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?

19 comments:

Jorge Gavidia said...

Hi Dr. Williams. Thanks for getting in touch and posting on my blog. As you've seen I did a pretty long article on the way mainstream media affects the arts and professional musicians in our society. I hope you read or will read all 3 parts (I know they are quite long). I think I was doing a search for related subjects on Google when I came across your site. I probably just typed in the name of my article (Arts and the mainstream media) to see what would come up and your blog was one of the results. I find your blog quite interesting and have bookmarked the page so I will be one of your visitors from time to time. I am trying to make my blog not only about music, but about culture, society, history and anything else that will make people think and re-evaluate what they see in the mainstream media. Thanks again for stopping by and please visit anytime. http://jazzandculture.blogspot.com

Alvin McKinley said...

Apple iPad may not be the perfect product to handle the delivery of the printed material, but it is a step in the right direction. We live in the information society and we need to get our information as fast as possible. Moreover, newspapers are producing a considerable amount of paper waste that needs to be recycled. In the future, I see the iPad and similar devices as the main replacement for newspapers. The information can be downloaded using WiFI or bluetooth. It is possible that in the future, the iPad users will be able to receive the newspapers, books and other material without the need of going to the bookstore or newspaper stand. It will be as simple as downloading the file. The advantage of iPad is the re-usability and convenience. It will definitely reduce the paper use significantly, protect the forest and improve ecology. This also implies that newspaper stands and bookstores will no longer be needed and may possibly be replaced with specialized information booth where people can download information from.
Of course there will be those people who prefer the feel of the hardcover but overtime, as the public adopts e-newspapers and e-books as a standard, there will be less and less of them.

Angela Doles said...

If technology continues as it has been then yes books, newspapers, and any other type of print media will eventually be converted to electronic format. By discontinuing paper produced media we will be saving our natural resources. A negative of electronic media is some people will not have access to the electronic media or they will not be able to afford the media financially. Newscasters will be able to get the news to readers at a quicker rate than in printed media. Another drawback to converting to printed media to electronic media is small printed media companies will not be able to keep up with the digital age and close their businesses.

Anita Griffin said...

I see magazines, books, textbooks, etc. all headed in the direction of the iPad. I can already view our local newspaper on line. There are a lot of books available in digital print. I think books do lose some quality that readers want, like color and the print. Of course, I am sure the color will not be too big of an issue for some people. Some people want the physical book. I had an assignment to do for a class and even though I had the hard cover book, I was able to find the book on line and read pretty much the book in its entirety. There were a few pages that were not available to read, and even though you could only view the book for a limited amount of time, it was still enough time to pretty much read the whole book. A lot of people are getting use to reading books on the computer. During this day and time, it is just a matter of time before everything you read will be available to read on-line anyway

Lucky said...

I think that in the age we live in, things will have to go digital. Also, we are more concerned with helping the environment, this can be a way to do that.

I would hate to see books go digital. There is nothing in the world like the smell of a book, especially the older ones. I do not like the digital part of books where it has the audio. As a society, we are losing our knowledge. If you ask someone how to do a simple mathematic problem, they cannot do it without the help of a calculator. I feel that if people have the option of hearing the book instead of reading it, they will go with hearing, and reading skills will start to fade.

Tanya Mathews said...

With all of the attention focused on the iPad, is easy to forget that it is not the first handheld reading device. Anybody remember the Kindle? have also been a couple of other attempts at an electronic reader, which were received with varying amounts of the success. The thing of it is, the amounts of success have been on a steady uphill climb: people have been more open to electronic media devices in the last few years, seeing them more as an everyday item than as a novelty.

The question as to whether print media will suffer as they move into digital delivery is almost certainly yes -- consumers have lower expectations of a news item when it is delivered in a shiny package. Don't believe me? Go back and read the front page of "USA Today" last year in covering a news event, any event. Now go read the story about the same event in the "New York Times."

