Inking the Internet.

THE BUSINESS WORLD may be banking online, handling procurement over the Internet, even marketing goods digitally. But when it comes to reading, the cyber movers and shakers are still settling onto the sofa with a magazine--or so publishers think.

Across the region, new Internet and e-commerce magazines are cropping up like crazy, all in paper form. (Not all will survive, as evidenced by Mexico's pan-regional magazine Velocidad Internet, which debuted with a March-April issue then closed shop one edition later.) Notable new contenders include:

Punto-com/Ponto-com: The Miami-based magazine, Web site and conference organizer has snatched top talent from publications across Latin America and raised big money to roll out in Spanish and Portuguese.

i-biz: With Patagon.com founder Wenceslao Casares peering from its cover, America-Economla's Internet magazine in Portuguese and Spanish hit the scene in April.

Internet Business: In a recent issue of Brazil's monthly "magazine of the New Economy," 19-year-old Rony Meisler, of NoMoney.com, details his formula for attracting investors.

Revista da Web!: This monthly Editora Abril publication, unveiled in late 1999, keeps Brazil's Internet users hip on virtual shopping and banking. A recent issue rates browsers.

Internet Surf: Almost a veteran now that it's reached its second year of publication, this Argentine consumer magazine is heavy on fluff and fun. Cyber horoscopes join a jam-packed Internet gossip section.

Internet World: Penton Media's magazine entered into the Latin arena under license almost three years ago when Argentina's Avenue S.A. launched its Spanish-language edition.