purchases and subscriptions are made from within the app. Sample issues of some titles are available so you can ‘try before you buy’.

Some magazines are available ‘US only’ or ‘UK only’. However, the app includes a simple selection in Settings to determine which International Store you are shopping from, and by selecting appropriately you can still make the purchase. (see screenshot)

I consider Zinio a must-have iPad app