Certain types of books stand to be in the hands of the digital revolution, however. Textbooks, for example, can be made much better. Instead of simply reading about FDR's speech to Congress the day after Pearl Harbour, a student can click on the link and hear the actual recording of "The Day of Infamy" speech.

Zack Harrington said...

I think the apple iPad will eventually substitute many of our printed material, but I think that true "book lovers" will continue to read books that they can put on a shelf. I believe there is a certain pride taken in finishing books; therefore, ipads would not be a good fit to showoff on shelf.
I believe in a few years that many Americans will own their pesonal iPad where they can upload their favorite books, magagzines, and newsapapers. I think the day tha magazines and newspapers vanish into the market is certainly near.

Ebb said...

You can see that magazines,books, textbooks will all be on the internet or the Ipad.

Technology is changing so that people are no longer viewing things the way they use to. It so much technology out there,so why wait for the newspaper when you can just view it on-line or on the Ipad.

I didn't order a book, because I chose to view it on-line to help with my assignment. They are much cheaper than books in the bookstore.

Laura Chisolm said...

"Book Evolution" I do think that book viewing as evolved greatly due to technology and the internet. I do think that there are individuals who are not able to keep up with technology due to financial concerns. I think that there will still be traditional books still because of this. I do think that the ipad will be popular because the new generation is technoloy savy. I enjoy technolgy and just upgraded my phone to a smartphone but I still like to sit down with a magazine I can pick up and look at. Personally, from working on a computer all day and then at night working on the assignments online my eyes get very tired. The glare is really hard on them. After looking at the articles about the ipad and the virtural magazine, I really like the idea but I think there are a lot of people that will continue to read books the traditional way. Even with the option of textbooks being available online I prefer to purchase a printed textbook.

noelle carlin said...

I do believe that magazines and books should still be printed because if not then they are not books or magazines. With all books, kids have the chance to make their own voices for characters (such as Huck Finn) and the kids can create an imagination. With the audio and video part being added then those ruin the imagination and also will not help people comprehend things as well.

Books have to have words that can be interpreted in any fashion that the reader wants it to. Take poetry for example, Shakespeare’s work has been interrupted in many different ways because of people's imagination. And as for textbooks it would help if they were on audio or video because the student would be more willing to learn the information however, the problem with that is that the student will not actually learn the information as well as they would if they were reading it word after word on their own. The ipad is just like the kindle to me, you can have the option of reading a book, word for word, or now you can watch and do anything on it. If people start to listen to books or magazines more than actually reading them, then the common freshman in college would only have a 10 grade reading level at max because they would not know how to read the bigger words or write for that matter.

Sandy said...

In today’s society, technology is a necessity rather than a desire. Recently, electronic devices such as the Apple I-pod, digital pocket organizers, and smart-phones have become the norm that we all have come to expect. Because of the digital age that we live in, new gadgets are being invented and distributed faster than they can be created. The new Apple I –pad that recently became available is a unique device that offers readers of books and magazines a more interactive approach. While this technology is rather new, I do believe that is will be widely popular in the years to come as more people engage in new technology. For example, Bluetooth technology was foreign to those individuals who did not quickly embrace technology. However, car manufactures began to make Bluetooth available on loads of vehicles. As a result, consumers were forced to embrace Bluetooth technology whether they wanted it or not. I believe the same will be true with electronic devices such as the new I-pad.

The interactive magazines that I viewed were pretty engaging. The flowing of the water made me more interested in what the magazine had to offer. A traditional print copy would probably not have caught my eye, while the interactive one did. Deep down, I do not believe that readers of poetry and books would want to watch them digitally instead of reading them. Movies that are based on books are never as good and lack much of the details that are found within books. It is virtually impossible to portray each of the words that are written by the author. For this reason, I believe that books still serve a purpose in this digital age in which we live. Although, I do believe that college textbooks are becoming more popular in the electronic format. This should be more cost effective for the student as well. E-books are usually PDF documents that are downloaded directly on the computer. While these books could be useful electronically, I still do not believe traditional trade books will become overtaken by the electronic market. By doing so would be a travesty to writers everywhere. Their words would be forever lost to digital re-mastery.

