Magazine reading on the web: Zinio’s browser-based solution
As I slowly recover from an action packed weekend (a wedding rehearsal, wedding and a DockDogs event… didn’t see that third one coming, did you?), I wanted to circle back on a topic related to my web-only challenge. When I first began my self-inflicted experiment to boycott client applications twelve days ago, I mentioned a few exceptions due to work. I also tucked in one more potential exception because I love to read digital content in the form of eBooks and digital magazines. I’m still out of luck for my eReader library, but it’s worth noting that my digital magazine subsriptions are in play with my web-only experiment!
Most of my magazine subscriptions are through Zinio, the online site that offers digital periodicals that we’ve mentioned a number of times before. Their Zinio Reader software is among the first applications I load up on any PC or Mac I buy, so I figured that not only would I be losing my eReader content during this challenge, but I’d be missing my digital magazines as well. I found out this past weekend that Zinio offers a web-based reader for any magazine content you subscribe to and the experience is nearly the equivilent of using their software.
There’s nothing to download: no Firefox extension or plug-in needed, although it appears that the reader is Flash based. If there is a plug-in, I must have already had it, because I was able to navigate in Firefox through my digital library of periodicals and read, read, read. The online reader offers around 10 keyboard shortcuts to help with navigation and of course, I’m able to easy move around using the touchscreen on my UMPC as well.
Clearly, the biggest downside here is that if you lose connectivity, you’re not able to read your content. Yup, there’s no offline feature yet using something like Google Gears or some other mechanism. If there’s one bit of feedback I could provide to the Zinio folks it would be to develop some way to temporarily download the magazine content and allow for offline use. Having said that however, it’s nice to know that I can still access the subscriptions I’ve paid for right through my web client without a bulky client application.
Can a real subscription (PC World) be converted to Zinio? Does the Zinio reader software allow you to save issues. If I subscribe to PC World via Zinio can I access all the past issues of PC World I have?
Travis, I’m not aware of any conversion process between print and digital magazines through Zinio. You might want to check with the individual magazine publishers in case they do offer it. Yes, you can download and save issues. You can also re-download any magazine issue in your library. I have access to all of my back issues purchased through Zinio going back to November of 2004.
People still read magazines?
Nate, don’t let Steve Jobs confuse you. He said that people no longer read BOOKS. He didn’t mention magazines. Think about it… how else would we see weekly pictures of Brangelina, Baby Suri and the latest celeb in rehab if we didn’t have magazines?
I quit reading magazines when I realized that I already knew everything that was in them by the time they went to print.
I used to really look forward to my magazines arriving. The internet killed that for me.
Based on your post…
Clearly, the biggest downside here is that if you lose connectivity, you’re not able to read your content. Yup, there’s no offline feature yet using something like Google Gears or some other mechanism.
Q: Can I still read offline, with the Zinio Reader?
A: Absolutely! Your Zinio Reader and Download Manager still work in the same way. If you haven’t downloaded the Zinio offline reader do this…If you need to manually download a magzine, it’s as easy as clicking the Icon: Download download, or Icon: Download Again download again button on the My Library page.
Nuts, I’m well aware of the Zinio Reader client… what did you think I’ve used since November of 2004 to read digital magazines?
My point was that there’s a new way to read the content using nothing but a browser and a connection. This is in support of an experiment to see if I can use a relatively low-powered computer and a web browser… as such, I’d like to see a way to download the content and read it in my browser without the full client.
Ok, I’ll shut up and cower in the corner now.
Nevertheless, thanks for showing me this. I think I have seen it before but I bookmarked it under, “whenever I have time to look at which I never have time” bookmark.
I am still waiting for my first Popular Photography magazine to arrive since I signed up for it last September at a conference.
No, no, no… I didn’t mean to come across as a “reprimand”, so get out of the corner!
I should have been clearer in the post, so you’ve actually provided me good feedback on that aspect. Thanks! And hey: if you had signed up for Popular Photography at Zinio, you’d have every issue since you signed up already. Not a bad deal at $12 for a one year subscription on Zinio, either. 
Like the Zinio iPhone client, wish it loaded new pages quicker. They need to pre-cache in the background or something. The browser client should also have a full screen mode so distractions go away.
YES I still read magazines. My top subs are Business Week, Macworld, and Consumer Reports. I need to resubscribe to PC Mag and Laptop Magazine is looking really good these days – need that too. At least until airlines bring Internet back.
>>There’s nothing to download: no Firefox extension or plug-in needed,< <
The webreader of Zinio is based on flash 9. I found out when I tried to read a magazine from my windows mobile device with Opera 8.65