The Times Literary Supplement Reviews

Updated but not improved

NoWayJose34

It still will not allow sharing an article but only sends a screenshot of the first page.

For about a year haven’t been able to view TLS but was being charged. About a year ago, I canceled subscription somehow, lost ability to view, but I kept getting charged. I messaged TLS who said they didn’t see me as a subscriber but iTunes was probably charging me. I asked TLS to allow me to view again since I couldn’t stop the subscription, but they couldn’t figure out the technical issue and told me to talk to iTunes. I just stumbled upon how to cancel the subscription on iTunes, canceled it, and immediately the app allowed me to view again for the 2 remaining days on last paid week. So a terrible experience.

Authorisation Failed

Levo Dextro

I can no longer access my subscription. I get an "authorisation failed" message. This has been going on for 2 weeks. ——————— A year or two has passed since I wrote the above ... I decided to try the subscription again. It worked well for a few weeks. Then today, it crashes everytime I try to read an article. Eventually the TLS will catch up with the technology of the 1990s and provide an adequate app for reading. But they will have spent YEARS damaging their reputation and readership by tolerating their (fantastic!) content to be distributed through such flawed, thoroughly crappy apps. TLS was a giant of the print world. It is awful that such a wonderful newspaper couldn’t find a successful way to digitize after decades of trying. They were titans, and I have always loved the writing. But, they are complete digital idiots.

Time Sink!

Paul Bove

Cannot use this app from day to day without refilling subscription information each and every time. Search for info, copy and paste, hit ok, read—for a bit—repeat endlessly. ——————— Update: does anyone understand why they see the need constantly to login as a desirable feature? What does it to for them? In my best moment, I realize I should cancel and read via library subscriptions online.

Very poor app

harrymacz

Worst digital subscription app I have had the sad occasion to pay for using. Can’t remember my subscription information and provides no means to sign in to one’s account. Open the account tab and you are informed you are not authorized to view YOUR account information. All past issues locked for access by digital subscribers only, though you are and for several years have been a suffering digital subscriber. Sometimes the app remembers who you are and lets you in. Other times it does not and since it doesn’t allow you to sign in (how elementary a convenience!) you must again send an email to find out how to get in—when you want to read an issue now, not three days hence. This has been going on for 3 years and no web site improvements in that time. Tossing the app and keeping the print edition.

Great but elusive

Once (and Future?) Reader

A beautifully designed app - and the TLS is extremely well edited these days. It loses stars because it's too much of a bother for me to read. I used to be able to download issues. I can't anymore: it rejects my password. It flees from me that sometime did me seek. Like some other commenters, I can uninstall and reinstall the app. That works, but not permanently. I can't be bothered to do it regularly. I can use Safari with my iPhone and read the text in less attractive forms. Or there's good old paper. I can't believe an obvious bug, receiving other complaints, hasn't been fixed. Can't you bring in the Obamacare team?

Sign-in problems

Paveplage

Every time a new issue comes out the app forgets who I am and I have to sign in again. Deleting and reinstalling app doesn't seem to help. Dearth of documentation in Settings. E.g., no directions for deleting issues. Also, no indication that American subscription numbers have an extra digit so that, when signing on, you should only type in the first seven. TLS cyber efforts have always been dicey, and this is no exception.

Have to keep reïnstalling

rrachlin

TLS is, of course, superb. But the app must be continually deleted and reïnstalled with reëntry of subscription particulars in order to download anything. Terrible nuisance, reminiscent of The Economist app when it was new. Likely, the app designers will eventually fix this bug. For now, however, I'll grin and bear the inconvenience.

Hey TLS...

19letters

Consider resolving technical issues out of respect for loyal subscribers. How many times do I need to contact technical support with complaints about sign in issues before you fix the problem? Regretting subscribing to 'the works'. You guys are a-holes.

Terrible

Mkgtu

I have a print plus digital subscription, and the app almost never works. Says I don't have access. Can reinstall and sometimes that helps for maybe one issue. They've been trying to fix this since March. Whoever is working in their subscription/tech dept are a bunch of bumbling idiots. However, I did subscribe one month directly through Apple and everything worked flawlessly. Strange. I'm going to cancel with TLS.

The Times Literary Supplement Reviews – Page 3