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HBW Alive - any current users? (1 Viewer)

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Winterdune

Well-known member
I'm thinking about subscribing but most of the reviews I've found are quite old. Would any current users be able to comment on whether it has improved a little or a lot from its 'clunky' early days? Is it worth subscribing? I have the books.
Thanks
Sean
 
I use it occasionally but I do not have the books and therefore cannot comment in that regards

Niels
 
I re-subscribed recently, after some time off. The functionality is mostly the same as at the start. If you browse the free version, you basically see all features, only with shortended text. I think the "my birding" part has been improved over the time, but as I use only the basic subscription, I can't say more.

I have no complaints with the functions using a PC, but on a mobile phone I find it clunky.

Content wise, many of the entries have been updated, the new taxonomy has been fully integrated now, and also more plates have been added for some of the species (I think mostly for those covered in new Lynx field guides, such as Indonesia or Thailand).

Still extremly good value in my opinion, but I don't have the books.

Florian
 
I have the books and I have re-subscribed until 2020. Therefor that I need the texts for my Wikipedia research it is good to have a regularly updated online reference work. I am satisfied.
 
Don't have the books, do susbscribe to HBW Alive.
A bit clunky in the field on a mobile phone - could do with a better GUI in that respect - but otherwise pretty satisfied with value for money to get the global bird handbook access.
 
Another satisfied customer. The interface still not silky smooth but better than it used to be and I really don’t see why anyone would prefer the books at this stage. For sheer clunkiness, after all, nothing beats a shelf full of massive hardbacks. . ..
 
Thanks all. On the video advert for it there seems to be loads of sound files and videos for each species, but when I "explore a sample species" which they allow you to do when you're thinking about subscribing, there seems to be nothing like this. Do most species have calls, songs and video clips attached to them?
 
Many have links to songs and videos. Most of these go to the IBC collection (which is also accessible for free https://www.hbw.com/ibc), or other free online sources (xeno canto, etc.=

So you do not need the HBW alive subscription to access this material, but its a neat feature to have direct links in the species accounts to videos and photos.

There are a few free sample species, where you can check out how it looks, e.g. this one: https://www.hbw.com/species/western-capercaillie-tetrao-urogallus
 
fugl said:
Another satisfied customer. The interface still not silky smooth but better than it used to be and I really don’t see why anyone would prefer the books at this stage. For sheer clunkiness, after all, nothing beats a shelf full of massive hardbacks. . ..
Click to expand...

It's the way you're born, nothing can replace a book for me and I can't imagine browsing this as I fumble with and squint at a phone.
 
I'm also a subscriber and recently renewed it.

Can't comment on mobile interface as don't use it on my phone - only use it at home on my PC.
 
andyadcock said:
It's the way you're born, nothing can replace a book for me and I can't imagine browsing this as I fumble with and squint at a phone.
Click to expand...

I can’t either—I’ve never read it on a phone and can’t imagine ever doing so except under very unusual circumstances. Instead, I read it on one of my big beautiful tablets, sitting at a table or in a chair, just as I would the paper versions except much more comfortably.
 
Last edited:
andyadcock said:
It's the way you're born, nothing can replace a book for me and I can't imagine browsing this as I fumble with and squint at a phone.
Click to expand...

I fumble with a lot more these days, Andy...

HBW Alive gives much more insight into current taxonomic issues of interest to BirdLife/HBW with respect to Tobias et al decisions...
MJB
 
MJB said:
I fumble with a lot more these days, Andy...

HBW Alive gives much more insight into current taxonomic issues of interest to BirdLife/HBW with respect to Tobias et al decisions...
MJB
Click to expand...

No problem with HBWA, just the idea of a bookless World, when the lights all go out, you'll all want to borrow my books.
 
I'll probably get it although I'm a bit annoyed that having bought every volume since it all began I don't qualify for some sort of discount...
 
Well worth having, and My Birding has improved a lot, a do a lot of my trips on there now, though the download to Excel or Word is still a pain as I can't get rid of the German, Spanish and French name columns, and have to manually delete after downloading, despite trying to opt out of them in preferences
 
I can understand that. To me, not having bought the book, the subscription is great value. But if I had already paid 3000 € for the books, maybe I wouldn't think so...
 
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