As a tech blogger I consume a massive amount of news on any given day. Primarily I stay up to date with breaking news via a combination of RSS feeds and Twitter for realtime information. The upside to accessing digital content in this manner is that it’s immediate, you don’t have to wait for the following days edition of the paper to come out in order to get the story.
With this immediacy though comes a major draw back, the lack of well researched in depth reporting that bloggers don’t have the time or finances to pursue. In order to get that type of reporting a traditional newspaper is still your best bet for great content.
In the era of iPhones and iPads, lugging around a newspaper feels antiquated. Luckily for us “there’s an app for that”, the app is called PressReader and it is available for all iOS devices (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad), Android devices, BlackBerry, Mac and PC.
PressReader is the only online aggregated portal of full-content newspapers and magazines offering over 1,800 titles from 94 countries in 48 languages
To begin using the app you can search for newspapers by country, language or keywords. Whether you’re looking for the latest news from Barbados or Shanghai, PressReader has you covered.
I’ve been demoing PressReader for a couple days now and I’m quite impressed with the wide breadth of their catalog, as well as the app’s intuitive interface. When presented with the newspaper of your choice, simply double tap or pinch to zoom in on the text and begin reading. Navigation is a cinch, the headline for each article on the front page is highlighted in blue and can be clicked to access the full story text.
Search PressReader by Country, Language or Keyword
The PressReader app has its plus and minuses depending on how you like to get your news.
Pros:
- The content is great as your viewing firsthand sources of information featuring in-depth reporting.
- The app can serve as a workaround to the paywalls being erected by sites like the New York Times. Now you can get the full print edition a la carte at a fraction of the price.
Cons:
- The look and feel of the app is at the mercy of the source newspaper design. If the original print layout is poorly done, then PressReader inherits those flaws.
- PressReader lacks the flashiness of other iPad apps like FlipBoard which takes content and reorganizes it into a cleaner visual interface.
During the review process I’ve been searching for who exactly is the primary demographic for the PressReader App. To this end I’ve come to the conclusion that it is best suited for those that prefer the writing and reporting style of print media. Expatriates are also a target demographic, for those scattered around the globe, PressReader brings your local newspaper straight to you at the touch of a button.
Download PressReader today and receive 7 trial issues for FREE!- PressReader
• Casual readers: Pay only $.99 per download with our pay-as-you-go plan.
• Newspaper lovers: Enjoy reading all your favorite publications whenever or wherever you want, all for just $29.95/month.
You can follow me here: @KevinMinott
