Coverleaf may be a way to curb magazine clutter
If you are tired of receiving magazine subscriptions in the mail, but still enjoy reading them, you may want to check out Coverleaf. Coverleaf is a way to read magazines online and forgo the hard copy altogether. From their site:
Coverleaf.com is a service that provides digital editions of many of your favorite magazines allowing you to conveniently read your magazine anywhere with Internet access. No software downloads are required. If you are a current print edition subscriber, you can access your magazines for free by verifying your subscription. You can also browse the selection of magazines on coverleaf.com and look inside any issue for a free preview. If you opt to register on coverleaf.com, you can clip, save and share pages from any issue. Coverleaf is provided by Texterity, a leading provider of digital publishing services, in partnership with leading publishing and fulfillment companies.
You also can purchase digital copies of a single issues for $0.99. The current selection offered by Coverleaf is pretty limited at the moment, but we hope to see their selection expand. They offer an Unclutterer favorite, ReadyMade, for $0.99 per digital issue.
Posted by Matt on Sep 23, 2008 |
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20 comments posted
Posted by Another Deb - 09/23/2008
Great discovery! I checked it out because I was wary about how much they would let you preview. The pages of the preview were too small to read but you can click on the page anywhere and it zooms in to allow you to read the text.
Yes, the selection is limited but there is enough variety to allow me to browse a few magazines I would never have checked out before, like a geneology publication. Also, the table of contents is shown on a scrolling menu so you can click on your selection.
I have found that my science teacher’s journals have a searchable archive online that is more useful than the collection I have in the closet from my many years of membership. This makes it more likely that I would pass the hard copy on to a new teacher at my school.
Posted by Rue - 09/23/2008
I’m not a big magazine reader, but if I was this would be awesome! I only pick up an issue here and there of any magazine, and once I read it once I usually bring it to work for others to peruse, or recycle it, or take it to the Goodwill. This would encourage me to check out more magazines than just the few I know I really like.
Posted by Tigerblade - 09/23/2008
(pssst… it’s coverleaf, not cloverleaf.)
Posted by Erin Doland - 09/23/2008
@Tigerblade — One of those times when auto-correct is the opposite of helpful. Thank you for the MUCH needed note. Fixed in the article, but unfortunately the typo will forever be wrong in the URL since it has already hit the RSS feed.
Posted by Margot - 09/23/2008
This is actually pretty great. But what about those of us who DO have a few subscriptions? I tried to start a magazine swap group in Metro Detroit to no avail. I had about three people sign up who were too geographically spread out to actually swap. If anyone knows of a swapping service (akin to Paperbackswap.com or BookCrossing.com), let us know! (margot@mail.com)
Posted by Fit Bottomed Girls - 09/23/2008
I saw a press release on this and thought it was pretty interesting. However, when I’m traveling (which is when I read magazines most), I still prefer a non digital magazine to flip through. However, this is a good way to check out new titles!
Posted by sharon - 09/23/2008
I tried this before with zinio. I didn’t like it because when I want to read my mag, I want to sit in a comfy chair with some tea, or at the table while eating a meal, or in the bathroom, or while traveling.
So I have been trying to pare down my subscriptions and well as passing on old magazines to friends or waiting rooms.
Posted by gypsypacker - 09/23/2008
I love it! No more scanning page after page of articles I can’t live without but forget what disk I stored them on…But–do we get all of those great discounts?
Posted by Jack - 09/23/2008
Mygazines.com is essentially the same thing, FWIW.
Posted by Michael@ Awareness * Connection - 09/23/2008
I like @Margot’s idea of the swap group.
Cloverleaf looks handy and certainly could eliminate a lot of clutter. If you can search text then that takes it up another notch for me. I find electronic reading has its up and downsides just as reading hard copies does. I’m never going to take my laptop into the bathroom, for instance. But man can those magazines pile up. Worth considering for sure.
Posted by Joe - 09/23/2008
I really enjoyed this site! I’m in front of my computer all day at work and I am a big sports fan. The Sporting News is great. Websites can just be hard to read and to navigate with so much info everywhere and ads popping out at you. But I didn’t have that problem with Sporting News from Coverleaf, it has the same feel and look as a real magazine. Easy to read with the zoom feature and an ease to navigate. I do agree they need more titles, preferably sports. Thanks for the link!
Posted by Simple Sapien - 09/23/2008
Along with online bills, I think this is a great idea. Anything to cut down on paper and ink usage is a good thing. Plus, I prefer reading on my computer screen as opposed to a magazine anyway. I find it easier to navigate.
- Jack Rugile
Simple Sapien
Posted by devilsh - 09/23/2008
You can also try http://www.mygazines.com/ which is free and has a lot of magazines for online reading.
–D.
Posted by Tania - 09/23/2008
That’s such a good idea on so many levels but I’ll never do it. I like the tactile feeling of reading, and I also find reading hard copy books or magazines easier on my eyes than reading online. I feel like the only person in the world who feels this way, but I really cannot get into reading stuff online.
Posted by C - 09/23/2008
I would definitely consider this! I bet it’s cheaper than the paper subscriptions when you consider how far behind I am on my reading of them. I’m at my computer alot more often than I’m sitting with a magazine.
Posted by Ann at One Bag Nation - 09/23/2008
I can’t give up getting under the covers with a cup of tea and a magazine. I don’t get too many subscriptions anymore, but I am online all day long and look forward to some screen-less time each day.
Posted by Mer - 09/23/2008
I still love paper magazines. They’re one of my few indulgences, but I have cut the number of my subscriptions down recently. I recycle them when I’m done, or pass them along to someone else to enjoy.
Posted by Another Deb - 09/23/2008
I buy a lot of my magazines from the Goodwill. Some are out of date, but recipes, gardening tips and even decorating/time management/organizing ideas go round and round in these things.
Once I am done with them they can return to the GW, or go to my classroom to be cut up for projects.
My sister and I are always bringing sacks of magazines for each other and sometimes get my parents and daughters in on the trades.
Posted by William Mize - 09/24/2008
While I’m in the camp of “Sitting At Borders Sipping Tea And Reading Them”, I would also suggest that if you’re looking to get rid of some back issues, do a quick search on eBay.
Folks will buy your stuff.
No matter how useless or weird you think it is
Posted by Keri - 09/25/2008
Zinio is the same sort of thing. Though I have had oodles of problems with them on my mac. They tried to help me… but it never solved ALL of the problems. I want to say they also allow online viewing (normally you download their reader) but it was sketchy for me.
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