Almost everyone still knows these days that Johannes Gutenberg is the person credited with first using movable type, thus creating the first technological revolution in printing (and putting some Irish monks out of the business of copying). And while movable type is no longer used in the printing process today, mechanical printing presses are still the primary means of obtaining written material (books and newspapers) in the world today.
Those days may finally be numbered however, with the introduction of Ipad. For those of you who have been living in a cave in the wilderness for the last couple of weeks, Ipad is the latest in a string of technology innovations from Cupertino, CA based Apple.
Ipad is certainly not the first electronic reading device. We already have a Sony version, the Barnes and Noble 'nook', and of course the Amazon 'Kindle' to name just a few. In addition, we have the ability today to download written material to computers and cell phones. Apple however, looks to take this to the next level.
Steve Jobs and the folks at Apple have taken this unit beyond being a simple reading device and turned it into a communication device. They bring to the table a size, ease of operation and wireless ability that may finally put the printed page into the realm of the dodo bird. In addition, the device is certainly capable of taking the place of the Ipod for music downloads, and with high resolution and wireless capabilities could easily someday fulfill the functions of the current generation of web-surfing phones as well.
Purchasing books for this unit will continue to be easy enough (and much less expensive), and the Ipad should also be able to easily download a daily newspaper.
Its 8-1/2 x 11" size should make it even easier to read for commuters than the traditional tabloid and broadsheet products, and it will likewise be easier than the Berliner format (a much smaller broadsheet size) that the newspaper industry has been investing in for the last couple of years.
For those of us whose careers have been tied to the printed page, it appears that the predictions of our imminent demise are finally beginning to come true. As time goes on and costs go down (something that always happens in technology), it appears likely that paper and ink have finally met their match. And while the printing press will certainly not disappear overnight, the increasing pace of the march of technology is certainly beginning to tell us that we must finally say "hello to Ipad, and goodbye to Mr Gutenberg".
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7 comments:
Tim,
What you say is all true, however I find it difficult to give up my laptop in favor of an itty bitty little screen device that typically displays printed information in font sizes that I (one of the more senior citizens) are comfortable reading.
That, and my old fashioned penchant for the clearly written word vs. the cryptic shorthand so common on such portable devices these days leaves me totally content with the laptop's more reasonable screen (and font) size.
I may eventually change, but I will not do so quietly...
Dave,
I believe that there will be no shorthand with this device, but quite simply the written page electronically delivered.
Imagine being able to carry the day's newspaper, stories from other news outlets, and 2-3 books that you have on your reading list all in a device the size of a legal pad.
Oh and as for font, imagine being able to switch from standard to large type edition at the touch of a button.
There are future generations of trees breathing a sigh of relief out there.
Tim,
I have toyed with the idea of getting a Kindle, but realized that I do all of my reading in my Lazy Boy right in front of my computer.
Still, a Kindle or a similar device might come in handy IF someone more sure-handed were to use it. Me, I'm way too clumsy and such large screen devices, although initially attractive still seem to me to be a one purpose, niche device with one very fragile screen.
Still I can see the advantage of a ruggedized tablet lap (or would it be arm????) top unit that has many abilities...
(Translation: I'm too cheap to buy a reader only unit)
I always have open an email client, a Web browser and a word processor at a minimum.
Oh, and a file manager..., I still use directories and files vs. icons for navigating around my computer.
:-)
Dave,
I hear the cheap part, and am not standing in line to purchase one of these devices yet. As someone whose career has been tied to the printed page however, I see this as the greatest threat to ink and paper that has yet occurred.
I much prefer pen and paper; pencil with eraser is even better than the pen. I think far too many people have lost their way with written communications.
I love the written word with the thoughts that go into them. Someday, I hope to become an accomplished writer.
Incidentally, I recently toured the offices and museum of The Tombsone Epitaph (my second time doing so) and I have a great appreciation for the printed newspapers of yesteryear.
I find printed newspapers, magazines, books, etc. much more easy on my eyes and more user-friendly when it comes to turning pages or finding something more quickly by fanning the pages.
Roland,
I too will mourn the passing of the newspaper when it finally occurs, but recognize that this seminal change may be the very thing that insures its survival.
The costs of printing presses and other equipment to deliver the product that USA set the standard for some years back combined with the competition from TV, Radio, and the Internet will force certain realities on this industry.
I am jealous of your tour of the Epitaph, as this is a paper I have never had the pleasure to visit.
BTW - I too once hoped to become an accomplished writer, now I only hope to accomplish any writing task that I begin ...
Not bad article, but I really miss that you didn't express your opinion, but ok you just have different approach
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