Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Book Evolution

Continuing with our discussion from last week, Apple is now taking orders for iPads. And it seems the device is in high demand. Many magazines and traditional print publishers are trying to evolve so that their products are desirable on the iPad. Just like ipods may have changed the way we purchase and play music, the iPad may change the way we purchase and interact with books (if you could still call them that). Read the following and watch the videos contained on the page. Do you think most magazines are headed in the direction the article suggests? Are there reasons why you would want a traditional print copy of a magazine rather than an interactive one? What about books? If books become highly interactive (with audio and video) do they lose some quality that readers want? When do they cease to be "books"? What about textbooks? How might the iPad change the way educators write textbooks?

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Is Cable TV Doomed

As access to high speed internet increases, we're seeing several markets shrink and go away. For example, Sam Goody (the record store) recently closed here in Starkville. Blockbuster is rumored to be going bankrupt. No doubt, technologies like the Kindle and the iPad will change how people buy and read books. I'd like you to read the following article. The argument is that cable TV could also take a large hit and internet access expands and people start watching more video content online. How about yourself? Would you be willing to give up Cable TV right now and switch to only internet viewing? NBC already has many of its programs online. Hulu offers a variety of shows. Do you think cable prices and rates will have to change in order to grab back the viewers it may lose? What are your thoughts?

Monday, March 8, 2010

The News in Wonderland

Last week, the LA Times posted an advertisement on its front page which made it look like the ad and the front page news were combined into one. See it here. Some people feel the ad posed no problem and was just another way for a cash-strapped business to generate more money. Some feel it was professionally unethical. What is your opinion? Do you think it's OK for newspapers to sell large ads on its front page? If you had to say it was professionally unethical, what argument would you make?

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

No Post This Week

Take a Break from the Blog this week. A new post will be here next monday.