E-Resources: Flipster

Flipster is an easy-to-use digital magazine newsstand and offers a wide range of English e-magazines covering various topics such as art and design, hobbies, interests and DIY, science and technology.

How can I access Flipster?

Via a computer, tablet, or phone:

Click on the Flipster link to easily access a site where you can browse available magazines. You can then click on a magazine to view it within your browser. This means you can access Flipster from any computer, laptop, or mobile device, as long as you are connected to the Internet.

For online browsing, please refer to :

http://libguides.vtc.edu.hk/flip

Via the Flipster app (iOS and Android):

Use the Flipster app, available through the iTunes store for the iPad and iPhone, and on the Google Play store for Android tablets, to download magazines for offline reading. Simply browse and view magazines through the Flipster link on your library’s website, and select the “Open in App” option to download magazines to the app, where they can be read and managed offline.

 Flipster App

The Flipster Home screen is the default search screen and offers the ability to search for titles by keyword, as well as browse by Category, Latest Issues, and All Issues.

To create a Basic Keyword Search:

1. From the Home Screen, enter your search terms in the search box and press enter.

A Result List of magazines that match your search is displayed.

2. Click on a title or the Read Now link to read it in the Flipster viewer.

Viewer Tools

In the column on the right-hand side, you can:

• Search: Click the Search field to open the searching options. Enter your search terms in the field and use the limiters to:
  • Search the this issue vs all issues.
  • Search for all content vs articles only.
• All Issues: Hover your pointer over All Issues to access all available issues of your title as well as the Table of Contents for the current issue.
• Pages: Hover your pointer over Pages to view visualizations of all pages available in the current issue. Click on an image to go directly to that page.
• Zoom: Click the Plus or Minus buttons to zoom in and out of the page you are viewing.
• Page Arrows: Use the forward and back arrows to page through the current issue.
• Print: Click the Print button to open a PDF version of the pages you are currently viewing, which you can then print on your computer.
• Settings
  • Show one page at a time: Select to view only one page at a time.  
  • Zoom out on page change: Select to zoom out to the full page view every time you move to another page. 
  • Fit: Select to fit the page in the viewer by height, width, or height & width.

Flipster App Features:

• Locate participating libraries
• Search and Browse for and download popular magazines and read them offline
• Digital table of contents for each magazine
• Read articles in text view
• Tap highlighted areas to jump to articles and related websites
• Track percentage of magazine read

Flipster App FAQs

Q. How do I download a magazine to the Android app?
A. You must be online to download magazines.

To download issues to the app:

1. Using your device's browser, go to Flipster and tap on a magazine to read. The magazine opens in the mobile viewer.
2. Tap the menu in the upper left hand corner and select Open in App. The Flipster app opens and downloads the magazine.
3. When the NEW label appears in the lower left corner of the magazine cover, the issue is available to read.
4. Tap the cover to open the magazine and the download will continue while you are reading.

Q. How do I download a magazine to the iOS app?
A. Using the iOS Flipster app, you can search for magazines within the app and then download them.

To download issues to the app:

1. Tap the Magnifying Glass icon in the upper-right corner of the Explore screen.
2. Tap the search field and enter your keywords, such as title, publisher, or category. As you type, Flipster displays titles related to your keywords.
3. Tap the Download icon to download an issue to your device, or tap the cover to learn more about it.

Q. Are back issues available from the app?
A. While back issues cannot be downloaded from within the app, you can always access back issues on the Flipster mobile viewer and use the Open in App menu option to download them to the app one at a time.  

Q. Is there a limit of how many magazines I can download to the app?
A. No, you can download as many magazines as you’d like.

Q. Do the issues I download to the app expire?
A. Some select titles will expire and will need to be deleted from your device. These titles display an expired icon and appear grayed out when no longer available to read. Select weekly titles may expire in 2 days while select monthly or seasonal titles may expire in 7 days.

Q. After an issue expires, can I download it again?
A. Yes, simply return to the Flipster website and re-download the magazine.

Q. How do I delete an issue?
A. Tap on the trash can icon in the lower right corner of each magazine cover to delete it.

Q. What is the % number in the lower left corner of each cover image?
A. When you first download a magazine but haven’t read any of the contents, you’ll see a NEW label in the lower left corner of each magazine cover. Once you begin reading the magazine, the NEW label is removed and replaced with a % number that tracks how much of the magazine you’ve read.

For other questions, please send email to libsuggest@vtc.edu.hk.