Sunday, March 2

Circle mag.

As a moderate internet user (email, blogging, googling, youTube, Facebook, reading etc), I've find myself spending more and more time reading online and offline on computer screen because of my job which intensively utilizes computer as working tool. (Yet to explore online shopping as I am in great potential to become slave for credit card debt.)

Although many print magazines have gone online or the bombastic circulation of E-newsletters or even various impressive reading materials posted on websites, still it's rare for me to read a magazine without holding it and flip. I still admire the printed ones. (I'm referring to magazine, although I do read a lot of junks online.)

I've gone through a 'magazine', Circle on screen recently through the power of word-of-mouth. (Thanks, Delex.) It was a pleasure to 'flip' through the 'magazine' although the whole concept was not new to me but I still find it easy and comfortable to read in that way.

It took awhile to download the e-magazine and its the 2nd issue. You might think what's the difference from flipping a printed one but to look on the bright side, we could USE LESS PAPER. Good usage of music like when you flip through music section, songs from particular artists appears. This works for me. It's so much expandable in the future like exploring legal music download, music video previews, utilizes quirky sound effect on different situation, more mobile phone related features or even online singing contest and various stuff to do as internet is full of exhibitionists. (Make it a healthy exhibitionism, okay?)

The weakest part of most local magazine has always been the content. Circle takes teen/young adult readers through music, fashion, movie, horoscope which appears on every generic local Chinese magazine. Nothing really impressive. Perhaps more times had spent on designing the templates and managing the action scripts. (or just because I ain't their target audience.)
Overall the content score no points from me, the fussy-hard-to-please-design junkie.

For the particular artist interview section, could it be more interactive like clicking the question to listen to the answers instead of repeating from Q1 again and again?

It's NOT EASY TO MAKE A MAGAZINE. Moreover a successful one. I still say Bravo! to Circle for its great act pushing local publishing into such media and rooms are reserved for improvements as long as determination and hard works kept in achieving greatness.
Keep it up! 加油!

1 comment:

MyKy said...

Wah your eyes don't feel strained from viewing the screen for so long?