Thing 7

Create a blog post about anything technology related that interests you this week.

The end of the book?

Is the end of the book near? A good display on a portable device for reading ebooks could be the key factor in many people reading print hard copy a lot less. I really like all the features of Adobe 8, especially the feature that allows you to write notes in the margins, over the text, or separate from the text, but linked to a specific location in the text. You can view the document with or without the notes. (Now I will have to go home and make sure I am correct on this!) I think if I can get just a little better with my handwriting recognition app I will want to use this feature frequently with my Wacom tablet. Now if ebooks were substantially cheaper than books (and why can't they be?), and I had a comfortably portable and easily readable highdef digitizing screen I would want all my books on it. Oh and a couple of high capacity lightweight batteries. Oh and a way to carry all the stuff without hurting my back. My point, if I have one, is that I don't think the real competition between book and ebook has yet begun, because the ebook hardware isn't up to the task yet. It will take the ebook equivalent of the ipod to really make things interesting.

And if books become less and less available what will my detention center patrons be reading because I can't imagine getting readers in here (security problems). And what about poor people who cannot buy a device for reading ebooks? I can see subscription plans -- buy a years worth of books and get a "free" reader -- like cell contracts.