Ask HN: Do you subscribe to print magazines anymore?
Do you subscribe to print magazines anymore? What is your favorite/Best one if so?
47 comments
I subscribe to Fine Woodworking. It is hands-down the best publication on the topic and does a great job with its content. I could use the website to get the information, but it is far faster to read a magazine than navigating the website and nothing really beats full-page color diagrams above trying to fit it on my phone's screen.
Not counting the engineers union magazines I get, the only one I subscribe is Skrolli, which is a Finnish hobbyist computer magazine. They have international numbers if you are interested, highly recommended for anyone interested in specialized topics and retro computers.
Check out the international edition here: https://skrolli.fi/en/international/
Check out the international edition here: https://skrolli.fi/en/international/
I'm considering subscribing to The Economist.
I was a Time subscriber, but I stopped a year ago as I felt it was too focused on the US. I've been reading newspapers online since then and feel like I don't remember anything I've read online whereas I still remember some articles from the printed Time edition.
I was a Time subscriber, but I stopped a year ago as I felt it was too focused on the US. I've been reading newspapers online since then and feel like I don't remember anything I've read online whereas I still remember some articles from the printed Time edition.
I'm not in a first-world country, so I don't subscribe to any magazines (nor have I ever) because I think that the physical delivery would be a pain in the ass and that I will always be one issue behind, but the last sentence is the reason I like to pick up a copy of Wired at the airport (their website is not even close quality-wise).
At this point I should probably just subscribe to the digital edition, but it seems like I can't do that on my Kindle without having them waste paper on me specifically every month or so.
At this point I should probably just subscribe to the digital edition, but it seems like I can't do that on my Kindle without having them waste paper on me specifically every month or so.
I'm considering it too. Also occasionally get a sub to Viz and Private Eye but let them go when the quality dips, as it does occasionally.
The economomist continues to be high quality. It is an expensive way to get your news but I think it’s worth it.
Ditto. The Economist covers topics in depth that I don't see covered at all elsewhere.
I also subscribe to 'The New Yorker'. I disagree vehemently with their politics but respect them as a source of good writing on diverse and sometimes tweaky topics.
Scientific American and Atlantic Monthly. Gotta have something next to the toilet that won’t set me back hundreds of dollars should it fall in while I’m reading.
Get a waterproof phone or tablet?
The New Yorker is my only print subscription. Literature, art, science, and current events, every issue has articles I find worth while.
National Geographic and I'd like to get Nautilus' prints as well, but I've heard that they have (or had) a tough time getting orders fulfilled in a timely manner. I'd really dislike getting a certain month's magazine a month or more later; for me, in such cases, consistency is key.
I am also a happy NG subscriber.
I do prefer a hard copy print of things, but the issue I have with print magazines is its loaded with advertisements everywhere normally.
Its like browsing a web article without running uBlock origin. Once you have an adblock its hard to go back
The only ones I remember enjoying are national geographic though.
Its like browsing a web article without running uBlock origin. Once you have an adblock its hard to go back
The only ones I remember enjoying are national geographic though.
No, but it's not for a lack of trying. I like tangible things. All magazines I've seen just recycle existing information, or are just full of text.
Maybe I have too high expectations, but I want a magazine that's both brainpower & beauty.
Maybe I have too high expectations, but I want a magazine that's both brainpower & beauty.
For some reason it’s much easier for The Economist to hold my attention in print vs. on my phone. It’s perfect for a public transit commute (when there’s room to hold reading material).
I have a hobby that I read 3-4 print magazines for (fishing in the northwest, not that it matters) and after numerous times talking to the publishers, I still, in 2018, cannot get them to distribute an electronic version. I would pay big money for a digital archive of one of them all the way back to the 60's. They all fear piracy so strongly they won't innovate. Boggles my mind.
I've worked for a well established print magazine publisher in the recent past, and can attest that in a period when online subscription increased by 100x, print subscription shrank by a factor of 10.
My understanding is that they continue to produce a print edition mostly because of certain advantages it confers in terms of positioning, and that it's now a loss leader.
My understanding is that they continue to produce a print edition mostly because of certain advantages it confers in terms of positioning, and that it's now a loss leader.
MIT Tech Review, which keeps me up to date with a whole spectrum of advances and trends in tech, and The Atlantic for politics — most if not all The Atlantic is free online, but it’s dirt cheap to get the physical copy and I’m more likely to read the longer articles with the physical copy.
Other than the usual suspects that have already been mentioned, I'm really enjoy New Philosopher recently http://www.newphilosopher.com/
Fitness magazine. Usually the information is rehashed stuff from last month but I subscribe for two reasons.
1. Monthly renewal of motivation to workout. 2. I limit screen time at home. So magazines are fun to read/look at.
1. Monthly renewal of motivation to workout. 2. I limit screen time at home. So magazines are fun to read/look at.
Sunset Magazine. They have high quality content about living, eating, and traveling in the West (western US).
Almost all of my other content digest is tech focused, so it’s nice to have something a little different once a month.
Almost all of my other content digest is tech focused, so it’s nice to have something a little different once a month.
I get the AAII journal and Ad Astra because of my memberships in those orgs. Rarely have time to read them but they are sometimes really interesting. Have been considering getting one of the ham radio mags.
No. I sometimes miss it but reading on a tablet has taken over that. I will semi-regularly see what electronic mags I can get through the public library or what is available on Amazon's prime reading.
I subscribed to Wire because I remember how awesome the articles were at my tech-industry family member's house. It has definitely gone downhill from what I had remembered, all ad selling articles.
I bought a year subscription to wired and popular science for 5$ each on amazon prime during black friday. Don't know if I will continue it after a year but for the price of a coffee, why not?
I've come across texture.com, it's US+Canada only so I can't subscribe but I'm pretty sure I would if I could - unlimited mobile access to lots of magazines for $9.99/mo.
Yes. Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, QST, Nuts 'n' Volts. And my parents subscribe to Nat Geo, Readers Digest, and I think a few dairy farm/cheese industry magazines as well.
I only subscribe to print magazines when it's literature (The Paris Review). News/science/technology is easier to filter and read through online, in my opinion.
Bi-weekly Science News is a must have for me in print.
https://www.sciencenews.org/
Likewise, but Nature shows up weekly. I react to most of the research papers like a dog who's been shown a card trick, but the front half of the book is always interesting and up to the minute.
Yes. I have subscribed to Digit Magazine in India. I especially like their FastTrack supplememt, which is kind of short course for the subject it covers.
I previously subscribed to Clarkesworld in paper. Last year I switched to digital only so that Neil would get more money.
No, the same way as I avoid to buy anything available in a digital version (books, movies, video games, etc).
Current Archaeology (which covers the UK) and Current World Archaeology (the rest of the world).
I buy a subscripton to a Home Interiors mag for my sister every year at Christmas.
The Wire (music magazine)
Trail Runner magazine
That's it.
Trail Runner magazine
That's it.
I think the last magazine I had a subscription to was actually Print.
Bloomberg Businessweek
I subscribe to Logic, A Public Space and The New Yorker.
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i just began my first print edition subscription to the new yorker.
Yes, the New Yorker
The Economist for arguably the last good journalism
Esquire for entertainment and fashion
GQ for fashion
Esquire for entertainment and fashion
GQ for fashion