Popular Science+ For the iPad is Here!

Excellent, this is just great :)

Ivan Malagurski

oh, that's excellent design.
hey - adobe reader people - are you seeing this? why are you guys still stuck in the year 2000?
for that matter, it's a shame the web doesn't have more of this kind of functionality. i know it doesn't because of the billions of sites and handful of browsers that all have to work together, but still - it sure would be nice if we could get organized, people! (at least microsoft has stopped being jerks about internet explorer.)

cool.

Awesome!

Amazing my friends! I am seeing people lining up for this piece of c*ap technology. I seriously hope Apple can give us some pride with the 4G iphone and ipod touch!

www.dzinerfusion.com

There's an elephant in i-pad's room. It's very hard on the eyes to read books on a backlt LCD screen such as the i.pad has. That's why e.ink readers like Kindle and others have taken off. People who buy the i.pad for reading books are going to be very disappointed, if they don't go blind first. If they'd had a pixel qi screen and a real keyboard instead of a virtual one, Apple would be in front of the crowd on this one, instead of a hundred miles behind it.

$5 for a single (digital) issue???

You have got to be kidding!!!

I can subscribe for like $12 for the whole year, and they have to print and mail it to me!

I think $10 for a year would be the most I would pay for a digital subscription...

I will agree that $5/issue is kinda high when they are saving on the printing and shipping of physical paper magazine. The app does look nice and seems a bit better than just a regular digital edition of the magazine, but it's not that much different.

I could be wrong, but don't magazines make most of their money from advertising? This is a perfect opportunity to have advertisers make animated ads with video and sound and clickable links (wait, no multitasking in the iPad) in your digital magazine that would attract the readers.

At $5/issue ... you will be getting less readers, which means less downloads. Advertisers won't pay as much money when there aren't as many people reading the magazines.

I like your articles, but it really shouldn't cost more than subscribing to the print magazine. I don't know how much Apple is charging you, but perhaps you should take a look at one of the Windows or Android tablets coming out.

This is what I have been waiting for...I'm ordering one and getting my subscription online. THANK YOU!

It's time we step into the 21st Century and receive all information this way. Next will be the iWatch! Everyone wants to be "Green"........here it is!

This is great, but is it only available for the iPad? I don't have an iPad and I don't really plan on getting one anytime soon. What other formats can you subscribe to and get the digital magazine in? Will the other eReaders be supported or thrown to the dogs?

I am more than willing to move 100% to digital magazines, but I can't justify purchasing another device when I feel like I already have so many.

We have devices that use the blackberry OS, Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile and I'm sure there are more. I feel like the OS has come full circle, since I remember growing up with Atari, TI80's, Amigas, PC's, Apples, Commodores and other great OS's. This is the future, I had hoped that people would get away from creating OS specific products, but I guess not. I will just have to wait to see if one of my many devices will be able to access this new technology or not...

contrary to popular belief, i don't think the iPad is the future. after reading all about it, i can sum it up as simply an enlarged iPod with iPhone OS

Awesome!

$5 an issue is insulting. Should have the same options as pulp. Buy it an issue at a time, pay about 4-6x as much. Buy a subscription and save big time.

Ipad is awesome despite its limitations. When I read about the critics reviews I was skeptical as well. But go pick it up and use it. Pure joy. And btw software is being upgraded soon so multi-tasking will be integrated.

Nuts and Volts
1 year $26.95, higher outside the US
Digital version $19.95 anywhere in the world

nuf said

I have a subscription to PopSci and an iPad... The two won't converge until the pricing is similar to my print subscription. While the concept with the more interactive features is nice I think that can be done at a simliar price structure given the removal of all the steps nessisary to create and distribute a paper version.

I'd gladly convert my current subscription and sign up for a few more years at a similar price. Sadly I'm afraid PopSci is on the same iPad App gold rush along with so many other companies...

Am I the only one who is profoundly dissatisfied with PopSci on the iPad? I ** love ** PopSci magazine and was so looking forward to the ipad version.

For me it utterly fails in UI design. It is totally unintuitive, has few visual cues and behaves inconsistently. Do I swipe up, down, left or right? Is the missing text below or to the right of what I'm reading? Where did the two finger drag come from?

