99 replies to this topic

[Ginga]

Following on from the trial during the postal strike of last year, and based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback it received, I can let you know that a digital version of AUTOSPORT will be launched next month.

There will be a formal announcement in due course, but the digital version will be free to existing magazine subscribers and we will offer it at a discounted price to Autosport.com PLUS subscribers.

More details to follow in due course, in the meantime if you have any questions, feel free to post them below and I’ll do my best to answer them.

David

[sidepodcast]

Following on from the trial during the postal strike of last year, and based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback it received, I can let you know that a digital version of AUTOSPORT will be launched next month.

thank you, thank you, thank you!

where do we sign up?

[Gilles4Ever]

That is really great news.

Is it possible for you to make that edition available so we can see what we will be getting when we subscribe to the magaine.

[Guizotia]

This is brilliant, I hate buying paper magazines. Will it be possible to subscribe to digital-only?

[dank]

Brilliant. No longer at the mercy of the Royal Fail!

[sidepodcast]

More details to follow in due course, in the meantime if you have any questions, feel free to post them below and I’ll do my best to answer them.

i seem to have lost the original trial versions of the digital magazine.

are they archived anywhere, and /or will the new versions be?

[Tomecek]

That is mega. Look forward to it....

[Mostyn]

Brilliant news.

But why wasn't this promoted at the Autosport International Show? I asked specifically about news about this and nobody knew anything or told me anything was coming soon.

I don't need the full magazine and never read old dead trees, they are too big to keep too ;)

I am hoping there is plenty to read at work or anywhere on my iPhone soon.

Good luck.

Mostyn

[andyblackmore]

just wanted to add my support, thanks. Here in Vancouver, we just have the 1st week of Jan in the shops...if you are lucky

[Ginga]

Is it possible for you to make that edition available so we can see what we will be getting when we subscribe to the magaine.

The digital version will be available online on the day of publication so you can view it straight away, even though your hard copy may not arrive until the following day (if you are overseas for example)

Will it be possible to subscribe to digital-only?

Yes

Brilliant. No longer at the mercy of the Royal Fail!

Only for the delivery of the hard copy of the magazine!

i seem to have lost the original trial versions of the digital magazine.

are they archived anywhere, and /or will the new versions be?

The postal strike versions are no longer available I'm afraid. The new versions however, will be archived.

But why wasn't this promoted at the Autosport International Show? I asked specifically about news about this and nobody knew anything or told me anything was coming soon.

We had a couple of issues to overcome before we knew we would definitely be able to offer this service. I would have liked to announce this before now, but it wasn't confirmed that we would have been able to proceed with the project.

Hope this helps
David

[Timstr11]

Will it be possible to buy/download a single digital issue. I often find myself only interested in a particular issue.
Would be great if I can spare myself the trip to the book store.

[charly]

Following on from the trial during the postal strike of last year, and based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback it received, I can let you know that a digital version of AUTOSPORT will be launched next month.

There will be a formal announcement in due course, but the digital version will be free to existing magazine subscribers and we will offer it at a discounted price to Autosport.com PLUS subscribers.

More details to follow in due course, in the meantime if you have any questions, feel free to post them below and I’ll do my best to answer them.

David

Many thaks. Brilliant and great news.

an overseas subscriptor

[mark f1]

Excellent news!!

[Little Leaf]

The digital version will be available online on the day of publication so you can view it straight away, even though your hard copy may not arrive until the following day (if you are overseas for example)

Yes

Only for the delivery of the hard copy of the magazine!

The postal strike versions are no longer available I'm afraid. The new versions however, will be archived.

We had a couple of issues to overcome before we knew we would definitely be able to offer this service. I would have liked to announce this before now, but it wasn't confirmed that we would have been able to proceed with the project.

Hope this helps
David

This is tremendous news, well done all!

[JForce]

I like the idea, however does this signal the start of a merging of the content? So that eventually Autosport.com will simply be the digital version of the hard copy? I'm referring specifically to the articles, rather than the news.

It seems to me that the end goal is to get a single "magazine", available both in hard-copy and online, published weekly, containing whatever articles are deemed worthy. News will continue to be published online as it's available.

That makes sense in a lot of ways, but I do wonder about the price. I recently resubbed to Autosport.com and I wish I hadn't to be honest, it simply isn't up to the standards it used to be. So to then add in another fee for the magazine might not be something I'm interested in, unless the price is right.

Which then also leads me to ask why would I subscribe to both? What are the points of difference? Both would be an online source of articles about motorsport and F1 in particular, and surely you'd need to explain to me the differences?

It's an interesting time for Autosport.com I'm sure....

[Mark A]

I like the idea, however does this signal the start of a merging of the content? So that eventually Autosport.com will simply be the digital version of the hard copy? I'm referring specifically to the articles, rather than the news.

It seems to me that the end goal is to get a single "magazine", available both in hard-copy and online, published weekly, containing whatever articles are deemed worthy. News will continue to be published online as it's available.