Brandy Stuart said...

I see the Ipad a postive plus to collage students that work fulltime, have children and other stuff that happens in life getting to the libary is inposiable. I agree with some of the others. Its also a pluse for getting the information right now and if technology keeps growing then we will help out by not useing paper. Although it has a negative side, for those who may not can afford new technology. Another issue I find that this may cause would up the rates of unemployed people that print these books, magiazens, newspapers ect. I think the younger age people will acept this but the older that is not so technolageable will not agree with useing the Ipad or other devices like this. Most newspapers are already on the internet, some magaizen articles, and most news channels. I personaly already do most my research on books by the internet and I also look at our local new on the internet. However, I am not a book lover, Therefore I asked my mom that is what she thought about the whole ideal and she said that she would still go out and buy the hard copy. Her anwser to why was just to have incase I want to reread it.

Vanessa Collier said...

Yes, I believe that magazines and books are headed in the direction of the ipad. Technology is changing everyday, so it does not surprise me that we are moving towards reading books and magazines using a portable multimedia device. I do not think that I would have to have a traditional print copy of a magazine. It seems alot smarter and wiser to watch it on ipad. It would eliminate a cluter of magazines piling up, and I also believe it would help save some paper and that helps the environment.

I am sure that books that become highly interactive does lose some of the quality readers want. Some people really enjoy sitting down reading a good book because it is very relaxing. Some people like to curl up with a good book, so I definitely believe it would lose some quality. I do think it would be really cool to be able to use an ipad for textbooks. We spend hundreds of dollars each semester on books, so I think it would be great to be able to access our textbooks on the ipad. I would hope it would save us alot of money in the long run.

Paul Miller said...

I do see technology turning print media into more of a digital format. In the short term, it will be difficult for some people to have access to the product due to cost and in some cases location. But in time, I do see this as a cost effective way of producing magazines, books, and textbooks.
I will say this as far as viewing a magazine or book on a digital display; I don’t care for it to much. I still like having a product that I can physically hold in my hand. So it will take time for people like me to get around to buying a product like an ipad.

Hartman said...

Technology will no doubt significantly impact books and magazines as we know them now. Magazines, I think, are the most vulnerable to significant change sooner rather than later. Reading a magazine, and reading a book, is an experience. How well that experience translates into technology is one question, and how will we consume the content is another question. Magazine content is already loaded heavily with multimedia elements, such as photos and timely, related video news coverage . Our magazine reading habits are another issue. An iPad magazine experience could be a great multimedia-rich experience, but what would I look at on the flight when all electronic devices must be turned off? That is prime magazine time for me! Books are another matter. Textbooks are very vulnerable to being significantly impacted by technology advances. That said, the advances should be embraced - get rid of the costly printing of textbooks that are obsolete after 2 years, and focus on the richness of the experience that can be had in an interactive format. Other books, such as novels, are still another issue that I consider to be even further from immediate significant impact.

Chris Stallworth said...

Innovation in technology has shaped the way our society interacts with media of every type. In as little as 3 years, thousands of people have migrated from desktop or laptop usage for internet and media access to using a hand held device such as a MP3 player, a PDA or more commonly a mobile phone. This migration has inspired many companies to develop applications and that enable users to interact with the company's product (magazine or newspaper) via their mobile device. The latest device to "shake up" the development world is Apple's iPad. According to Apple, the iPad's technology will completely revolutionize how users obtain and use media. The iPhone and iPod introduced a means of buying books, movies, and music, among other things, from virtually anywhere you can establish a network connection. As with the iPhone and iPod touch, I believe there will be shift in the way publishers and magazines create and market their products because of the iPad, based on its popularity. I think that because of these types of advancements in technology, media such as books and magazine may continually become more interactive. This does not necessarily mean that traditional books and magazines will disappear because there will always be individuals that prefer a traditional method of reading the paper, a magazine, or watching television and movies. There are still millions of people that do not have HDTV. Some people simply do not agree with purchasing a device to do what they can already accomplish with their current technology or methods. (like the can opener)
Printed copies of books and magazines have their benefits. Particularly text books and learning materials. While many text books can now be viewed online, many still cling to the tradition method of using a printed version because it is more convenient, although with portable devices like the iPad that may change. Printed versions of books do not require the use of complex devices for those who are not "tech savvy" or computer literate.
If educators began to incorporate the iPad into the development of a curriculum, it could provide many positive possibilities in terms of interactive help with math problems, or pronunciation of difficult words and many more. The books could be designed to provide video or audio interaction that correlates to the subject being studied. Plus its potable, so one could potentially take their entire semester's work with them no matter where they go without having to carry 4-10 heavy books around. The iPad, even with its flaws, is definitely a step in the right direction.