USA Today and Marvel comics have shown what happens when great UI design is applied to a familiar subject. Why can't I browse PopSci on iPad like I can with the magazine? Popups? Drill downs? Embedded videos? In app browsing?

Sorry PopSci. Don't even get me started on the pricing, but without a back to basics rethink of the entire concept behind the iPad version I'll be sticking with good old fashioned paper version.

Guess who's eating his words?

Every argument used was true of CRT and LCDs with Fluorescent backlighting. There is no eye strain with the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad display technology. eInk technologies are currently too slow to keep up with modern reading habits, especially high-graphical ones. In other words, the iPad is doing what no other tablet to date has been able to do, make your media consumption—audio, video, printed word—truly mobile in a single device. Add the content creation capabilities, and the iPad becomes the device conceived by Gene Roddenberry with the PADD used by Captain Kirk and later by the crew of the Enterprise D.

$5? No thanks.

What the video showed is only a simulation. The real thing may not even be that smooth. I have the digital subscription and I must say I can very disappointed by it. The old PDF versions were 9000 times better.

Also, remember the iPad does not support multitask so I guess if you click on links in the magazine (if even available), it will have to close the reader and open safari. Then when you're finished, close safari then re-open the reader again... what a PITA (and time consuming)!

And the text scrolling thing, I think it's because the screen resolution is too low. They can't fit all the text in there without the fonts being blurry. So you'll have to scroll scroll scroll scroll scroll up up down down left right left right B A just to read one page...

Maybe it's a conspiracy between Apple and software makers to make users scroll a lot so you'll look cool at Starbucks just all busy scrolling all the time with your fingers.

Wow another apple condescension we can't wait to toss money at.

Never mind no USB ports. Never mind it's useless in India. Never mind you can't even charge the batt's yourself.

But hey technophiles won't care. They'll all have to be seen to own one; it's how their esteem is defined. Their capital has got to be disposed of.

Amazing, that totally makes my Ipad complete! Love it.

Lou
www.anonymous-vpn.tk

@Nickjhowe: No you are not the only one being profoundly dissatisfied with PopSci on the iPad. Count me in!

I guess this whole scrolling up - left - right and down was meant to look "future" but for me it is not. Probably new standards for eletronic magazines will have to be set but I doubt that PopSci's way will be it.

For the time being we'll have to live with the fact that more and more magazines emerge to the iPad market and each of them will make its own UI. :-(

Talking about UI: How can I get rid of the April 2010 Preview issue? I've bought to full April issue but the April preview still sticks around. This is annoying!

Finally the price of 5$ for the May issue is really a joke.
What's so difficult with offering a subscription?

For now I'd say: Big chance but not taken.

I agree with all of the negative comments above. Trying to do too much and charging way too much. Sorry, no magazine is worth $5 an issue to me.

One final nail in the coffin in my mind: This is obviously some proprietary file format and I for one hate non-open, non-standard formats. If I keep the magazines, I'll still be able to read them next year, in ten years, in 50 years, assuming I'm still around. But who knows if the files will remain usable in even five years, when they've gone through five versions of the app.

Forget it, guys. Even though I have an iPad, I'm not biting. I'll wait for sales on paper subscriptions.

I also want to add that I hate that you've pulled PS from Zinio in order to cash in using PS+. Greed, that's all it is. You know most people would be satisified with the Zinio edition so you force them into the more expensive option instead.

I like PS a lot, but ipad is not available here. Even if it is, can't afford it. Since digital subscription "for the rest of us" is not available, I've revert back to my tree-killing habits.

Quite right, cs4. I like reading Popular Science on my computer, but that won't be an option as soon as my Zinio subscription runs out. Bonnier is giving only two choices. $10 print subscription or at least $500 for an iPad and $5 per issue for Popular Science+. They say that if you can afford an iPad, you can afford an extra $60 per year.

I'm thinking about buying an iPad and this would be an added bonus.

On the whole $5 an issue it looks like a lot of your wishes are being granted - reading the ipad link it says.

COMING SOON
Subscriptions: Sign up for 6 or 12 issues in advance and save money. Enter your email and we'll notify you automatically when there's a new issue ready to download.

I know i won't be buying online until then...

Been a PopSci reader and subscriber for 20 years or more!!
Changed to the e version on Zinio a few years ago at the same price as the print version - should be less - no paper, no postage. Now, without notice, only e version is through iTunes - and $5 per Pop!!! Good bye PopSci.

