The Plain Dealer Reviews

by Gvonhoch

I’m running/using version 4.0.0.1 and it does not look or run like the description shows nor the images in the print version “ad” from last Sunday.
There are no page turn controls.
In neither landscape nor portrait if you zoom in to make a page larger the zoom perspective only last for that double page.
You have to scroll to the top of the second page and swipe to advance to the next double page layout but have to reset the zoom.

by Ohio_trvlgrl

ThePlainDealer is more stable but.... it is limited to how large you can expand the print. I prefer to read the paper like a print version. And some of the items will not open with a tap to a larger view like sport’s stats and the comics. Please fix this so that it can expand as large as I want.

Also, I miss the hot spots where you can jump to the page where an article is continued and back to the front page.

Why must we give up features with app “improvements “?

by Construction Lawyer

To start, I read it on an iPad that doesn’t have a huge capacity, not tiny, but certainly not huge. ThePlainDealer lets you open an edition, so far, so good. It retains the edition in memory and there isn’t a readily obvious way to delete old editions without removing and reinstalling ThePlainDealer . I don’t use the iPad for a lot of other things, only one family member that plays solitaire. About once every 6 weeks I have to do the remove/reinstall procedure or the memory will be filled.

If they fixed this issue I’d rate it higher. The only remaining thing that would keep me from rating it a 5 would be the inability to copy items such as the crossword puzzle. We have a 7-day subscription, always have. When 7-day delivery stopped I could copy and print the crossword—my wife likes to do a hard copy with a pen—then with the update about a year ago that ability was removed. I assume that it is a copyright issue, but we are just trying to use it the way it was intended, not copying to distribute. They need to either deliver the paper every day or return the ability to print the crossword without fussing with the cumbersome screenshots method.

by Robe557

This new Plain Dealer is so bad I don't know where to start. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's extremely slow loading and eventually I get frustrated and turn it off. Sometimes the photos are too blurry to read and I turn it off. Sometimes only partial text appears and I turn it off. Maybe I should just never turn it on. Way to go Plan Dealer

Just when I was going to give the Plain Dealer some credit in a review this happens. The paragraph above the one I’m typing now is not my writing, it popped up when I said I wanted to give a review. I have to admit that I agree with what the author of that paragraph says. However, let’s get back to what I originally intended to say. The most annoying problem for me was the random spacing on words that would appear in an article. That problem appears to be corrected and I wanted to compliment you for that. However, now at times a single letter is omitted, usually at the beginning or end of a word. For example when reading an article on the National Football League the article would read FL instead of NFL.

by David1876

I find myself knocked off the PD app every few weeks, and it can be difficult to log back on. The sequence of login is clumsy, usually sending me to a page that gives me essentially one option: to log off. Once logged off I can eventually get back on but the same sequence doesn’t always work for my wife.

Lately I am getting a daily pop-up saying “error” but when I close the Gov there is no problem.

Petty annoyances are common with ThePlainDealer .

by Crunch543

This is a pretty good app. It has improved over the past year and doesn’t crash. It works about 95% of the time. Please add two features to make it even better. 1) When opening, please do an auto update before opening. I usually get to page 3 or 4 and a reminder pops up asking if I want the latest version. Who wouldn’t? So, I must say yes, it closes and then I must start on page 1 again. 2) Is there a way that I can see the paper’s edition? Years ago, the paper had a star system on the top of the front page. If you saw 2 or 3 stars, you knew it was the 2nd or 3rd edition.

by Bonafide215

I moved to ThePlainDealer rather than receiving a printed copy, as it was the more economical choice. ThePlainDealer generally loads very quickly, but has many bugs. Sometimes I have to entirely close out and reboot to get it to reopen. Other times it loads very quickly, but then as you move through the paper the articles appear fuzzy and have not loaded correctly. It has been improving, but I also read the Post online and never have these problems.

