Digital Magazines in the Great White North

April 29, 2013 2:36 PM

Am I (a Canadian in Canada) able to access the digital editions of magazines to which I subscribe? If so, how?

I want to read GQ, Wired, Esquire, et al on my Kobo Arc (runs Android). I cannot figure out how to do so. I just don't seem to have the option in the Google Play store to get the digital editions without paying. Is it because I'm in Canada? If not, what is the process to get this set up?

posted by joelhunt to Technology (8 answers total)

Public libraries often have digital subscriptions to many magazines; I don't know about Winnipeg, but in Toronto a library card will give you access to every magazine the library has an online subscription to via the TPL website.
posted by The Card Cheat at 2:38 PM on April 29, 2013

Response by poster: Just to clarify, these are all magazines to which I already subscribe to the print edition, and they all advertise that there are free digital version for subscribers. It is those free digital editions that I want to access.
posted by joelhunt at 2:43 PM on April 29, 2013

I know the New Yorker doesn't have an Android app, although I believe Canadian subscribers can subscribed to the online edition, which I guess would be readable via the Chrome browser. I know I was confused about it, though...
posted by KokuRyu at 2:50 PM on April 29, 2013

Best answer: GQ doesn't offer a combined print+tablet subscription package in Canada. Wired's tablet products are also US-only per this page: http://www.wired.com/magazine/tablets/

The version available through Google Play is essentially being resold and is separate from your print subscription. Note that in the US you have to pay extra for the tablet edition even if you subscribe directly, so if you pay extra via the Play store it's not really any different.
posted by GuyZero at 3:06 PM on April 29, 2013

Best answer: they all advertise that there are free digital version for subscribers. It is those free digital editions that I want to access.

If you get to the fine print, yes, as always, they mean all AMERICAN subscribers.
posted by GuyZero at 3:07 PM on April 29, 2013

I don't know the Kobo, but if you can install apps there is an Android version of Tunnelbear that will let you appear to be connecting from the US. The free version should have more than enough capacity to test downloading a couple of editions.
posted by IanMorr at 3:12 PM on April 29, 2013

Response by poster: Well, bah. BAH I SAY!!

(thanks anyways)
posted by joelhunt at 5:57 PM on April 29, 2013

If you ever travel to the states, buy a sim card from TMobile or a competitor for the time you're there. When you do this, sign up for a new gmail account on that phone number. Your phone will then consider you American and it MIGHT still think so when you get back to Canada.

I did this when I wanted to get Google Voice, which was US-only. It still worked when I got back to Canada. I no longer use the american TMobile number, or that "fake" email address, but I didn't delete the gmail address from the phone, either.
posted by dobbs at 6:31 AM on May 4, 2013