Chip magazine came into existence in India on a hot month of April several years back at an introductory price of Rs. 80/- only. Started as ’Your Best Guide to computing it has now increased the cover price to Rs.100/- and changed its slogan to ’Your Navigator through Digital Technology’. It is a product of the Jasubhai Digital Media Group based in Mumbai which has got a license from the original Chip magazine publishers in Germany.
If one feels that a magazine of German origin won’t be able to cater to Indian readers, the skeptic will have to think again. The staff are entirely Indian, based in Mumbai but with offices in other cities also. Filled with youthful zest they have proved their critics wrong Coming into a market with an established leader they have slowly eaten into the leader’s share to carve a niche of faithful readers for themselves. Readers disgusted with the fare offered by the market leader have found a whole new world in Chip.
The thick well designed magazine with excellent paper quality is filled from cover to cover with valuable information on various facets of computing. A brief overview of the contents of the two CDs that come with it follows an editorial from the ever smiling Gourav Jaswal. A large amount of news from the tech world is covered along with burning issues of computing such as Napster. Readers letters are given a prominent position in an appealing and unique format. Products, both hardware and software that can and have changed the world of computing are reviewed in detail enabling the reader to make a balanced and sensible decision on his/her purchasing spree as well as improving the readers technical knowledge.
Readers facing problems too are not ignored, a regular column (and when I say regular I mean regular unlike other magazines) clarifying the doubts and problems faced by readers is published along with a column with tips and tricks for various softwares to make computing easy, fast and a breeze for users. Bookish readers have a range of book reviews to peruse before going to buy the latest Dummies or any other computer related book on the shelves.
Unique is what they attempt to be and this is what they give us with a unique look at what goes on behind the stage in the Chip magazine office with the column On assignment. Humour in the world of computing is not far behind with the regular column ’Back Byte’ on the last page to which even readers can contribute.
Definitely a must read for the discerning reader.