That makes sense in a lot of ways, but I do wonder about the price. I recently resubbed to Autosport.com and I wish I hadn't to be honest, it simply isn't up to the standards it used to be. So to then add in another fee for the magazine might not be something I'm interested in, unless the price is right.

Which then also leads me to ask why would I subscribe to both? What are the points of difference? Both would be an online source of articles about motorsport and F1 in particular, and surely you'd need to explain to me the differences?

It's an interesting time for Autosport.com I'm sure....

I must admit I'm having similar thoughts, my subscription renewal is on saturday (at less than the current prices, but not so much with exchange rates as it might have been, why is my payment in US$ when it's a UK mag and I live in the Uk?)

When I saw this thread I was very interested in the print version being available online to plus subscribers, and while I do probably expect to pay a bit more I'd hope it wasn't too much as to be honest the info in the print mag is usually out of date compared to whats online and what's on the forums.

At the moment I don't buy the magazine, I used to be a subscriber but felt it was losing it's way and it was a large expense I really could no longer justify when I was barely reading the print mag when it turned up.
If the printed version is available online for a reasonable cost then I feel more people, like myself may end up buying the digital subscription when we wouldn't go back to a full printed subscription.

The fact that the digital magazine will only be available to paper or plus subscribers is the main reason I am looking to continue my subscription I think it would be useful for Autosport to actually tell us how much they expect plus subscribers to pay for the digital mag, I'll be unhappy if the price ends up being based around the printed copy price.

[f1lover75]

Great news!

[FonzCam]

This sounds like a great solution to the current niggles about the lack of value with Autosport Plus. I almost never read magazines or newspapers these days instead everything is digital on a screen. All the content from autosport magazine on my computer, phone and soon to be purchased iPad would be awesome. Please Please Please whatever you do make it in an open format I can use on lots of different devices.

[Tomecek]

Next month became this month! Can't really wait

Is it going to be real digital magazin, using for example issuu engine?

Well, as I know Autosport, there will be satisfaction. My payment card is ready (actually it can never be ready, but it doesn't matter), so bring it on!

[clsgf]

Any news about?? I'm ready to subscribe.

[wewantourdarbyback]

Will it be possible to buy/download a single digital issue. I often find myself only interested in a particular issue.
Would be great if I can spare myself the trip to the book store.

I was wondering that, I prefer to get a hard copy but when the shops in Leeds fail me a digital version would be great.

[Little Leaf]

Any update on when this will become available?

Still haven't received last weeks' Autosport...

[Tomecek]

Any news on this?

I am ready to subscribe as many times as you need

[Ginga]

Just the once from everyone will do nicely ;)

[Ginga]

The Digital Edition will be launching tomorrow.

The issue of Feb 11 will be available to all readers as a taster/demo and PLUS subscribers will be able to read the Feb 18 issue. From next Thursday (25th), the Feb 18 issue will be available to all and PLUS subscribers can peruse the Feb 25 issue.

The digital subscription will commence with the issue of March 4, although you can purchase a subscription from tomorrow (the subscription will still start from the issue of March 4).

Access to the Digital Edition is free for print subscribers. You will need to activate your free web access if you have not already done so, which can be done here

We will be offering an annual (51 issue) Digital Edition Subscription which will include free (annual) access to Autosport.com PLUS.

If you are an existing PLUS subscriber, we will offer you the Digital Edition subscription at a discounted rate.

And if you are thinking of subscribing to either Autosport.com PLUS, or the Digital Edition, it will be in your interest to sign up for an annual PLUS subscription today…

[RubberGoat]

The Digital Edition will be launching tomorrow.

The issue of Feb 11 will be available to all readers as a taster/demo and PLUS subscribers will be able to read the Feb 18 issue. From next Thursday (25th), the Feb 18 issue will be available to all and PLUS subscribers can peruse the Feb 25 issue.

The digital subscription will commence with the issue of March 4, although you can purchase a subscription from tomorrow (the subscription will still start from the issue of March 4).

Access to the Digital Edition is free for print subscribers. You will need to activate your free web access if you have not already done so, which can be done here

We will be offering an annual (51 issue) Digital Edition Subscription which will include free (annual) access to Autosport.com PLUS.

If you are an existing PLUS subscriber, we will offer you the Digital Edition subscription at a discounted rate.

And if you are thinking of subscribing to either Autosport.com PLUS, or the Digital Edition, it will be in your interest to sign up for an annual PLUS subscription today…

This is very good news.

I have just subscribed to PLUS - so I hope that the extra amount will not be too high as I'm really keen to still read the magazine in some kind of timely fashion - it's almost impossible to get overseas before it's hopelessly out of date

[Exar Kun]

Excellent news! Have been an AtlasF1 subscriber ever since I got my first credit card. Am looking forward to finally being able to read Autosport in a timely manner.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

The digital version sounds like something that would be really cool on an iPad. Looking forward to it!

