Inky News: e-Inquirer

While many of us check www.philly.com during the day, it isn't really like reading the newspaper. The printed Inquirer is delivered to our doorstep every morning but it can get awkward with two people wanting to read it before work.

So this week I signed up for a 2 week free trial of the e-Inquirer. It shows up in my email every morning before 4 a.m. It looks just like the print version. I can start with the front page and go through page by page or skip around the sections. If I maneuver the monitor around a bit I can read the print (with some squinting) for the gist and click on the story to have it pop up in a separate window for a fuller reading. There is also a search function but it doesn't always work the way one might imagine.

It works in Firefox, Internet Explorer and on a Mac, possibly other platforms as well but those are the only ones my household tested.

The e-Inquirer costs about $10 a month, which is considerably less than a print subscription. I worry about that. They should charge more; they need more reporters and a whole lot more copy editors.

But overall, I like the e-Inquirer and plan to subscribe when my 2 weeks are up. Reading the paper on the train is a skill I've never been able to master. You have to fold it up too small. But if I can check it on a pc then if I have to get up before the print paper arrives I can read it online instead of buying a copy at the station.

It's worth a look.

It's definitely worth a look.