I am a long time popular Science reader and looked forward to the possibilities of reading it on the iPad. My first experience was less than satisfactory. Although text, graphics and photos are sharp and engaging, I find the interface simplistic and frustrating. Why no search function? Why no library storage option. Why isn't there contact information to leave comments on content and technical issues. Why not link to this forum.
Why can't I buy the July online issue now when its already on newsstands?

PopSci has needs to get the improved version 2 up and running soon or it will loose many potential iPad readers.

I just got my ipad and was pretty excited for the popsci app, assuming that I will just have to enter my account number and just download the issue, and maybe pay just. The initial app fee, instead I find that i have to pay $5 PER issue, come on now. I think if you have a subscription to pop sci they should only charge a small fee for you to get the digital version as well. They need to figure a better way to do this, i just hope that not too many people take this nonsense and pay the $5, i f that happens than popsci will not adjust their pricing.

I was happy to see you're finally offering a digital version available on the iPad but you're INSANE if you think I'm willing to pay that price! WHY ON EARTH would I want to pay like $5 an issue when I can subscribe to the print edition for 2 years/$18 or 75 cents an issue? I want to save the environment, save some trees, yadda, yadda, yadda, but not if it costs me that much extra.

@h.hat

You are the worst kind of troll. So you think the success of kindle was because of the screen? Omfg! You are so out of touch.
And as for then screen on the iPad blinding you it ain't so.
Funny, you can read a book in natural sunlight(with all that uv) and won't go blind but you say that looking at the iPad would blind you. I wonder if you are paid to spread disparaging remarks like that.
I smell jealousy and pure hate from you.

I have a print subscription to popsci and thought the $5 an issue thing was an insult but now I find the online galleries won't work right on my iPad either, if this is the future I guess I'll be using up some more trees!

The reviews of this app at the App Store are not good. The majority of people don't like it. Bonnier, are you listening? Probably not. I just bought a regular three-year subscription for $5 a year. I'll get 12x as many issues for the same price.

Dump this failed experiment and bring it back to Zinio. I'm happily paying your competitor Popular Mechanics $12 a year for their digital copies on Zinio. Gouging your readers is never a good way to keep them and your Beta Lab people aren't as smart as they think.

One more comment in support of fixing the price point problem for the iPad subscription -- the cost should be at least comparable to the print subscription, particularly since it will be considerably less expensive to produce and distribute.

It's a basic tenet of marketing ... your current customers are your best customers.

I can think of no example where the current customer base has been so uncared for.

Charging up to 400% extra for a digital product with $0.00 marginal delivery cost to customers with decades long dedication ... well that's pretty much unprecedented.

And, since the law of economics GUARANTEES price will be drawn towards the marginal cost of providing an additional unit of production, this level of gouging "will not stand, man!"

But the damage will.

Great apps, but is quite pricey.. Would be great if it could be lowered.

www.dietalt.com

It looks like Bonnier finally listened to their customers, even though it took almost half a year for the message to get through. PS is available again on Zinio for $10 a year. Anyone who wants to read it on an iPad, PC or Mac can do so again. Save the trees! Although it looks like it's limited to the US market. I don't find any mention of PS on the UK site. Sorry, blokes. You won't get the fancy shmancy interface of Popular Science+, but if you're like me, you're just interested in reading the magazine and find gestures for the sake of gestures more annoying than useful.

ASAwho?

wWHAT?I was going to ask when I can get it on my tablet PC.

Forget that,$5.00?!! my hands on, paper issues are just fine, even with the crooked chopped covers,and annoying inserts.

0h I wrote this comment, by hand ,with my pen, on my tablet PC.

$5 is too much per issue. I already have a multi-year subscription to the paper version and will be happy with that. If I could swap my paper sub for the ipad version, I'd do it in a heart-beat. But having to pay extra, forget it!!!! It would have to cost the same as paper to interest me.

Lee

I have a print subscription to popsci and thought the $5 an issue thing was an insult but now I find the online galleries won't work right on my iPad either, if this is the future I guess I'll be using up some more trees! Noak from http://londonremoval.co.uk/

Grinner0
(whoopee)
I have a paid subscription to Popular Science and vow I get to pay an extra $5 a copy to have it on my iPad too?

No thank you.