Travel, Travel Tips

eReaders Versus Tablets Versus Hardcopies and a Zinio Giveaway

Many months ago I wrote a post about whether or not eReaders and tablets have made my life of travel easier.  It’s a question I still ponder.  Clearly, to a point, they have.  I am an avid reader often engrossed in multiple books at one time.  My Kindle Keyboard helps to consolidate so that right now I can have Founding Brothers, The Butcher, and How to Win a Pitch all at my beckon call in a light weight and space-consolidating manner.

Packing Before the E-reader Revolution

Packing Before the E-reader Revolution – The daily newspaper, travel magazines, business magazines, guide book, fiction, and nonfiction

My struggle is still magazines and newspapers (Inc, Fast Company, National Geographic Traveler, American Rifleman, Wall Street Journal, Fortune).  Without color for the glossy images, the Kindle just doesn’t do the trick.  Plus, most of the magazines I subscribe to require a separate subscription to access the same content in digital format.  Let me say that again.  They want me to pay a second time to access the content that I am already paying for.  To quote my Father-In-Law.  “I may have been born at night, but not last night.”  I’ll be damned if I’m paying twice.  I still haven’t made the switch to digital magazines.  Right now I carry the paper versions with me when travelling and leave the tablet behind.  I toss the magazines as I finish to lighten my load completely ignoring my carbon footprint.

That’s right.  With all those business rags I read and the NRA publication, you probably figured I could give a shit about my carbon footprint.  Wrong.  Aside from my SUV (and it’s a mini-one at that – a non-gas guzzling Escape), I am a budding environmentalist.  I recycle, bring my own bags to the grocery store, buy local produce, and serve all of my beer at home right from my three drafts.  I’m looking for a solution to magazine reading that helps make the digital switch away from paper.

Zinio - An app for reading magazines on the go

Zinio – An app for reading magazines on the go

In perfect timing as I have begun to non-renew my paper magazine subscriptions, I was approached by Zinio with an offer.  Zinio is an app that is available on most mobile devices and provides access to thousands of magazines.  You can purchase by the issue or an entire subscription.  Or, with Z-Pass, you pay five bucks a month for three magazines.  What I like about Z-Pass is that you can change out the magazines each month.  Say you want to read Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and Playboy this month (you’re a well-rounded man), and Maxim, Car and Drive, and The Oprah Magazine next month (you’re still well-rounded), you can!

To help entice us to make the digital switch, Zinio is giving myself and nine readers a free subscription to a digital magazine through their app.  In my opinion, free is worth trying!  To win the subscription be one of the first of nine to follow my blog and reply below with both the magazine you wish to subscribe to and why you want to try Zinio.  Already a follower?  Well you’re one step ahead of the rest then…  As for me?  Well, you know my reason for trying Zinio out.  I’m selecting Saveur to further expand my knowledge of food.