Today’s post/rant is to share my frustrations with the Magazine Apps for the iPad. Prior to me purchasing my iPad, one of the justifications I had for this purchase was to replace the magazines I love with the digital editions the iPad would provide. I planned to increase my magazine subscriptions and find new magazines, but have now just purchased and tried the PC Magazine App, which just reinforces my disgust for the iPad Magazine Apps.
The iPad has been so much more to me than I could have imagined. It’s followed me just about everywhere I go. The gaming is amazing! Games such as Plants vs. Zombies HD, 10 Pin Bowling, The PinBall HD and so many others make game playing on the iPad more than an experience. Watching my movies in the video player is great, streaming my Netflix Movies is even better and watching YouTube clips is a beautiful thing. I also love reading the newspaper with USAToday and all my favorite RSS feeds as a newspaper with The Early Edition. iBooks provides a brilliant way to read all your favorite books. Then there is the iPod app, which lets me take my favorite music with me and has renewed my interest in Video Podcasts. The iPad has completely replaced my iPod Touch and I haven’t picked it up once since April 3rd. Last but not least, the web browsing is just ridiculously good!
Of course, with the good, there are always some things to improve. I have two major complaints with the platform thus far. The price of books and Apps are too expensive and the Magazine Apps are extremely disappointing. After uninstalling another Magazine App I just purchased (PC Magazine), here are the things I HATE about the Magazine Apps along with my ways to fix these drawbacks.
What I HATE about the Magazine Apps
- Prices – Expect to pay $3 to $5 for each issue
- Those that require an internet connection – So you pay for your issue, but unfortunately can’t read many of the Magazine Apps without an Internet Connection.
- Descriptions – This really frustrates me! At face value, all you really see with many Magazine Apps is a description of the magazine. Without knowing better, many have paid for the app, only to realize that they are actually only purchasing a single issue.
My plead to fix the Magazine Apps
- Give us prices below the cover price of the print editions. You save money in distribution costs, print, etc, how can a digital edition cost the same or more?
- If we purchase a Magazine, don’t make us have to have an internet connection or require a login. This defeats the purpose. If I have an internet connection, I’ll browse the web instead of your magazine.
- Rewrite your descriptions to include information we need before wasting our money. Include the price for each issue, the subscription costs and whether we need an internet connection to view your magazine.
- Remove the full-page ads. Please stop trying to revert to the old days of the magazines. If we purchase a digital magazine, we shouldn’t have to see ads every other page.
- Make your apps free and provide a sample before requiring us to purchase. See iBooks for examples of this. If you’re confident in your content and your app, a sample will make us want to buy your magazine.
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