1843 magazine App Reviews

As an Economist reader for 20+ years I have been waiting for them to start providing their content via Apple Apps. This first foray is successful in the quality of the graphics and the visual experience - better than paper, but the implementation is non-standard, essentially duplicating iBook but with different gestures to move around. For example, to move between articles is a left or right swipe, while reading the article required down or up swipes. It is also not obvious how to get an issue which requires a two-step process. Step 1 is a "purchase" (current issue is free) and step 2 is the download from a different screen. In the end the result is worth it (although we dont yet know the cost of the issues once they start charging for them), but how many people will be frustrated by the non-standard interface and delete the app before ever seeing the content?

I was quite excited about the app since I am a big fan of the economist. I downloaded both the winter edition and the autumn edition both of which took forever to download and crashed 3-4 times while doing so. After downloading the editions I could not install either of the editions. it keeps saying an error has occoured. if this problem can be solved then maybe I could give it more stars.

This is an update to my previous review of Ver. 1.1 which did not work at all for me. After emailing their support I got a prompt response and they pointed me towards Ver 1.2 which is now working well, even on my slow internet connection. If they maintain regular updates of this type, the app has a lot of potential.

This app is simple but works quite well, presenting the great content of this magazine. Its great to have the IL content augmented by sound clips, videos, and additional photos where appropriate. And a huge thank you to Credit Suisse for sponsoring this app so the issues are free. Even their ads in the app are tastefully done so not at all an annoyance (IMHO).

One of my favourite, most used apps on my iPad. Content is great, well designed, and overall it works very smoothly. Other publishers, start taking notes-THIS is how you design a digital magazine. Thanks to Credit Suisse, its free (for now), and I recommend it to anyone whos skeptical about digital magazines. Im sure youll be pleasantly surprised!

June 23 2012- This free magazine - thanks - has great editorial content. Sadly, the typography still looks like staircases on a Retina Display. Reading experience is unpleasant. Last update is more than one year... Please consider reviewing the display algorithm. Cordially, a potential reader!

until recently the intelligent life app was a stand alone app. So now it moved to NewsStand. Brilliant: as a result, the transition resulted in all downloaded issues being nuked. Which is, frankly, a nightmare because each issue is insanely huge, and takes, FOREVER to download, even on a fast connection. Worse: because the app is incapable of downloading in the background, you have to leave the app in foreground to download the issue. So: on top of losing the issue library, huge issues, and poor download management, you end up with a very negative user experience. Finally: theyve changed the navigation controls for reading content: so the previous method for reading content is no longer operative, and the new navigation controls frankly dont seem to make any sense.

A free magazine! Amazing! Compact size at 250mb. Fast download. (5 minutes) No probs!

First glance seems good

Every time I have tried to load this on my tablet, there has been an error message and I cannot read anything.

Worked nicely before I updated to iOS 8. Broken now. Please wake up and fix it!

Love your magazine, but it doesnt work anymore since upgrade to IOS 8. Reinstalled the app, the last issue briefly downloaded, but everything froze. Message is: "cannot install item. Please reinstall the app and download again". But it doesnt work.

have lost all the downloaded issues on my iPad and can’t get reload them even after deleting and reinstalling the app. the issue seems have coincided with the release of iOS 8. hope it is fixed soon, very soon

Same issues for as for the others, it hasnt worked since I did the update. I figure there is power in numbers so I thought to add my voice. Please fix, I love this mag, and I really appreciate it being free.

Even with the app update the issue wont completely download all pages. Some pages start to download, then pause. Then start again. Then pause again. This is annoying and battery consuming. Cant this be fixed?

The latest version update has nuked all the back issues save one. Updater comment says, basically, “tough luck - go to our web site.” Too bad there was a great trove of interesting articles to go back to. But on the iPad, no more….

Great magazine - always has interesting and thoughtful articles.

Great fan of the magazine however the app is completely unusable since the last update. It crashes every time I open it. Tried resetting the iPad, reinstalling the app, to no effect. Please fix!

Well written, and certainly time well spent reading.

Intelligent Life is a must in order to keep in touch with our time and past history. Reading Intelligent Life week after week, is the must of each week, and so enlithning. I give a big 5 stars to all those who contribute to this wonderful "aventure". Maurice Gingras Québec