Pocketmags withdraw Windows 7 and 8.0 Support

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by duncan webster on 04/06/2017 01:01:09:

So why doesn't MTM tell Pocketmags if they don't sort the situation within 4 weeks they can stuff their contract where the sun don't shine and go somewhere else, or are MTM and Pocketmags one and the same?

MTM is small fry to Pocketmags who happen to be the worlds largest digital magazine supplier, I think it is more the case of MTM doing what Pocketmags says rather than the other way around.

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

This is no laughing matter its just a few short weeks ago i downloaded an update for Pockectmags read in in win10.

Now at NO Time has Pocket mags notified me of any change to the contract entered into with them when taking out my subscription/s Using the new Win10app i can no longer as promised under contract by Pocket mags able to continue reading my past digital 4 years worth of magazines already down loaded due to the constant crash of the original win10 download ad now the win10app for MEW.

That is what we all were informed that we would be able to access ALL our digital magazines for life.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Strange Raymond, as I said above I downloaded the latest reader yesterday and am able to look at all my old mags and once downloaded to my device I can look at them offline. This was using a W10 machine that did not have the mags downloaded to it before, so can't say if it would retain mags downloaded from the old viewer of if they would need downloading again.

You say your contract with pocketmags, did tou take out your subscription with them rather than through MTM?

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Jason I have signed into Pocket Mags direct online and the only issue for MEW I now have in My Library is the latest one. In My Library for ME I have the 3. Ok glad i scrolled won the page for My Issues. All my past MEW are there BUT thats on line NOT off line stored on MY PC.

having trouble locating the update for off line reader.???

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

This is the only reader Link i now find on Pocket mags a win10app which i have downloaded and it is and off line read but only shows the latest MEW **LINK**

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

As quoted on This sites instructions and a statement again it is obvious by the comments here no one has been notified of any change by any one in authority as to any changes or directive to how to rectify.!!!!!!!

""Accessing on Multiple Devices

Please follow these steps in order to access your Digital Editions on a secondary mobile device:

1. After accessing the Digital Editions using the steps linked to above you should have created a Pocket Mags account either online or through your device.
2. Once you have a free PocketMags account you can download the same magazine app onto your second device and go to the Login/Register options in the settings cog/information icon.
3. Enter your details and log in; this will give you access to your existing subscription and allow you to download your magazines to your second device. If you have trouble accessing on a secondary device please email help@pocketmags.com for support.

---

How do I access my future issues?

If you opt in to push notifications you will receive a message when the latest issue is available.

When you go into the app you will have the option to download your new issue. Make sure that you do this whilst connected to Wi-Fi! Once your magazine is fully downloaded the button on the homescreen will change to say 'Read' and you can read it wherever you go!"

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

I'm having enough hassles with my subscriptions on here without this crap.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I am 160 miles from the MTM office and it doesn't open until 9:00 on Monday.

All I can do is pass on your concerns, which I have done by drawing attention to this thread.

If you want to make your views known directly please use

help@pocketmags.com

help.me@secureorder.co.uk

As Jason says, Pocketmags is a huge company – but don't forget that means readers of magazines like Time and all the BBC titles are likely to be facing the same issues.

Neil

P.S. Please don't shoot the messenger.

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Neil I have just sent them an email.

In todays world 24/7 support is parramount being they sell magazines around the world someone should be there their Facebook Page etc etc.

Maybe its time we went back to banking between the hours of 10am and 3pm!!!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Raymond when the app opens go to "my Libruary" along the top and it will open a page "My Magazines" and just shows the latest issue.

Click on that mag and your others should open starting with 2017 issues and then you get them in a long horizontal line with 2016, 2015 etc as you go along.

Once any of these are clicked they will download, once downloaded if you go to "my libruary" along the top and click "on device" that will show what ones have been downloaded and can be viewed off line

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Raymond Sanderson 2 on 04/06/2017 09:15:49:

Neil I have just sent them an email.

In todays world 24/7 support is parramount being they sell magazines around the world someone should be there their Facebook Page etc etc.

Maybe its time we went back to banking between the hours of 10am and 3pm!!!

