Review of Collage on Color (new e-mag from Cloth Paper Scissors)

I love the idea of e-mags.  I'm a magazine junkie with a very eclectic taste:  I subscribe to architectural and design mags, cooking, art, garden, and even a couple of pop culture rags.  I love them.  Up until recently I loaded half my suitcase (and remember, I only carry ONE BAG when I travel!) with books and magazines to entertain me during the flight, late nights in a hotel room, etc.  I love them.
I love my ipad because I can compress an armload of print media into one little tiny cute device.  So, I was a bit frustrated when the e-mags began to emerge from Interweave because they weren't compatible with the ipad, at first, through no fault of theirs:  there was a long history of discord between Apple and the creators of Flash, the technology needed to drive a lot of media imagery.
I'm not sure which magic want the folks at Interweave finally waved over their products, but I rejoiced when I discovered the new issue of Collage in Color and Colorways were ipad-friendly.  Yay!

If you are an ipad owner, or even if you aren't, I encourage you to consider this new phenomenon because it is a magazine and oh-so-much more!  There are loads of interactive features in this issue, and I will assume this will be standard in all future issues, as it is with the Quilting Arts version, "In Stitches".

I took some photos so you could get a sense of how simple this thing is to use.  If you are an ipad user you are already familiar with how to load an "app" onto your device.  That is a necessary step when purchasing for the ipad that is not relevant to regular mac/pc users.  No biggie.

Here is my ipad screensaver (one of my quilts) with a few of my apps.

Collage in Color (3rd row, 2nd from right) and Colorways (3rd row, right)

icons appear as CC & C

To open, simply touch the app icon with a finger tip

Here is the welcome screen

Here is a sample of the first page of one of the articles

Another page that links the user to a variety of options

I love the look of this page!  When you click to the page, the 

combination "dials" for you!

...and when you enter, this is what you see.

To get to each video, simply touch the desired video with a fingertip

Another colorful article.

See my finger on the lower left portion of the screen?

To move back and forth between articles, touch the lower portion of the screen and scroll buttons appear

on each edge, taking you back and forth.

At the beginning of the e-mag, Jen Mason gives a very concise, easy-to-understand video tutorial on how to navigate the e-mag.  Trust me, this is a good investment of 10 bucks.  There is a lot of information, it is visually stunning, and it is something great to have along for travel, sitting in your car waiting for your kid's piano lesson to be finished, or wherever else you find yourself with a bit of time on your hands.  I plan to be a regular subscriber!

I purchased "Colorways" but haven't opened it, yet.  I'm saving it for my upcoming trip to Florida.  As soon as I have a chance to play with it and read the articles I plan to review it.  

Let me know if you have tried this e-mag, or any other.