E-subscription

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

I don't at this time. My question is if I don't renew my subscription will I then lose access to those issues that I have already purchased? I checked the FAQ's and couldn't find an answer to this. If I could have access indefinitely to everything that I have purchased, regardless of my subscription status, then yes, I would get the digital version.

Hans von Hammer

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

It's called a tablet and goes anywhere. Further, if the magazine were available on Nook (includes full color) your smart phone could also access it, I believe.

Looking at the subscription form, it would appear you could download it to any device. And at $10 for 10 issues, it's quite a (comparative) value over the dead tree format.

Any moderators able to answer this?

I think in the near future FineScale will available on the Zinio app for the iPad. 

I use my iPad to check the forums, it is way easier than using a computer

In the next 5 years, printed magazines will be costly as an incentive to go digital. Already there are other scale modeling magazines going to digital with plans to end print. Newspapers are dying each day and so too are many magazines, those adapting to digital are surviving.

They said television would never last... same about cell phones too. Adapt or do without. I'm even seeing some 70+ year old's I know are finally starting to take interest in the computer, smartphones and internet...they are tired of being left out/behind by their peers and the younger generation.

Probably one of the reasons my new show is seeing a surge is its interesting and informative as well as being very portable which makes it convenient. Between the twice daily rebroadcasts, live streaming and iTunes it fits the modern digital lifestyle so many are transitioning to.

I have a friend who makes a weekly business trip which takes him a couple hours to drive. He downloads the shows on his iPod and listens through his car stereo.

Same here... I use iPad.  If FineScale wants to go digital, they have to make it better for iPad users first!!!  While I use iPad I don't check this forum too often like I do at other forums because they work well for my iPad. 

When is FSM going to make this work?

ajlafleche

Hans von Hammer:

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

 

It's called a tablet and goes anywhere. Further, if the magazine were available on Nook (includes full color) your smart phone could also access it, I believe.

I have no idea what you're talking about..

I hate change...

Hans von Hammer

ajlafleche:

Hans von Hammer:

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

 

It's called a tablet and goes anywhere. Further, if the magazine were available on Nook (includes full color) your smart phone could also access it, I believe.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about..

I hate change...

LOL

Hans von Hammer

ajlafleche:

Hans von Hammer:

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

 

It's called a tablet and goes anywhere. Further, if the magazine were available on Nook (includes full color) your smart phone could also access it, I believe.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about..

I hate change...

So saith

 to

deafpanzer

Same here... I use iPad.  If FineScale wants to go digital, they have to make it better for iPad users first!!!  While I use iPad I don't check this forum too often like I do at other forums because they work well for my iPad. 

When is FSM going to make this work?

I use an iPad too and had problems with the site unil I upgraded my iPad software to iOS5. Once i upgraded I rebooted the iPad and have had no problems with the site ever since.

Hans von Hammer

ajlafleche:

Hans von Hammer:

Pretty hard to take a compter into the john...

 

It's called a tablet and goes anywhere. Further, if the magazine were available on Nook (includes full color) your smart phone could also access it, I believe.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about..

I hate change...

Your not alone Hans.

ajlafleche

Looking at the subscription form, it would appear you could download it to any device. And at $10 for 10 issues, it's quite a (comparative) value over the dead tree format.

It's actually the same price as the print version ($39.95/10 issues) if you only want the digital only subscription.  The $10 for 10 issues is only if you also pay the full $39.95 for the print version.  Wish digital only edition was cheaper since there's no printing/shipping costs involved.

Also wish they did have an app in the Apple app store. Tamiya Model Magazine, Airfix Model World, Model Airplane International and Model Military International all have apps in the app store that let you buy and download issues right to your device. 

That's an additional $10 if you get the regular print edition. If you just want the digital version, it's still $39.

I currently get 2 subscriptions to British model mags digitally downloaded on my Samsung Android Tablet. The price is about 60% less than half the print version. So its way worth it. The magazines are actually downloaded onto your tablet or PC, so you have the actual copy.

FSM digital edition goes through Zinio. They have an app on ipad, android, PC, and mac, You do download it locally, and you can download it again from their website. As for nook, as of now, I believe you have to read it online, the nook doesn't support the ZNO file format (I could be wrong).

Frankly, I think the digital subscription should be offered at a discount, considering the savings in printing, distribution, and mailing.

One of the challenges with production of digital format is the reluctance of advertisers to place ads. Some publishers separate the two...print and digital as completely separate products.

The digital version is an exact copy of the print version and go through a subscription or single copy buying process.   So I'm not sure why advertisers would be reluctant to put ads in the digital version?  Just wondering. 

When I got my Nook, I tested Bicycling. I was getting the dead tree version and tried a free E-version. They were absolutely identical. page for page, ad for ad. Can't imagineselling many e-subsciptions this way. Just renewed Road & Track for next year: $8 for the year. (and if it goes like last year, I'll wind up with Car & Driver, too.)

XF5U

It's actually the same price as the print version ($39.95/10 issues) if you only want the digital only subscription.  The $10 for 10 issues is only if you also pay the full $39.95 for the print version.  Wish digital only edition was cheaper since there's no printing/shipping costs involved.

