Flipzines burst onto the scene about 20 years ago as the latest and greatest advance in publishing since the Guttenberg Press.

Publishers worked hard to attract readers who weren't sure about this new fangled tech.

The digital pages "turned" just like the paper ones, but with far less effort -- usually just the click of the mouse. There was also that satisfying woosh of the page turning.

Flipzines: A brief History

In the last 20 years ...

• Flip phones have given way to smart phones ...
• ... and come back again as smart phones

• Amazon has institutionalized instant gratification

• Facebook has reunited us with old classmates -- for better or worse

• Civilians have flown in space

• We can watch the news from the other side of the world 24/7

• Flipzines have faded in popularity