Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • STW Digital Sub on a Tablet.
  • I_Ache
    Free Member

    Thinking about getting a tablet and one of the things I would do with it is get a STW digital sub. I can’t stand reading online mags on my computer but I think I would on a tablet.

    I’m considering the upcoming iPad mini and the Nexus7 I don’t want anything bigger/more expensive.

    So what’s it like reading the mag on a tablet? Can you download it over WiFi and read at leisure with no connection or do you need a connection for the whole time of reading.

    I know STW were looking at an iOS App for premier members, is there an Android one in the works? What is/will be the point of the app, does it just have short cuts or is it a more mobile friendly way of viewing the site?

    Also I prefer using Android on my phone but I think that iOS is probably a better option for a tablet because of the type of Apps I will use on it and I have quite a lot of stuff on iTunes for my iPods.

    Thanks.

    druidh
    Free Member

    I hope so. As an Android-using Premier member I don’t see why I should be subsidising the iOS crowd.

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    If you

    can’t stand reading online mags on my computer

    there is a good chance you won’t like it that much on a tablet. I’d suggest you try before you buy.

    Also, whilst I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a STW Android app as STW efforts are focused on IOS, I’ve been happy enough with the formats available on my PC, Android phone and Playbook.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    xiphon
    Free Member

    iOS is the most likely choice for overweight middle aged IT managers…

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    So what’s it like reading the mag on a tablet?

    I like it a lot (iPad 3 here).

    Can you download it over WiFi and read at leisure with no connection

    Yes.

    I’m considering the upcoming iPad mini and the Nexus7 I don’t want anything bigger/more expensive.

    Mmmm… see I’d say both of those are a bit small for reading a magazine. For me I like to be able to read a whole page at a time, not have to pan about on little zoomed in bits, so I prefer a nice high-res screen that is close to A4 size.

    So you’d be looking at a full size iPad (iPad 3 ideally for the Retina display) or the forthcoming Nexus 10.

    What is/will be the point of the app, does it just have short cuts or is it a more mobile friendly way of viewing the site?

    It’s not for viewing the site at all – just reading the mag. There are currently two ways to read the mag on iOS: download the PDF from the site and use your preferred PDF reader (iBooks, GoodReader etc) or use the Singletrack app.

    I think the main point of the app is that it works with Newsstand – an iOS feature which keeps all your magazines/newspapers subscriptions in one app and automatically downloads new editions for your as they become available. It also lets them do slightly cleverer stuff with the digital mag, like embedded movies etc which can’t be done in a PDF.

    The downside is the current STW app does not work with subs, so it’s only good for people buying mags through that app. That’s why they are working on a new version.

    As an Android-using Premier member I don’t see why I should be subsidising the iOS crowd.

    it’s because we’re better than you 😛

    Mackem
    Full Member

    Download the kindle app and then just use the kindle version of the mag.

    Or, just use a pdf viewer.

    jfletch
    Free Member

    You can download high quality PDFs of the mag and read them at your leisure using you favourite PDF reader e.g. iBooks, or whatever cobbled togther effort Android managed to install. 😈

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    xiphon – Member
    iOS is the most likely choice for overweight middle aged IT managers…

    What if your not middle aged or an IT Manager?

    there is a good chance you won’t like it that much on a tablet.

    I just don’t think it works well on a computer. I don’t want to sit at a desk to read a magazine. I want to hold something to read it like you would with a normal mag or book.

    I like pinching to zoom on my phone and this should work well on a tablet with a mag but on a PC zooming with the mouse isn’t so good.

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    iOS is the most likely choice for overweight middle aged IT managers..

    No not really. There is almost universal hatred of all things Apple and Microsoft from IT people. Almost exclusively Linux/Android users.

    jfletch
    Free Member

    What if your not middle aged or an IT Manager?

    See, steriotypically I would expect IT managers to have Android as every IT manager who I have ever met has an aversion to “things that just work” and instead seem intent on doing things the hard way, in the name of being able to poke under the hood, and saving upfront cost regardless of the headaches this will cause later or the impact it will have on the users.

    xiphon
    Free Member

    I like iOS, as it simply “just works”. And yes, I’m an IT Manager 😉

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    Mmmm… see I’d say both of those are a bit small for reading a magazine. For me I like to be able to read a whole page at a time, not have to pan about on little zoomed in bits, so I prefer a nice high-res screen that is close to A4 size.

    So you’d be looking at a full size iPad (iPad 3 ideally for the Retina display) or the forthcoming Nexus 10.

    I see what your saying and tbh I agree with you but normal iPads are too pricy and the Nexus 10 looks to be next year before they are available. I am hoping to have it this year, hopefully as a Christmas present.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    Ok so after the stupid pricing of the iPad mini what do Nexus 7 users think about viewing the digital mag? Can you turn pages like you can on a kindle book or is the viewing experience the same as the pc? I have looked at the example edition on my pc but can’t on my phone. How do they loon when you subscribe and how do you read them?

    shadthebad
    Free Member

    I download the PDF and then read it using Adobe Reader. I can read the text with a whole page showing at once, so no scrolling around. I just flick between pages with my thumb, everything is a one handed operation.

    I’m probably going to go digital only in the future.

    bencooper
    Free Member

    What’s the screen resolution of various things like? I found the text annoyingly blocky on the iPad 1, but it’s lovely on iPad 3.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    I think, off the top of my head, the nexus is compatible if not better than the iPad 2. And the iPad mini is just better again. Going to try and find a comparison between the 3.

    Does the PDFs have all the embedded video and stuff?

    shadthebad
    Free Member

    The screen on the Nexus 7 is 1280*800, The iPad 2 and mini are 1068*768.

    There’s video and other stuff on the desktop version? If you tell me where there’s some in the latest issue, I’ll go and have a look.

    bencooper
    Free Member

    Yeah, so the 3 has 4x the resolution – that’s what makes the difference. Depends if you mind zooming I guess.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    I read somewhere that they are putting little videos in the digital mag. I don’t have a clue how or where as I’m not a subscriber. Anybody else got any idea how/if this works? Or did I just imagine it?

    grum
    Free Member

    No not really. There is almost universal hatred of all things Apple and Microsoft from IT people. Almost exclusively Linux/Android users.

    Not sure what you mean by IT people but I was photographing a software developer/consultants conference a few months ago and about 90% were using MacBooks, mainly Airs.

    Just got a digital subscription and the PDF in GoodReader works well on iPad 2. Text is a bit blocky though.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    Grum are you getting the vids and links etc or was I dreaming when I read that?

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