Also wish they did have an app in the Apple app store. Tamiya Model Magazine, Airfix Model World, Model Airplane International and Model Military International all have apps in the app store that let you buy and download issues right to your device. 

I was looking on Kalmbach's website and found an FAQ here.  It refers to the Zinio app, which is free from the iTunes app store.  I emailed them (Kalmbach) a couple months ago; but they said that FineScale wasn't available yet.  I'm not sure if that's changed or not.

RESlusher

I was looking on Kalmbach's website and found an FAQ here.  It refers to the Zinio app, which is free from the iTunes app store.  I emailed them (Kalmbach) a couple months ago; but they said that FineScale wasn't available yet.  I'm not sure if that's changed or not.

Yeah I downloaded the app too yesterday and did a search but no model magazines to be found!  I did end up with a sub to one of the car magazines though.  I'll wait for FSM to pop up on the iPad app so I can buy it with the mountain of iTunes credit I have.

deafpanzer

When is FSM going to make this work?

It does work with iOS 5 - or at least it does for me. If you haven't updated your iPad yet, I really encourage you to do so. There are so many improvements, however the FSM forums working is icing on the cake.

For what it's worth, I don't appreciate FSM using another 3rd party app to peddle the digital version. Since when have middle men ever worked to the advantage of the end user? Wait a second, the FSM front page still has Flash only on it - another archaic, dying format. What was I thinking?

Hello everyone,

FSM is available as a digital edition. Zinio is our preferred digital edition provider. You can view the digital edition using computers running Windows, Apple OS, or Linux; iPad; and Android-based tablets running Android version 2.2 or later. You can subscribe to the digital edition here.

It is also available for the Amazon Kindle Fire and iPad through the Amazon Kindle newsstand.

International customers will be able to purchase the digital editions of FSM through both venues.

Issues can be downloaded for offline reading. Digital subscribers also receive access to premium online content, just like paper-edition subscribers. Each issue has an access code in the table of contents. Codes are valid for 60 days.

If you're using Nook, you'll have the best experience on Nook Color and Android-based tablets running Android version 2.1 or higher (not Android-based mobile phones), and iPad. We do not recommend viewing FSM via Nook on PC or Mac computers, original Nook, or Nook Simple Touch.

The digital edition costs the same as the print edition, which is at the standard $39.95 rate. While digital editions don't have the same paper and delivery costs as the print version, digital production is no less expensive; it is a different business model than print production. There are still costs to create, host, maintain, and distribute content electronically which publishers pay for up front rather than at the back end at the printer.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please e-mail Customer Service, and they should be able to assist you.

Best,

TK

I will stay with the print edition. I have every issue published and a bound index. Call me old fashioned but I like the magazine in my hand.

I too like the feel of a magazine in my hand; but at the same time I like being able to read it on my iPad. 

I just think that there should be some sort of incentive for a subscriber to "go digital".  Don't charge me the same rate as a paper subscription.  Charging me $39.95 for 10 electronic copies which require less overhead on the publisher's part won't exactly have us all leaving the paper world in droves.

By going with the digital version we are saving the company massive amounts of money.  I'm not one of those that thinks the e-version should be free either.  I'm all for paying for the product; you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

EDIT:  Since I'm already a subscriber, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the $10 digital subscription.  How 'bout splitting the difference at renewal time?  If I want to go strictly digital make it say, $25 a year.  THAT would be an incentive!  Just a thought though.

deafpanzer

Same here... I use iPad.  If FineScale wants to go digital, they have to make it better for iPad users first!!!  While I use iPad I don't check this forum too often like I do at other forums because they work well for my iPad. 

When is FSM going to make this work?

Just a quick note my iPad works with FSM now. Much better!  Thank you 'the real Red Baron' for your help upgrading my iPad.  I have so much to learn...

Just an FYI....

I signed up for Zinio like I posted before and bought a $5 sub to one of the car magazines.  Apparently because I made that purchase I was emailed a $25 gift certificate (Zinio Bucks) code good towards any magazine!

So I was able to get a sub to FSM for only $15!  Just an FYI if anyone wants to try it out.  Don't know if they send everyone the $25 discount or not.

They send it to everyone.  I ended up getting a sub to an iPhone/iPad mag for 32 cents after the $25 gift certificate.

Richard, thanks for sharing that. It's actually a 'secret' promotion, you don't have to buy anything to get it, just sign up as a new user. I thought it was over by end of last year. But evidently not - I got my $25 certificate just for signing up.

I see this is over a year old- so forgive me.  I recently let my print subscription lapse and was going to go digital- until I saw the cost.  Tim-- you said the costs for creating both are the same-- yet pretty much every other modeling magazine I know that is offering subscriptions through pocketmags is offering it at a pretty dramatic discounted rate in comparison to the print edition.  So-- are they losing money doing this, or is using pocketmags over Zinio a better alternative??  I obviously have no clue how all this works, but I am just stating that if you guys at Kalmbach really want to stay competitive, it might be worth your time to start trying to figure out these questions.  

I'll keep an eye out to see if things change, but if I can save money switching over to Tamiya, Scale Model Addict, or some of the UK publications so that I can use that money on models and supplies instead, explain why I shouldn't?