by NR Girl

Digital PD reading on iPad is less glitchy now, quickly bringing up content when opening app. Reading and navigating through pages, along with ease of printing content is good. This is my every morning read for local and national news. Factual reporting keeps me subscribed, however errors have increased in miss-spellings, run together words, and incomplete articles. Please hire a proofreader.

by Cjd Cle

Last couple months Connecting to and using the PD app is getting much better. I know several people that gave up completely because of access issues, maybe run a free promo to get subscriptions up and former users back? You were at one star before with me. Thanks former PD carrier.

by Artie Amy

Not wanting to fight progress but not wanting to abandon the plain dealer I know I read it online every day. ThePlainDealer is easy to use and and I not wanting to fight progress but not wanting to abandon the plain dealer I now read it online every day. ThePlainDealer is easy to use and allows me to keep up to date.

by Tiger829

I enjoy reading the PD on line very much. It is easy to access my favorite sections and I don’t feel I miss out on anything from the print edition. The PD gives space to both conservative and progressive opinion writers and I appreciate the balance of ideas. Keep up the good work!

by Transplanted Clevelander

Since corona hit, I have been reading the Plain Dealer on line. I find it easy to read and navigate. I still prefer to read the actual Sunday paper, as opposed to digital. Also like the fact I can access older issues if I should miss something

by Dnharri

Reading the PD on ThePlainDealer is just as easy , if not easier , than having the physical paper. Each article you open takes you to the end instead of having to flip pages. At completion of article ThePlainDealer will return you to where you left off.

by Tbzbol

Remarkable reporting. I live 50 miles from Cleveland and depend on their paper for the best news regarding my area too.
It is not easy chasing down sources with FOI requests. The government agencies are always secretive and nasty when it comes to handing over information, so I give a lot of credit to reporters who stick with a story.

by Cord Cutter

The PD on line gives you full color access the entire edition each day - whether at home or away. Read it page by page in order or select the section you want in the order you want. If needed, you can enlarge the print on a page as you read it.

Great job PD - Thank You.

by San D Shovel

Nothing can replace the local scope and objectivity of a hometown newspaper. The internet has tremendously expanded our communications channels but is sorely lacking for any factual presentation of what’s happening down the street or across town. The Plain Dealer gives us those missing facts, actions and issues.
We’re certainly pleased to get it at our door and online.

by Jbhutto

ThePlainDealer gets 5 stars, I like it. The PD gets 2 stars. Sports section is good, though not as good as it was 10 years ago. The editorial page is weak, the stuff of dog training. Reporters like Julie Washington, and writers like Steven Litt make it worth a subscription. Leila Atassi, the replacement for Mark Naymik, “couldn’t hold his jock” to use a sports term, no doubt PIC, from 40 years ago. But ThePlainDealer is good.....

by Crs4900

The reason I like the Plain Dealer app is because it is an actual replication of what the paper looks like. Many apps just show you various stories from the current newspaper, you never know if you are seeing all the news for that addition. With the Plain Dealer app you see an exact copy of that dates published newspaper, then you get to pick what articles you want to read.

by Careful Phone Answerer!

The Plain Dealer is GREAT! It gives the news, sports and a variety of other articles and information in a clear, easy to read, and readability level that makes it a favorite source of news and information for a wide cross-section of the population.

I especially like the electronic edition. It allows me to both enjoy the news and all the other sections without trees being destroyed in the process. I can also save articles that I want for a variety of reasons. Best of all, there is nothing that has to be thrown into the recycle bin every day.

by Mr-jbh

This is a horrible application. I get stuck in a loop when trying to log on. The phone support is worse than clueless, it is careless (literally: they don't seem to care that they can't help you.)

The browser option is almost as bad as ThePlainDealer . It exhibits many odd behaviors (e.g., cannot scroll to the bottom of the page) and I can't get through the paper without having to go back the the email hyperlink and start over again multiple times.

I don’t know if this is a PD problem or a Tecnavia (epublisher) problem, but it’s soon going to cost the PD a subscriber.