WE'VE MOVED!!

The XXC Magazine Blog is now the XXC News page located at XXCMAG.COM! The Blogger site will no longer be updated. So if you have us linked (and I hope you do!) Please re-link to XXCMAG.COM.

Thanks!

Jason at XXC Mag

Digital Moves To MagCloud.com

Some good news to share (at least for me) concerning the ease of getting digital downloads and print issues of XXC Magazine to readers. Both digital AND print issues will be available direct from MagCloud.com. Buy a print issue, get the digital for FREE, or just buy the digital for the same low price of $2.25 (about the same price of a tall at Starbucks I think, but I'm not sure on that).

There are some view setting I would like to share with you, since the digital version coming from MagCloud.com will be set as individual pages, and many of the the photos and stories in XXC Mag are best viewed as double page spreads. It's super easy...

I recommend using Adobe Acrobat and use the following View settings: Go to View, Page Display, 2 Up, Show Cover Page During 2 Ups. This will allow for proper display of 2 page spreads and to maximize pleasure. If using Mac Preview go to View, PDF Display, 2 Page Continuous. Having said all that, view as you wish it's your mag, I'm just glad you're reading it!

In the near future all print and digital copies (XXC #5 onward, 1- 4 will remain at XXCMAG.COM) will be sold through MagCloud.com. The easier things are for me on the business and customer service end, the more I can pursue content and work on the mag. There will be some slight price differences on an archived issues due to some fees on my part, but only .25¢ in most cases. New issues will continue to be $2.25.

I'm also not certain, but new issues may also be sold via XXCMAG.COM for the first month of their release, especially in the event of a reader contest. MagCloud boasts in their press release that the mags can be viewed now via PC, Mac, WebOS, iOS, Android, or any device that supports PDF." I only know about 1% of what all that means (my age is showing, isn't it?).


iPad- At this time there is no dedicated iPad version of XXC Magazine. I apologize. I have heard from some folks that there are ways to view XXC on the iPad, but I do not have first hand info on this. The only first hand info I have is that some folks downloaded some issues of XXC that were Zipped and it did not work. But I also hear from other folks that they got the PDF loaded. Digital issues on MagClould will not come compressed and should pose not issue.

More info on digital viewing is available HERE.

Print- Print issues of XXC #5 through #10 are still and will continue to be available via MagCloud.com. Prices vary based on issues length (there is a per page charge), and whether I was able to finagle a production discount or not. Believe me, I know the prices are a nuts on some of the issues of the print mag, but please keep in mind that my original goal (and I think my current goal) is to have XXC as an eMag to keep production costs down. Having an "on demand print option is/was just a bonus. I do love the mag in print though and will continue to offer it.

To be brutally honest with you (and myself for that matter) based on sales (digital and print) over the past year, there are still not enough folks reading the mag to warrant further investment in print production. Most mainstream mags keep the costs low due to the overwhelming amount of ads in their magazines. XXC has a handful of core advertisers and the revenue generated is just not enough to back printing 1,500+ magazines and praying I sell them in order to break even.

Back to digital- In the future I would like to continue to pursue the digital format more. We have an amazing sport, I want to be able to showcase it with amazing photos, first hand race and epic ride accounts, video, audio interviews, and more. This is more than I know how to do, but hell the mag is only 2 years old! There's plenty of time for world domination (and maybe more in print too).

Caps & Kits- 2011 XXC Mag caps and kits have come and gone. I plan to place a new cap order, but there will be no further jerseys or kits ordered in 2011. Thanks for the support on this one. I was stoked with the way the caps came out, and sold out of the extra 20 I ordered in less than 48 hours. Even my seven year old son stole one from me! (He's been in "time out" since. I kid of course).

Tees- I might have some more tees in the near future, but need to get some other things taken care of. Like getting that new frame of mine built up. Again, I kid.... Should have some more in the coming weeks.

As always, thank for the support and keeping XXC Magazine going. Issue #10 is out and about, and Issue #11 is in the planning stages. Got a story? Some killer pics? A two wheeled adventure to share? Shoot me an e mail and let's discuss. Might get you a couple bucks, or some XXC and/or advertiser shwag.

Jason Mahokey
XXC Magazine