Close Menu
  • Home
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • THINGS TO DO
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • Contact
Facebook
Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Niceville.com
Niceville.com
Home»IT'S GEEK TO ME»Newspaper e-edition issues frustrate longtime subscriber
IT'S GEEK TO ME

Newspaper e-edition issues frustrate longtime subscriber

Niceville.comOctober 20, 20245 Mins Read
It's Geek to Me header illustration for weekly tech column by Jeff Werner
It's Geek to Me is a weekly tech column by Jeff Werner, (Niceville.com)

FLORIDA —

QUESTION: I’ve been a long-time subscriber to the Northwest Florida Daily News e-edition and the paper version before that. I read the paper with my Apple iPads which include almost every version. It’s always been unfriendly to view but recently it seems worse. When I use my Icon to load it will start to load and after a few views of the front page and a couple of taps it will pause and the screen turns white. Sometimes, after a long pause it will actually load or not and I’m able to read the paper and extra additions. But at no time once it loads is it friendly. Lots of jumping around which is getting maddening. Is it my iPad or the fact that I’m 80? Something is rotten to the core, Apple that is.

– Steve B.
Navarre, Florida

Eglin Federal Credit Union banner ad with couple and low-rate Mastercard offer

Niceville.com Community Partner

ANSWER: I don’t think you’re alone having problems with the electronic version of the Daily News, Steve.  Considering that Gannet is taking a lot of steps that seem designed to push subscribers away from physical paper newspapers and onto electronic editions, the software seems to be baffling to many people.

I say that because of the number of questions I’ve received asking about it, although I must admit, the traffic in my question queue has plummeted to near-zero since my column was dropped from the Gannet publications in its home market about two months ago.  Readers, consider this a call!  If things don’t pick up, I fear for the future of It’s Geek To Me. But I digress.

The electronic edition seems pretty stable on a PC using either Microsoft’s Edge browser or Google Chrome.  I can’t really say I’ve ever had a failure when accessing it via my PC.  In fact, I, too, consider myself to be a “long-time subscriber,” having been a reader since about 1995.  I finally and very reluctantly pulled the plug on my own print subscription just a couple of months ago and have gone to a fully digital subscription.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Admittedly, this is saving me a small fortune, as my subscription cost has dropped by about 2/3s.  However, like you, I’m forced to read the paper using this sub-par software.

On the occasions when I’ve tried to use my iPad to access the eNewspaper, I have found certain functions to be “unfriendly,” as you described, and I’ve had other problems of my own, that you didn’t even mention, such as inability to print a paper copy of the Sudoku or crossword, because the print button doesn’t appear when I click on the item in question.

But I haven’t experienced any of the loading delays or other screen issues that you described in your question.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Now, having said that I can’t be fully certain that all of the problems you described can be blamed on the software that runs the newspaper.  That whole thing about the screen freezing and turning white, for example, seems more like something that could be caused by having too many things open on your iPad, or even a slow Internet connection.

It’s possible that content hasn’t finished downloading, and your browser is displaying a white screen while it’s waiting to render the page.  Of course, that’s just a guess since all I have to go on is your description.

Are you using the standard Apple Safari browser?  Spouse Peripheral tends to use the Google app because it acts like a browser, but I don’t know how much support it offers for running app-like stuff like the newspaper.

So, for best results, stick to an actual browser.

A horizontal digital banner for Midbay Veterinary Hospital featuring a dog and a cat, a blue veterinary cross logo, contact details for Dr. Maya Chapman, and a call-to-action button that says "Click" to make an appointment

Niceville.com Community Partner

You asked the question, “Is it my iPad or the fact that I’m 80?” Honestly, it might be a little of both, especially considering that the iPad version of the paper can be very sensitive to screen touches, which translates to the equivalent of mouse clicks.  Holding your device improperly can lead to inadvertent clicks around the edges of the screen.

That can cause all kinds of mayhem, from activating menu choices you don’t want to accidentally zooming a story to full-screen.

One final word of advice:  It’s not obvious, but there is an online page available that has information and instructions on how to use the eNewspaper system.  It is labeled “Help” on the menu, but the tooltip calls it “FAQ Page,” which is not a particularly accurate description. Pay it a visit, and among the things you’ll learn is that the paper and its articles can be presented in different modes, called Browse Mode, Pages Mode, and Index Mode.

This information alone makes it worth a read and could go a long way toward helping you solve your issues. Good luck!

Jeff Werner, a software engineer based in Niceville, Florida, has been writing his popular “It’s Geek to Me” tech column since 2007. He shares his expertise to help readers solve everyday tech challenges. To view additional content, comment on articles, or submit a question, visit ItsGeekToMe.co (not .com!)

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleOrlando man indicted for arson causing injury at Inter&Co Stadium
Next Article Lehigh Acres man arrested in multi-million COVID-19 relief fraud

Related Posts

It's Geek to Me header illustration for weekly tech column by Jeff Werner

Why FaceTime calls fail between iPhones with the same Apple ID

June 1, 2025
It's Geek to Me header illustration for weekly tech column by Jeff Werner

Why does it take so long to get off email lists?

May 27, 2025
It's Geek to Me header illustration for weekly tech column by Jeff Werner

Switching to LibreOffice? Here’s what happens if you uninstall Word

May 18, 2025
A square digital ad for Midbay Veterinary Hospital with multiple dogs of different breeds, a blue veterinary cross logo, Dr. Maya Chapman’s contact information, and a “Click” button for scheduling an appointment.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
Smiling couple holding Eglin Federal Credit Union Mastercard with promotional rate

Niceville.com Community Partner

COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • EGLIN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
  • EYEWEAR UNLIMITED
  • HAIR EXPRESS
  • MIDBAY VETERINARY HOSPITAL
  • NICEVILLE FARMERS MARKET
  • NICEVILLE INSURANCE AGENCY
  • RUCKEL PROPERTIES, INC.
  • THE WHARF 850
Smiling couple holding Eglin Federal Credit Union Mastercard with promotional rate

Niceville.com Community Partner

Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
A square digital ad for Midbay Veterinary Hospital with multiple dogs of different breeds, a blue veterinary cross logo, Dr. Maya Chapman’s contact information, and a “Click” button for scheduling an appointment.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Deer Moss Creek® advertisement by Ruckel Properties, Inc. promoting available homes and lots.

Niceville.com Community Partner

ABOUT NICEVILLE.COM

PRIVACY POLICY

TERMS OF SERVICE

© 2025 Niceville.com. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.