Jessica Williams said...

I think that many of the magazines will lean towards a interactive copies. There are many advantages for interactive copies for both the publisher and the consumer. It would save the publishers a lot of money. Consumers would be able to get their magazine instantly and have it where ever they are unlike the traditional paper copy. I do not think that they will stop making the paper copies of magazines or books.

There are many people who will still want to get the paper copy to have if they don’t have the luxury of having a laptop or Ipad. There are many people that love the feel and smell of paper copies of books and magazines. I think that many avid readers will still want the paper copies. There are some people who will change over to the interactive copies of the books and magazines without any problem but I think that there will be a good number of people that will reject the idea. I know that my mother got a kindle for Christmas and loves it. I never thought that she would be one to let go of her paperback books. Seeing her change to the digital copy of the book showed me that there is a very quickly changing market.

I think that there is a quality of books that you will lose with the interactive copy. If there is audio and video in the interactive copy of the book you will lose the aspect of using purely your imagination in the book. Video and audio will put these images in you head for you and you would lose that creative aspect. It will make it more like a movie instead of a book. This will slowly be the ending of books as I can see. I think that eventually book will become too much like movies it there is video added.

I think that they should put text books in interactive form as soon as possible. This would aid in students learning a great deal. This would also enable the prices of text books to go down, which is absolutely insane. Learning is the point in these text books and if they were interactive students would do nothing but benefit.

I think that the iPad will be just like the iPhone and iPod it will be the next big thing. I know that if students could have their text books all on their iPad they would be much more able to have their work where ever they were. I think that text book writers will make text book with interactive features that take students step by step through things and it would leave may openings for the writers to put in videos to explain the material and keep the students interested. I think it is going to lead to a completely new way for learning.

Mary Catherine Carmichael said...

WOW! This is awesome. Personally I think it would be great. I think I would really enjoy an Apple iPad but I really have to wonder if it will replace printed material. I'm sure the price of an iPad would not be cost effective for some people with the ecomony like it is I feel the printed magazine would be more cost effective right now. I also think that an iPad might be a little complicated for some of the elderly people to operate and therefore the printed would suit them better. I think that once you take the printed material out of books it it no longer a book but a movie. I think that is one reason we have so many illerate people now is because people are not reading anymore. I don't think that having everything interactive is a good idea you still need to do the old fashion reading. I know that sounds old fashion but sorry I guess I'm just old fasion. I do think that having an iPad would be fun and I think that being able to purchase textbooks through iPad would be possible be a way to curb prices of printed textbooks.

Sandra Perkins said...

Technology is forever changing. Every year there are new gadgets that claim to be better than the gadgets of last year. I really do see the magazine industry headed in the direction the article is referring to. It’s hard to find people flipping through pages of books anymore, unless you visit a library or a bookstore, because everybody now is “techno savvy” with their online books and now the new iPads.
Personally, I like the idea of actually holding a magazine in my hand flipping through the pages, seeing the advertisements and tearing out pages that I want to read later –LOL. I don’t think that books will be on the verge of being obsolete because there are some people who still prefer to “curl” up with a good book and not a gadget to get away from it all.
I think text books are here to stay – for the simple fact that every school district doesn’t have the funding to afford the same technology as other schools with heavy funding.