I have always enjoyed TOS. Every edition is full of good articles, helpful information, and lots of encouragement. It really helps me feel that I am on the right track and aids me in the areas where I’m floundering.
Today I want to tell you about the Digital version of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Let me start by saying that this is going to be a rave review and I am extremely surprised! I usually enjoy putting my feet up on the couch to flip through a magazine; it’s very relaxing. However, the digital version of TOS is so user friendly I may be willing to forgo that luxury.
Who knew that a digital magazine could be so good? The last digital magazine I read was simply a long list of pages to scroll through. It loaded very slowly and was difficult to find the specific articles I found interesting. Let me assure you that this is not the case here. TOS loads in no time, moves quickly from page to page, and has many features that make navigation easy, and, in my opinion, superior to the print version.
The digital version is just as “pretty” as the print one. It contains beautiful color photographs and lots of helpful information. It looks just like the magazine you would receive in the mail.
One of my favorite features is the magazine’s “clickable-ness.” Any title on the cover can be clicked and you are taken straight to the article. This is definitely a time saver. I must confess, I have spent substantial amounts of time looking for articles within magazines (and even simply searching for the contents page!). There is also a drop down table of contents available anytime, which I found very convenient—no flipping through the magazine to hunt for an article, click the link and you’re there!
The clickable feature I enjoyed the most would have to be the links! Most articles or advertisements containing an internet link can be clicked on; you are then taken directly to the website (a new window is opened—you won’t lose your place in the magazine). To me, this makes the magazine much more useful. Most of my homeschool research is conducted online, so this eliminates a few steps.
Many times, while reading the Old Schoolhouse Magazine, I have circled websites to look at later.....but never managed to look them all up (sometimes I couldn’t even find them). The digital subscription solves this problem. There is also a drop down menu containing all of the links so you don’t have to remember where they are. I checked out quite a few new companies and products because of this handy tool.
Another favorite would be the search feature. This eliminates hunting through page upon page for a particular article or phrase or even word you thought you read. Just type it in and hit search. I loved this because articles and advertisements from companies I may find helpful are both displayed in the results.
One other excellent perk that comes with the digital subscription is the ability to share articles with friends via email. Just click “share” and type in their email address. Links to specific pages within the magazine can also be displayed on your blog or website. I find this really helpful—no trying to remember to take the magazine along to show a friend, just email it.
There is also the ability to bookmark any page in the magazine to your browser for accessibility when online. As an avid “favorites” list user, I also loved this feature.
There are a few other bonuses worth mentioning. The fact that the digital version of TOS is $16.95 as opposed to $25 for the print version is certainly one. The savings would be even more substantial if you are an international subscriber.
The magazine can also be downloaded for offline reading. However, past issues are archived online so you can read them any time (this helps keep my magazine basket tidy!).
One aspect of TOS I appreciate is the free gifts we receive when subscribing. Well, digital subscribers don’t miss out on that—19 instantly downloadable gifts are available immediately. And they are good ones too: e-books from some of our favorite publishers, math programs, and music.
If you are not a computer person and think this may be too high-tech for you, think again. Everything is laid out cleanly and neatly. There is even an easy to understand video tutorial to help you learn how to use all the handy features.
The only drawback I can think of is the fact that my eyes get tired after looking at the computer screen for a long time. That’s it!
Again, I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised by this digital experience; it is so much better than expected. The usability of the online features coupled with the time saving aspect of those features makes it a worthwhile buy indeed.
Read more about the magazine here. |
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