Maghound

An item while debating internally whether my Gmail is broken.

… (Gmail not broken, as I have just received tantalizing e-mail from Apple about 3G iPhone. Not-so-surprising follow-up: I really, really want an iPhone.)

As I was saying, an item. Was reading Romenesko, as is my wont on a Tuesday, and read that Time Inc. will be launching a sort-of Netflix for magazine freaks such as myself, called Maghound. A subscription service for your magazine subscriptions. There are several price tiers: for $4 a month, you can get three magazine titles; for $10, you can get seven. The best part is that you can change your title selections from month to month. I love this idea. Sometimes I feel like WIRED, sometimes I feel like Better Homes and Gardens, sometimes I feel like BUST. As certain people of my acquaintance will tell you, I myself am a magazine fanatic (only poverty prevents me from subscribing to dozens). I regularly check them out at the library (does anyone else do that?). I save them. I hoard them. I have to be sternly instructed to get rid of them.

So, to have a good rate on popular magazines with the option to mix it up month to month? Sold. Can’t wait for the launch.

Update: Good points on why it won’t work, though

July 1, 2008 | Filed Under check it out

Comments

7 Responses to “Maghound”

Natalie on July 1st, 2008 8:49 pm

Seriously, I am also a magazine fanatic. I have currently like 7 subscriptions and swap with a friend in addtion. I got: Real Simple, O, Working Mother, Pink, Wondertime and The Economist, and Costco has a pretty good one, and UU World.

You are not alone. Sounds like a good service!
OM on July 2nd, 2008 12:42 am

I wish success to anyone who comes up with new ideas, but really, either they keep sending new magazines, in which case they can’t make any money, or they send used magazines, in which case we’ll all be sick.
supa on July 2nd, 2008 8:05 am

@Nat: I love all of those. If we lived near each other it’d be dangerous.

@OM: As I understand it, they’d be new magazines, you know, like a regular subscription. And you’re right, they probably won’t make any money. But I suppose they’ve thought about that.
nikko on July 2nd, 2008 8:43 am

I check out magazines from the library, too. Ones that I’m too cheap to spend money on…
elizabeth on July 2nd, 2008 10:02 am

A, I should get myself to the library more often… instead of spending 3.50 on that copy of Everyday Food yesterday.
B, this idea sounds awesome in theory, but of course, like the article said, it can’t be as good as it sounds, logistically, you know.
C, did you read the comment on the article? “ship [your] magazine back in a prepaid brown envelope”? Haha, I’d do it, save the mentioned “who-knows-what” on every page.
pghgirl on July 3rd, 2008 12:26 pm

A kindred spirit! I had to de-lurk to tell you I’ve moved boxes, many, HEAVY boxes of saved magazines from apartment to apartment to house. My family, in-laws and husband have all refused to move the magazines to any future homes. I think I need a support group that tells you how to throw magazines away. Congratulations on selling the house…and good luck on your move : )
Natalie on July 14th, 2008 10:25 am

My library won’t let you take out new magazines, and I don’t have time often to sit there and read, though that would be luxurious. But I wanted to tell you that I picked up “Bitch” this week and loved the articles…so much richer than what I’ve been reading. I should really foreswear the InStyles etc that are passed on to me.