FT now downloadable from Zinio

[owenwhiteoak]

As from issue FT268, Fortean Times is on sale as a download to PC, Mac or iPad, either as single issues or as a 12-issue subscription.

See http://www.zinio.com for details. Search for "fortean" then select your country from the drop-down menu at the flag in the top right corner.

Vols 1 and 3 of It Happened To Me! are also available.

Future plans are that back issues will be made available, although we don't have a date yet for when that will happen, and I assume it will be a gradual process. The older issues are not currently in handy PDF format, so it will take longer to get them ready, but we hope to get them all there eventually.

 

[McAvennie]

As in every issue downloadable right back to No 1?

Don't envy the poor sap doing the scanning but would be great if that was ultimately an option to download very early editions as PDFs.

EDIT: Personally I think if you can provide proof that you actually own the paper version you should get a free download of that issue. Being able to put every issue in PDF form over a few DVDs would certainly help out with my present clutter and hoarding issue pre-relocation.

 

[Anome]

Cool. Except I just re-subscribed to the print edition.

Also, reading it on my phone or computer isn't as convenient. And I'm waiting for the next generation before buying a tablet device.

Still, it's a good development which I hope to avail myself of.

 

[owenwhiteoak]

As in every issue downloadable right back to No 1?

Don't envy the poor sap doing the scanning but would be great if that was ultimately an option to download very early editions as PDFs.

EDIT: Personally I think if you can provide proof that you actually own the paper version you should get a free download of that issue. Being able to put every issue in PDF form over a few DVDs would certainly help out with my present clutter and hoarding issue pre-relocation.

In an ideal world, sure, everything would be free. But, sadly, that's not the real world. By your logic, because I had a huge collection of vinyl LPs, I would have qualified for free CDs when the albums were re-released (or free LPs when they got scratched?), and now could claim free MP3 downloads. Doesn't work that way, though. Now, I'm not about to defend capitalism, but in this world, everyone has to eat - which means everyone has to be paid. And let's face it, publishing is a business. If FT didn't continue to bring in a profit for the publishers, it wouldn't be appearing. It may be harsh, but it's reality.

Plans for downloadable back issues are long-term rather than in the near future.

 

[James_H]

By your logic, because I had a huge collection of vinyl LPs, I would have qualified for free CDs when the albums were re-released (or free LPs when they got scratched?), and now could claim free MP3 downloads. Doesn't work that way, though.

I think that new music releases (especially vinyl) now often come with codes so that you can download the same tracks as MP3s. This is just pedantry, though, because I'm not arguing with your larger point.

 

[McAvennie]

In that case I'll just spend my Sundays painstakingly scanning my own paper copies 8)

 

[SHAYBARSABE]

As from issue FT268, Fortean Times is on sale as a download to PC, Mac or iPad, either as single issues or as a 12-issue subscription.

Hurray! We've only one shop here that carries the magazine, and it's closing in January.

 

[linesmachine]

Has anyone actually subscribed or ordered a "single copy" yet? I buy the printed version as it stands, but always said I would love a digital version. I'm just worried my wife is going to get suspicious if I take my laptop into the toilet to read!

 

[GNC]

Has anyone actually subscribed or ordered a "single copy" yet? I buy the printed version as it stands, but always said I would love a digital version. I'm just worried my wife is going to get suspicious if I take my laptop into the toilet to read!

You could always print out the digital version and staple the pages together.

 

[linesmachine]

Has anyone actually subscribed or ordered a "single copy" yet? I buy the printed version as it stands, but always said I would love a digital version. I'm just worried my wife is going to get suspicious if I take my laptop into the toilet to read!

You could always print out the digital version and staple the pages together.

Well I would, but those cheap printer cartridges I ordered from the Yemen never arrived.....

 

[rev_dino]

I just found out about this. Great news!

The latest available issue looks great on PC and on the iPad. Can't wait until it's available for iPhones and Android too. Yes, I carry a lot of gadgets about, it's me job!

If you're in the USA, single issues are about $6, which is about half the newsstand price too.

 

[escargot]

The latest available issue looks great on PC and on the iPad. Can't wait until it's available for iPhones and Android too. Yes, I carry a lot of gadgets about, it's me job!

rev_dino, I like the cut of your jib!

