and the issue's sample packs and included plugins and videos as part of google play newsstand launch.  
from the CM facebook page...
 
"FREE sample pack! For a limited time, you can get these 800 exclusive VIP Series sounds from DnB heavyweights Optiv & BTKfor absolutely NOTHING 

All you have to do is get the FREE issue of Computer Music 198, which Google have made free to celebrate their new Google PlayNewsstand. Get the mag on your Android device OR on your PC/Mac (you just need Chrome browser), register the mag on our Vault, then download this sample pack along with our exclusive software, tutorial videos, and much more!

Here’s how you do it:

1. Go to http://bit.ly/GPoffer and click the Computer Music mag.
2. “ADD” the current issue (NOT a subscription – you DON’T need to subscribe to get this free issue!). You'll need to register for a Google Wallet if you don't already have one.
3. The price will appear on your screen as £0.00, so you get the mag for nothing.
4. Read page 5 of the mag for instructions on how to register at our Vault and download the sample pack.

The offer ends 27 November."
 

Got it....some good stuff in it....

My motto is...if it's FREE it's for ME....simples..

The pages are incredibly slow to load...anyone else find that?

Well it had me navigating to pages 36 and 86 to answer questions about the magazine to read the free content...and as far as I could see, there is no way to navigate to a particular page number instantly. I had to estimate the page number of links in the table of contents and then fine tune from there...with the very slow loading times it took ages to find the pages in question. The things we'll do for a freebie 
 

Thanks!

sharke
Well it had me navigating to pages 36 and 86 to answer questions about the magazine to read the free content...and as far as I could see, there is no way to navigate to a particular page number instantly. I had to estimate the page number of links in the table of contents and then fine tune from there...with the very slow loading times it took ages to find the pages in question. The things we'll do for a freebie 
 

 Ditto that Sharke...I got the link from my FB page...did the quiz thingy...blah blah blah...
Yep...we're junkies alroight...

Some of the software is not bad.  I tend to buy about one issue a year for the software. They tend to be custom versions of commercial software with some features removed. I originally got full version  of bifilter that way.  Once they even gave away zeta+.  The mag overall seems to ableton and cubase focused to read regularly but well worth spemdimg a few extra minuts to get this freebie.

I've always found CM to be a pretty good resource.
 
But a quick tip for those of you who downloaded the CM Studio software - check out Curve2 CM. It's an absolutely wonderful freebie. There are some other goodies in there as well, but the Curve 2 CM is my favourite.