[dank]

Apologies if this has already been answered, but will there be an archive facility to read previous issues, or will they disappear after a week or so?

Edited by dank, 17 February 2010 - 21:06.

[Elliux]

Great!

[JForce]

I still want to know what the difference is between the content.

[dank]

I still want to know what the difference is between the content.

What, between the paper magazine and it being available online? Nothing if the sampler issues from last year are anything to go by.

[Ginga]

Apologies if this has already been answered, but will there be an archive facility to read previous issues, or will they disappear after a week or so?

No, they will remain available to you.

[Ginga]

The Digital Edition is now live.

http://www.autosport.com/digital/

[chdphd]

Very nice indeed!

[JForce]

What, between the paper magazine and it being available online? Nothing if the sampler issues from last year are anything to go by.

No, between the online version of autosport and the online version of autosport. My fear is that now that they can just put the magazine online now, why bother doing a good job with the online features? In my opinion there's been a downward trend in quality for some time now, and I only resubbed for Dieter to be honest. News is free. Magazine online. Why would I subscribe to autosport.com again?

[Ginga]

No, between the online version of autosport and the online version of autosport. My fear is that now that they can just put the magazine online now, why bother doing a good job with the online features? In my opinion there's been a downward trend in quality for some time now, and I only resubbed for Dieter to be honest. News is free. Magazine online. Why would I subscribe to autosport.com again?

Hi JForce,

The web content is not a replication of the print product. Autosport.com has it's own dedicated team of writers who do not appear in the magazine, and vice versa. It's not the intention that the website and the magazine offer the same content, but in fact complement each other.
Whilst it would be nice if everyone who had a PLUS subscription also bought a digital subscription, that is an unlikely scenario, so we will continue to offer the best feature content that we can to PLUS subscribers, and if you also subscribe to the magazine (either in print or digitally) then you have access to even more great content.

If you're unsure, then there is the opportunity for you to use the next two weeks issues as a free trial. If you feel that the PLUS sub is sufficient for you, that's fine.

I hope this answers your question, let me know if you have any more questions regarding this.
Cheers
David

[ivanalesi]

Great. I don't know why you stopped it though...
There are some small glitches, sometimes the pages don't load while you're browsing, you've got to zoom in for them to load.
Also it would be very nice if there was more than 100% zoom, because it will be easier to read it all, less strain on your eyes.
Oh, and I was using Opera.

Edited by ivanalesi, 18 February 2010 - 12:51.

[Mark A]

Well I've signed up for the year.

[Gilles4Ever]

Me too

If I may make a recommendation, the naming of your pdf files, could you change them to the format yyyymmdd.pdf so that they are sorted properly, the current format of ddmmyyyy.pdf makes for a nightmare when sorting.

[UPRC]

Fantastic news! I was on the fence about a physical subscription recently but decided not to take the plunge.

However, a digital version would be fantastic!

[Hack]

If I may make a recommendation, the naming of your pdf files, could you change them to the format yyyymmdd.pdf so that they are sorted properly, the current format of ddmmyyyy.pdf makes for a nightmare when sorting.

Yes, we can certainly look at making them sort logically.

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

thanks! thanks thanks! I never found autosport nearby my city here in italy...I have taken it only when I coming to london for work...now it's fantastci to now that ther is this digital possibility to read the magazine!

[dank]

Can someone let me know the costing of this separately when added on to a current Autosport.com Plus account?

Unable to check for myself as I have a paper subscription at present and the option isn't there, but someone I know is interested and already has a sub to the website.

Cheers.

[FonzCam]

All I need now is an iPad to read it on



I'd second the request for better filenames. Not only to make it more sortable but give it a bit of context and give me a chance of finding it in my downloads folder!

Autosport YYYY-MM-DD.pdf

or something similar

[Turbo4]

brilliant!

*whips out credit card*

[mark f1]

How do I download as a PDF? I don't have the download icon available.

Thanks
Mark

[Ginga]

How do I download as a PDF? I don't have the download icon available.

Hi Mark,
If you are logged in with a digital sub on the digital page (autosport.com/digital) you should see it there.
Hope this helps.

David

[Racer Joe]

All I need now is an iPad to read it on



I'd second the request for better filenames. Not only to make it more sortable but give it a bit of context and give me a chance of finding it in my downloads folder!

Autosport YYYY-MM-DD.pdf

or something similar

That would be absolutely fantastic.

Having said that though, I have tried accessing the digital trial version on my iphone and got the dreaded blue cube. So I suppose the digital platform uses some sort of flash but the PDF file itself should be readable on the iPad without flash. But that means one won't be able to download the PDF version straight from iPhone/iPad?

[Mark A]

Having used an app on my iPhone some time ago for reading PDF files I've given it a try with the Autosport PDF tonight and it works.

The app I use is called Good Reader, it does seem to require you to have a wireless connection at home to upload the files. You need to download it onto your PC and then upload to the iPhone.

Edited by Mark A, 18 February 2010 - 22:55.