 

[47Forteans]

To be honest, a Luddite like me (who posts on an internet style message board, as that is the limits of my tech knowledge!) would rather keep the paper issued copy of the magazine, rather than download it from the ethernet device! There's something nice (and slightly "hoarder" if one thinks about it! ) about having all the back issues sitting on the bookshelf to peruse when nothing of an intellectual nature presents itself for ones entertainment!

But each to their own, I guess!

Just glad that downloading the mag isn't the only option when it comes to all things Fortean!

 

[rev_dino]

Good points 47!

I really thought I would feel the same way when I bought my first eBook reader last year (oh gods, another gadget for the list). I'd heard what people had said about missing the smell and feel and bookyness of books and thought I would feel the same way, but much to my surprise I don't miss DTB (Dead Tree Books) at all!

In fact, since I moved into my new house last year I haven't actually unpacked my books at all, and haven't made any plans for bookshelves yet.

Like I said, this is very surprising and unlike me. I've always been a techie, but with a healthy appreciation for the printed word too, but that seems to be changing now!

 

[47Forteans]

I think that it is a good option to have both a printed copy and an ecopy!

 

[escargot]

Yup, wouldn't want to drop a Kindle in the bath. :lol:

 

[rev_dino]

That's what Ziploc bags are for!

 

[Tegan]

Can't figure out what format these magazines are in. It appears to be their own, which means it wouldn't be portable to Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader. As much as I'd like a digital option for Fortean Times, I'm not going to buy something that will be unreadable if you don't have their specific application installed.

 

[owenwhiteoak]

Zinio downloads

Can't figure out what format these magazines are in. It appears to be their own, which means it wouldn't be portable to Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader. As much as I'd like a digital option for Fortean Times, I'm not going to buy something that will be unreadable if you don't have their specific application installed.

Kindle is an Amazon product and so only supports texts downloaded from Amazon itself. The same probably applies to other proprietary readers. However, the Zinio reader application can be downloaded free to most platforms - Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone etc. So once you've done that
<https://www.zinio.com/account/download-reader-page.jsp>,
it should just be a matter of buying a subscription or the individual issues you want.

 

[ArthurASCII]

Zinio magazines are distributed in their own .zno format. However, if you have a "print to PDF" printer driver (such as the free Bullzip PDF printer) installed on your system, you merely have to print to PDF, then copy the resulting file to any PDF-capable reading device.

I recommend Calibre by the way, it's a free e-book management tool that recognises most readers.

 

[Anome]

Actually, the Kindle can read PDFs as well as .mobi publications, which you can download from other sites, not just Amazon. (The DRM is restricted to Amazon books, but .mobi files without DRM are readable.)

Also, the Kindle app is available on all platforms, iOS, Mac, PC, Android, and the Kindle reader. In fact, it may be available on the Barnes and Noble Nook Colour soon, since it is just an Android device customised to be a book reader.

That said, I don't really care which format it's available in, as long as I can get it as an option. At the moment, I've just renewed my paper subscription (as noted earlier, just before this announcement), and I don't have a device I can read it on easily. (I have a Kindle, but it can't easily read Zinio content, and it's not much good for anything other than text.)

 

[DieDieMyDarling]

Zinio magazines are distributed in their own .zno format. However, if you have a "print to PDF" printer driver (such as the free Bullzip PDF printer) installed on your system, you merely have to print to PDF, then copy the resulting file to any PDF-capable reading device.

I recommend Calibre by the way, it's a free e-book management tool that recognises most readers.

Great, in theory. But Zinio appears to have printing disabled for FT, so there's no way to convert things over. I wish I'd known that, before I purchased a year's subscription. I was hoping to convert over to use on my Android Kindle.

Zinio, as a reader, is awful. Very slow, clunky, and just years behind Acrobat and PDF in general.

 

[Tegan]

Great, in theory. But Zinio appears to have printing disabled for FT, so there's no way to convert things over. I wish I'd known that, before I purchased a year's subscription. I was hoping to convert over to use on my Android Kindle.

Zinio, as a reader, is awful. Very slow, clunky, and just years behind Acrobat and PDF in general.

Ah, thank you for this information. I was considering getting FT on Zinio, but I dislike the proprietary format and was hoping I could convert to PDFs to read on a Kindle or something. The fact that the printing is disabled means it's utterly pointless to buy a subscription.

I'd hate to buy FT through Zinio only to lose my collection because the company goes out of business or decides to tweak the format and not update older issues. For most magazines it doesn't matter, but I like rereading and referencing old FTs.

