Hey, what a surprise to see you here today. I’m delighted of course though it is International Bikini Day so I half thought you’d be down on the beach strutting your stuff, so to speak. Anyway, I’m glad you could make it. Coffee’s fresh and the virtual delicacies on the top self are looking extra scrumptious, don’t’cha think? Ever notice that the first four letters of the word think spell ‘thin’. I wonder if there’s a message there…think thin as you’re reaching for that doughnut? Never mind. These are all ‘virtual’ treats so there are no calories anyway, right?
Talking about ‘thin’, do you own a Kindle or one of the other digital book readers? I was talking about this a month or so ago but I just came across an article questioning the future of printed books. I said I was tempted when I was in Canada in April but resisted the urge. I rarely buy a new book anymore though. They’re just too expensive. Fortunately, Pattaya has several good second-hand bookstores. One I particularly like is Canterbury Tales Bookshop and Guesthouse. I was just there on the weekend, rooting through thousands of books for my favourite authors. Stephen Leather is one of them at the moment.
Like Chris in Toronto said in her comment following my earlier rambling, I still like the feel of printed books and I think the digital readers have a ways to go. Looking at them is a disappointment to me. It’s as though I’m seeing a black and white TV and I’m afraid that doesn’t do much for me. They need to get some pizzazz in their Kindles, Kobos and whatever if they want to replace books anytime soon.
Now, I can see where, in the middle of a January snowstorm (not that we have those here in Thailand) and being out of something to read, you’d be better with a digital reader because you could just download whatever you wanted rather than trudge through three feet of snow to your nearest bookstore.
According to reports, conversion to digital readers is progressing much slower than anticipated. Perhaps the sentimental value held within real pages is so well-established and enshrined that gadgets aren't enough to replace it - yet. Economy is definitely not an issue, because although an e-reader is around $200 bucks, e-books are much cheaper than regular ones. No surprise there, sellers of new wave B&W TVS!
My marketing background suggests that they plan to lead us through layer after layer of ‘new and improved’ versions. They’re already doing that! Look at the picture…”All New Kindle 3G - smaller, lighter, faster with 50% better contrast!” Marketing at its finest! How about a digital thingmebob that looks like a book (novel concept!) and combines my PDA, cellphone dial and plug-in and a few more things to make it look and feel like a book instead of an ugly military. (I know…it wouldn’t be flat anymore, would it, Bob?) Say, isn’t that already available as an I-Pad? One expects they will upsell us through all kinds of stages. Remember the first cellphones? Holy Bananas! They were big, awkward and you almost needed a six-gun holster to carry one around with you.
Looking at digital readers from a different perspective…South Korea is planning to equip its entire school system with digital readers to replace textbooks by 2015. These digital readers would include a webcam and other features. If you are sick at home, you don't have to miss class. You are in it from the comfort of your own bed. Yeah…and what happens when little Johnny drops his DR in a puddle, the dog chews it or he forgets to tuck it in his bag to bring to school? These things happen with kids. In my experience, about 15-20% of kids don’t have their books.
As a teacher, several comments immediately come to mind:
1. Will bookbags also go the way of the Dodo bird? Probably scale right down at the very least. Not a bad thing – reduce the number of back injuries at least.
2. Oxford, Cambridge, McGraw Hill and the rest of the textbook suppliers had better get their skates on, eh! 2015 is not so far away, is it? If it is successful in South Korea, you can bet your boots, the rest of the world will jump on the portable bookmobile!
3. With webcams, will kids even bother to come to school. They can stay home, or wherever, and just log into their classroom!
Digital is definitely the wave of the future but they have a ways to go … in my book! Interesting times we live in, eh!
See ya.
Bob
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