A while back, in the comments on this site, we got into a little discussion about the availability of books here in the Philippines. Unfortunately, there are not many good bookstores in the Philippines, especially if you are outside of Manila. Actually, this is a discussion that we have had a number of times on the site.
Many of us here on the site (readers and writers here) enjoy reading a good book! What about magazines? I enjoy magazines even more than books, because I am really a current events junkie. Reading something like Time or Newsweek is really enjoyable for me. As a tech savvy person, I also enjoy magazines like PC Magazine and such. There are magazines here in the Philippines, of course, but I enjoy the US Magazines more, myself. For example, Time Magazine is available here, but it is Time’s Asia Edition. I enjoy reading what is going on back home, though, and you can’t get the US version of Time on the magazine stands here. So, what is a guy to do?
Well, I have been using a service called Zinio.com for a number of years now. Zinio is a company that delivers current issues of magazines digitally! That’s right, you can choose the magazines that you like, subscribe to them, and they will automatically be delivered to your computer so that you can read them! And, this is not an “electronic version” of the magazine – it is the exact magazine that you would get in the mail. In other words, all the pages are exactly the same! The advertisements and everything are exactly as you would see if you had a paper copy in your hands. They even include the little cards that you can use for a subscription!
As I said, I have been using Zinio for several years now to subscribe to American Magazines. The downloading part of it couldn’t be easier! All you have to do is install the provided software and you are done! The software is constantly monitoring the Zinio site to see if any magazines are waiting for you. If one of your subscribed magazines has a new issue, it is downloaded automatically, and you are notified that a new magazine is waiting to be read! It’s as simple as that.
Getting subscriptions like this to American magazines is just one more way to give yourself the best of both worlds! It’s a service that I highly recommend!
I am impressed. I always thought that I would have to pay for a mail service to forward me the magazines I want to read. Bob are these all mags or just a select number? How about Amazon for books-is that an option? Again, thank you for information that is extremely interesting and helpful to me. Ron
Hi Bob, great topic. I have no idea about German magazines. I try to figure it out. I have been asked the same question, Ron LaFleur, by many Germans, who are also now regular readers of LiP.
Hi Ron LaFleur – Zinio has a fairly good selection of magazines, although not all magazines. They do add new magazines to the selection on a fairly regular basis, though. If you click over to their site, you can see a full selection of their offerings. Regarding books… hold on to your questions there! I have an article coming up on that in 2 days!
Hi Klaus – Zinio doesn't have German magazines, but maybe there is a similar service in Germany, I am not sure!
Hi Bob, I am trying to figure it out. As you know the "Philippine Literary Bridge" in Germany has created also a link to LiP since yesterday. I will write about it soon.
Hi Bob I no speak for magazines but what happen with
Louis why no write in your site I remember louis he is
write very funny and enterested articles special I remember
the article Making the philippines your home the true cost.
But before there is one person he is very bad and he is very
stranger person.
regards
Hi Bob and this person make all your readers salad your site.
And I tell you again now forget to write something and I write 2 coments how make repair (correct) my coment.
regards
Hi Bob Good article,I noticed when I was in Davao last May it was very hard to find a good book to read.My wife and I went to all the malls in Davao and I was concerned at how little they had to offer in the form of books.My Question is will amazon.com ship to the Philippines if so would it be cost effective and can I trust that the book will make it to me as I have heard nothing good about the postal system over there.I enjoy mags.but would like a good selection of nonfiction books,politics ect.
Hi zois – Some months back Louis decided to leave the site. I think the article you are referring to was written by Pete, but maybe I am mistaken.
Hi jamesduncan – Keep watching the site! I have an article coming in 2 days about options for book readers.
Hi Bob this article write by Louis.
Hi Zois – I just went back and checked all of Louis' columns. He wrote a total of 6 columns on the site:
*A few words about myself
*Love & Marriage in the Philippines Part 1
*Love & Marriage in the Philippines Part 2
*Dealing with Naysayers
*You may live in the Philippines and have a Filipina wife if…
*Overseas Vote Foundation
He didn't write anything about The true cost of making the Philippines your home.
All of Louis' (and all other former columnists) articles are still available for review on the Guest Blog.
Hi Bob yes I have wrong the article of louis it's
'You may live in the philippines and have philippina wife if,,,
Very good info on that Zinio service, Bob … gish they need to market better, I never heard of them before.
For current events 'tech junkies' there are alot of trade magazines/papers … InfoWorld, Government Computer News, etc. that are free to "qualified subscribers" that now allow online registrations and reading … many other professions aside from the IT would have similar trade magazines that actually _want_ perple to read online and save the aper/postage cost.
And I know there are not many military retirees here, but for those who may be, we ca get regular US mail through the USPS/State Department/RAO's in the Philippines. Books and other merchandise are _not_ permitted, but magazines and newspapers are.
Hi Dave Starr – Yes, I agree that Zinio needs to do some advertising for it's services. I can't remember how I found out about them originally, but I've been using them for years.