 

[ArthurASCII]

Although I'm a great technophile, I wouldn't dream of swapping my paper-based FT for an electronic one.

I would however, consider buying the CD collections if they weren't so darned expensive. I think perhaps I'll have my collection bound.

 

[solsticebelle]

I would love to buy the CD collections but they don't seem to be available in America.

However, my sister and I have bought several years' worth of editions that were published in the 90's at reasonable prices on Ebay, though.

The It Happened to Me books aren't available in America either, so I was happy to see I could get them all on Zinio. I just ordered the first one and printing is enabled for it.

 

[Stormkhan]

Although I'm a great technophile, I wouldn't dream of swapping my paper-based FT for an electronic one.

I would however, consider buying the CD collections if they weren't so darned expensive. I think perhaps I'll have my collection bound.

I was considering subscribing to the e-edition ... 'till I found out I wouldn't get them on my Kindle. I wonder why the publishers chose Zinio over the more widespread kindle? Costs?
Binders for the FT are my bete noir - I'd buy loads if the FT offered binders, and they'd also be an encouragement for continued subscription ... rather than the remaindered DVD's/Mugs/Post-it notes/whatever's lying around the office that subscribers get now. Currently I get bland magazine folders from Staples or Rymans.

 

[Shoegazer]

As in every issue downloadable right back to No 1?

Don't envy the poor sap doing the scanning but would be great if that was ultimately an option to download very early editions as PDFs.

EDIT: Personally I think if you can provide proof that you actually own the paper version you should get a free download of that issue. Being able to put every issue in PDF form over a few DVDs would certainly help out with my present clutter and hoarding issue pre-relocation.

In an ideal world, sure, everything would be free. But, sadly, that's not the real world. By your logic, because I had a huge collection of vinyl LPs, I would have qualified for free CDs when the albums were re-released (or free LPs when they got scratched?), and now could claim free MP3 downloads. Doesn't work that way, though. Now, I'm not about to defend capitalism, but in this world, everyone has to eat - which means everyone has to be paid. And let's face it, publishing is a business. If FT didn't continue to bring in a profit for the publishers, it wouldn't be appearing. It may be harsh, but it's reality.

Plans for downloadable back issues are long-term rather than in the near future.

My wife has bought me an ipad so I thought I would look into this. I have to say I am very disappointed that paper subscribers do not get the electronic version as part of their subscription. Despite what you say, Owen, the situation is not at all analagous. It is very easy to rip CDs to make MP3s 9or whatever format you want) to listen to on your ipod. The same is not true of scanning in magazines.

That said I think the real issue is that it seems that plenty of other magazines and newspapers give free access to electronic editions to paper subscribers. For example I subscribe to The Economist and they allow me to download the magazine to the ipad for free:

http://www.economist.com/digital/apps

 

[Anome]

And yet there are many magazine that do not. I believe the New Yorker requires you to pay extra for the digital edition if you have a paper subscription.

As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong) the conversion of the pre-print file to the digital format (Zinio's proprietary format) requires some work which needs to be recovered. Plus there is Zinio's share in the distribution. In the case of a large circulation magazine like The Economist, these can be absorbed by the cost of the print magazine, but in the case of a smaller circulation magazine like FT, they can't.

(Also, I note that The Economist charges A$266 dollars for the Zinio only subscription, and A$365 for the print version. FT charges A$50 or thereabouts for the Zinio subscription and £55 for the print version. Bit of a difference there.)

 

[Shoegazer]

(Also, I note that The Economist charges A$266 dollars for the Zinio only subscription, and A$365 for the print version. FT charges A$50 or thereabouts for the Zinio subscription and £55 for the print version. Bit of a difference there.)

There is. But the main point is that The Economist paper subscription includes the electronic subscription within it. I would like to see that or at least a heavily discounted electronic subscription for paper subscribers of the FT.

The Economist costs more because it is a weekly, has more pages and has more journalists.

Also I presume that the FT is sent to the printer in an electronic format, how difficult would it be to convert that to a pdf? I wouldn't have thought it would be hard.

 

[Soong]

Also I presume that the FT is sent to the printer in an electronic format, how difficult would it be to convert that to a pdf? I wouldn't have thought it would be hard.

I agree, potentially as easy as saving two versions - one for the printer and one for electronics distribution.