Retro Gamer Now On IPhone

[Dudley]

I like this, I like this a lot (Although it is indeed way too much for subscribers and I'd happily pay 99p a month as a sub for the digital copy).

The one query though would be, why is the RG app £1.19 but other mags, even other Imagine mags like GamesTM 59p?

In fact why are they seperate at all, shouldn't the RG app be able to support us downloading any Imagine mag? Hell if you're really smart the "House ads" for stuff like GamesTM in the RG version should enable you to download it right then, possibly for a small (say 50p) discount because you already buy RG.

[Dudley]

Actually as an addendum, it's REALLY hard to take a commercial app that wants your personal details seriously when it tells you it's to help prevent you "loosing" your data.

It's reasonably unforgivable that wasn't caught, doesn't inspire great confidence when the very first screen of the app proves that it was written by either utter cretins or worse, people who don't give a crap. (and yes I recognise it wasn't actually written by Imagine). But that's why you'll see a registration on the system for "Fakey Fakerson"

This is the HowItWorks app rather than RG btw, which I've chosen to test because it's free. Incidentally bonus points for making the 12 month subscription cost more than double the 6 month one

EDIT : Actually reading however I think works bloody well on the iPhone in portrait mode. the iPad is going to be magnificent for this. The app is generally good. It's certainly fast enough but lacks some very, very obvious UI niceities. Like proper "smooth scrolling" and the ability to move to the next page by scrolling off the edge of the existing one. As someone else mentioned it only has "Zoom" and "Double page" and doesn't properly support pinch zoom.

Certainly usable though, everyone here with an ipod touch or phone needs to get the HowItWorks app to test this.

[pforson]

doesn't properly support pinch zoom.

Seemed to work for me.

It's all really good (page turning and zooming could be quicker). Just read Dan Dare on the train this morning. Worls well.

However, I will never buy another issue. Problem is the PRICE. I already and will continue to subscribe to the paper version. As others have said, if I could attach the digital version to my existing subscription for an extra £1 per month then I would buy. Any more than that is just robbery.

Ta,
Pete

[SirClive]

if I could attach the digital version to my existing subscription for an extra £1 per month then I would buy. Any more than that is just robbery.

Ta,
Pete

I really hope they do this. I will never switch from paper to digital, but would love both.

[Dudley]

Sadly I'm not sure it's something they can do easily because it effectively means twice as many "products" to keep track of (even if the differences are in app) and I'm not entirely certain how you manage the authentication in app since you'd need to collect the pixelmags username and password of every user.

The other possibility I suppose is having 2 levels of sub available from Imagine and every mag comes with a code to download the issue. Not sure if Apple would be too thrilled about that one as it means the revenue entirely bypasses them.

[CraigGrannell]

I'm pretty sure that'd be against the Ts&Cs of the App Store.

[jdanddiet]

reading magazines on your phone whatever next (mutters to himself and wanders off)

[Dudley]

^^ I think it's reasonably clear the phone isn't really the point of this, the iPad is.

And to be honest, if all the other publishers start to follow suit I start to get a heck of a lot more interested in said device, it's what it was meant for.

I'm pretty sure that'd be against the Ts&Cs of the App Store.

The codes or the discounting for subscribers in general?

[jdanddiet]

oh was that the thing everyone was arguing about the other day? great, must get one then.

[CraigGrannell]

I'm pretty sure that'd be against the Ts&Cs of the App Store.

The codes or the discounting for subscribers in general?

I think the issue would be the delivery mechanism and the means in which it's done. I know, for example, you cannot have people pay on a website and then get content in-app. However, you could feasibly have a system where you download online if you sub and then sync the content to the app, or something. Of course, this might have changed. (The point, obv., is to stop what some devs started trying to do, which was "pay £20 for our app on the website and then we'll send you a code to 'unlock' the 'free' app on the App Store, thereby circumventing Apple and also skewing sales figures and customer expectations for anyone going direct through iTunes.)

[retrozoneorg]

I don't like the idea of paying for something that I cannot keep. Paying for digital downloads always leaves me feeling a little ripped off. Any chance that regular subscribers to the magazine (like myself) could also get the digital versions for free (as we have already paid for the content once?)

[Dudley]

You can keep the digital ones, it's not a rental and as far as I can tell doesn't authenticate every time.

Free is expecting a lot, generating the digital versions is not "work free", but ignoring for a moment the technical issues we've been talking about it certainly seems only fair that the subs should get a discount.

That said, if this becomes unbiquitous and thus I pick up an iPad for it, I'll be subscribing to a lot more and RG is the only one I actually want a paper copy of.

[boggyb68]

I agree with all that's been said here. I concur with the thoughts of: Already a subscriber, then let me have the digital mag for a quid a month.. oh and let me have back issues for 50p each...

B.

[Antiriad2097]

ebook reader compatible?

[Opa-Opa]

I noticed this in my latest GAMES TM magazine, some old Iphone rubbish that is going to destroy our magazine and make it only available to people with the latest awfull bit of kit from apple..

Bye - bye Retrogamer - We will miss you...