CNET, the uber popular online technology publication, is making the jump from digital to a paper periodical, the CNET magazine.

In an industry where paper periodicals such as newspapers and magazines are either shrinking or having their second chance online, the CNET magazine could be a great idea for its avid users and readers, or a real head scratcher.

CNET magazine launched this week with thousands already published and available on newsstands, and in places such as Walmart, Costco, and Target. The magazine, simply named CNET, promises to be an extension of its digital publication. The backing behind the CNET magazine could make this venture worthwhile, but the evolution of the CNET magazine is not anything new.

CNET magazine is selling itself. It has been reported that its new periodical will be a quarterly publication, issued every three months, and it is available for $5.99. Already 200,000 copies of CNET have been printed. The magazine has 128 pages.

The people behind CNET are aware of the volatile magazine industry, but they are convinced that the online CNET readers want more content. CBS Interactive is behind the magazine's publication.

"The future for this brand is multiplatform," Jim Lanzone, president and CEO of CBS Interactive, said. "We know the audience wants to experience CNET in multiple ways."

CNET has been around and online for nearly 20 years, sharing and spreading tech news and reviewing all forms of it. So CNET has its pulse on what is relevant in the realm of technology. Lindsey Turrentine, the editor-in-chief of CNET Reviews, says that they will be giving their readers something extra, CBS News reported. The CNET magazine will offer splashy photography, and long form articles.  

CNET magazine is part of the CBS family now. On the cover of the first issue of CNET it features LL Cool J, the star of "NCIS: Los Angeles," which is a hit CBS TV show. LL Cool J is a fan of technology.

The CNET News editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo adds that CNET is a one-of-a-kind magazine.

"We write in a very different voice. We're not trying to scare anyone away from tech," Guglielmo said. "We're trying to make it accessible, and since tech is such a big part of everyone's lives, it's a great opportunity to get our brand out," CBS News reported. 

The magazine will offer gadget- and accessory-focused articles, and cover trends in technology and the way we use them. Some of the other stuff that the magazine will feature are: "The Ultimate Tech Gift Guide," which is 24 pages long; "Driving Reinvented: The 2014 Tesla Model S"; and "Should You Wait for the Apple Watch or Not?" The New York Times reported.

The CNET will also recycle articles from their online publication CNET.com. And, the first issue will include ads from brands in categories for automobiles, electronics, packaged goods and technology. There will also be an ad for another print product, a book by Walter Isaacson titled "The Innovators"; the book is about the creators of the "digital revolution," The New York Times reported.

CNET's expansion from starting online and branching out into print is not a unique situation. There are other examples, such as the YouTube channel AwesomenessTV are starting a book; online retailers like Bonobos have opened their own stores; and websites like WebMD have been publishing magazines, The New York Times reported.

CNET and the magazine's backers are confident enough in this venture.

"This is a project we talked about for a number of years, and it got momentum in 2013, the best year in the history of CNET," Lanzone said. "One thing we saw was that the brand had a lot more potential than we thought it did."