Pocketmags say they have 24/7 support:

If you have any problems, please send an error report or email us at help@pocketmags.com. If you have purchased an issue / subscription but not received it please contact us 24/7 and we will be resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Neil

[ASFParticipant @asf]

If only there was a stable Portable Document Format that could be used rather than an app that needs updating and hoop jumping to view.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

There used to be ASF it was called W.H.Smiths.

Regards Ian.

[ASFParticipant @asf]

@ Circlip A paper copy is my choice. I can copy it, open up any time and take it anywhere.

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Jason & Neil thanks but I don't think you understand this at all as subscribers Pockmags has a legal obligation to have informer its subscribers of the changes which it has not done.
That in using the new app it breaches their original statement and obligation that as subscribers we can at all times through the original software retrieve off our HDD and read off line any time. We can no longer do this.

The new app does not access any f those years of downloaded magazines you must re-download each and everyone one of them. I have opened up the new app and discovered there is only the last issue downloaded to my hard drive. Yes the others are there BUT they are on line reading till I download them.

Now this means I/we will have HDD space which has the same downloads and the additional download of data to do for ALL the old magazines each and everyone of them. Regardless of my/our download limit.

I therefore feel for al those fellows who for more years than I have subscribed and for the magazines themselves this will turn people off every subscribing again.

So please sop treating us like idiots this is a breach of contract we have all signed to.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Ray,

I am not treating you like an idiot.

I am supposed to work part-time on MEW and instead I am spending my Sunday dealing with these concerns as best I can, so it's a bit of a kick in the face to get rewarded with ever-increasing impatience.

<edit> I should also point out that Jason is a volunteer moderator and is simply doing his best to help, but has no obligation to do so </edit>

While Pocketmags claim to offer 24/7 support, MyTimeMedia works UK office hours (at least the sensible staff do) and I will get no response back from them until they have had time to work through this and anything else that has accumulate in their in-boxes over the weekend.

This is a pocketmags issue as distributor, not a publication issue, so if you have problems your recourse should be to them, not MyTimeMedia. I and my colleagues will do what we can to help get it resolved, but please stop laying into us because Pocketmags are not sorting it out.

Neil

 

 

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 04/06/2017 17:31:15

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Neil,

Many thanks for looking into this … I have 100's of issues of ME and MEW on my Laptop's Hard Disk which currently are useless. As I initially stated I do a lot of travelling and therefore do not have access to the internet all the time so rely on the offline copy. (i.e. on a trans-Atlantic flight!)

If you remember back … One of MyTimeMedia's big selling points when they had a large increase in digital subscription rates was OFFLINE access for life.

Since I purchased my subscription from MyTimeMedia they have the legal responsibility to supply this service, not PocketMags. MyTimeMedia subcontracted the service but my contract is with MyTimeMedia.

I will wait and see what happens next week.

Dave

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I think about 150 is the most anyone could have, I have ME from when Pocketmags was first used by MTM and there are 99 mags there, so add about 50 MEWs and thats hardly 100s.

If you change machine, the old one goes bang or you want to view the mags on another device then you will have to download them again. So unless anyone intends to use one machine for the rest of their life that won't go wrong its a fact that you are going to have to download all your mags every so often.

Edited By JasonB on 04/06/2017 18:55:33

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I use a now seriously old version of linux for many tasks as the tool set I put together suits me and still works well – merely copying the hard drive allows the same system to work on all X86 family machines some originally running Xp thro to those intended for Win10 (tho later machines may no long run as MS deliberately attacked such easy instalment of Linux by its control over the UEFI bootloader) – being Linux I can of course install a completely up to date version on a another partition of the hard drive and choose to run that when necessary for full security – why lock oneself into a MS rat race of continuous security patches and planned obsolescence or an Apple walled garden where the first thing required is a credit card number)

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

Can I suggest something.

BSI produce standards in PDF format. Each has a watermark with the user's name and download date/time stamp that is added automatically just before download. Maybe MTM could duplicate this system. Also put in a penalty clause for the file's escape that the downloader will pay for all lost revenue up to, but not exceeding £1million.

This would be enough deterrent for the majority of users likely downloading ME & MEW. It's not too difficult either – I've written a C++ unit to create PDF 1.3 format files natively.

Just a suggestion.

Regards

Richard.

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Posted by JasonB on 04/06/2017 18:52:13:

I think about 150 is the most anyone could have, I have ME from when Pocketmags was first used by MTM and there are 99 mags there, so add about 50 MEWs and thats hardly 100s.

If you change machine, the old one goes bang or you want to view the mags on another device then you will have to download them again. So unless anyone intends to use one machine for the rest of their life that won't go wrong its a fact that you are going to have to download all your mags every so often.

Edited By JasonB on 04/06/2017 18:55:33

Jason,

If you know what you are doing, you can copy them to another PC, I have successfully done it with no issues.

It's not the fact that I have to re-download them that is the problem …. Under Windows 7 currently you cannot read anything you have downloaded nor can you re-download old issues or download new issues.

Dave

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Neil I am at the moment as you know in the middle of not just this issue but also my subscription stuff up due to changes that were made during due to their software net problems. After taking out my subscription which culminated in loss of Digital MEW and postal of ME all arse about. The trouble with the process has only come to light a month after payment. I am still waiting for someone to contact me on that matter an email sent during last week.

Obviously I do feel like an idiot when people start to make excuses for others who are trying to smooth over and make changes without notification or consideration for the subscribers.; I as though some new CEO has walked in the door and said get rid of do this do that i don't like it. They being 1/3 our age and so switched on to well you get the picture.
They and others seem to forget that many of these magazines subscribers are of an age where changes make life harder not easier.

I like many feel a PDF which can be password protected if need be would be far simpler it has stood the test of time. It is easy to view. It means then it can be stored on a portable disc unlike what is being used now which will over time as has already been shown to happen the company can not maintain the workable version.

Neil appreciate that you guys have taken a beating about this my personal frustration mounts as said from not just this matter but the other thread I started only to be pointed to a similar thread and now this one.
In your position though flack has to be expected when it becomes so damn obvious and its not the first time this issue has raised its head. Were you or any staff contacted/notified such a dramatic change was in the wind?? Doubt it otherwise you would have posted on here??
It makes me wonder who is running the ME & MEW team?

I did get a reply from a Pocketmags (John) who I have replied to scathingly due to his slack response and oversight of their contractual and legal matter of "Life time Off Line Viewing" using the original viewer software.

Maybe its time to share the load more ??

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

I have and I am very happy with Windows 7 I tried the free Win10 upgrade and it loads of issues including not being able to shut down so reverted back. The answer for me is print to PDF you can save the articles you are interested in avoid the adverts and if you use sensible file names find them easily later.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I recognise the frustration being experienced by Steambuff &  Raymond and by Neil.

As a 'detached observer' I would like to offer three links to pages on the pocketmags website:

1. **LINK** https://pocketmags.com/terms-and-conditions
2. **LINK** https://pocketmags.com/help-and-faqs/help/1000/1041/how-do-i-read-a-digital-edition-what-devices-does-pocketmags-work-on
3. **LINK** https://pocketmags.com/how-it-works/windows

I have no desire to get involved in the debate, but [having some considerable experience with 'Terms and Conditions'] I would mention that;

• the 'Terms of Service' [last updated 27th September, 2013] are essential reading, and clause 7 is particularly relevant
• the current advice regarding the use of Microsoft Windows [see links 2 & 3 above] is explicit, and does not appear to contradict those 'Terms of Service'

Please don't shoot the messenger

MichaelG.

.

P.S. iOS users should be aware that the App currently requires iOS 8.0 or later; and also that things may get interesting when Apple launches iOS 11 

P.P.S There is an amusing typo on the "How it works – Apple" page:

https://pocketmags.com/how-it-works/apple

[quote] Read your digital magazines on an Amazon iPad or iPhone. [/quote]

 

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2017 07:55:07

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I have no problem at all with Pocketmags. I tried it and gave up on it when it was first introduced.

I just subscribe to digital issues on the web and view using Firefox. That works on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.

For PDFs you can install a PDF printer and print, admittedly only a page at a time, from the magazine viewer.

Russell

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