Just some though as I walked through a bookshop, open to comments and thoughts.
With the worlds resources being hit hard time and time again, and the global collapse of commerce, what about printed material?
All printed material is dependent upon trees to a degree, obviously recycling and alternative materials are used. But what struck me was the waste; what happened to the books, newspapers and magazines that weren’t sold? Waste! True may be recycled again, but hardly any printed matter will use 100% recycled – in most cases it’s just not suitable.
With Amazon’s Kindel2 on sale in the States I really think this is the way forward although it’s a shame the Kindle isn’t quite there yet.
Update: Amazon.com is now selling the Kindel2 on an international basis, this includes the free transfer of your electronic publications. For more information visit Amazon.
Ebooks of course have been with us for a long time but it’s only recently that Amazon, Sony and others have turned their focus to truely portable and usable products.
With a few years more development on the amazing low power epaper we can expect to seelarge full colour displays that take hardly any power at all – this I hope will be start of a slow end to printed matter such as books, magazines and papers. I believe of course that not all printed matter will fall prey to the epaper.
With the reduction of printed matter, delivery will be simpler, an RSS type feed will ensure you papers and monthly mags are delivered ok time with little in delivery costs.
I’m all for it TBH, so roll on Kindle 3-4-5…
What do you think?
#1 by Robert on March 14, 2009 - 9:26 pm
I just bought a 400+ page book today, there’s a book fair in town, so used the opportunity – there’s no bookshop here
Fact is, books are getting bought less and less, which is a shame. I know all that wood/paper/recycling problem, and people will rather just watch the movie, but nothing can compare to snuggling up with your beloved one and just enjoying a good book. A paper book, not an ebook.
Now, I haven’t used or even seen this Kindle thingy, but it would be great to start using that or something similar to it, for the thing which is, I believe, using the most paper – daily newspapers. You get up in the morning, power it on and the newest edition of your fav newspaper is right there, in your inbox. It’s fancy, it’s cool, it’s fast and trees are saved
So, what I’m trying to say is this: I would love to see Kindle and similar more accepted across the globe, to read newspapers, magazines etc from it, but I hope the printed books will survive.
Cheers,
~Robert;
#2 by Martin Newham on March 14, 2009 - 9:54 pm
Yeah, I know where you’re coming from Robert – there will always be a place to books – they have that thumbed “loved” texture to them.
I don’t think the eBook Readers are quite there yet, but they’re getting there..
#3 by Rajesh Pancholi on March 15, 2009 - 1:08 pm
I love books and love holding the transformed tree in my hand, sitting down and turning the pages especially when its new. I remember buying design source books from the likes of David Carson, Why Not Associates, Attik and the late TDR, paying anything from £40-£80 almost 12 to 14 years ago. They still sit on my shelf today and still I thumb through them. This act is a very personal one as my day revolves around design. However I also love an old well read book with more cracks in its spine than a pavement in the UK. The idea of passing on books to read is a great recommendation as I can stand for what seems like an eternity staring at shelves in book stores not knowing which book I should buy to read.
I’m a little old fashioned in my approach as with new technology you’ll loose the embossing, the textures and ornate printing that goes with that special book.
However with the advances of technology you don’t have to look at that eye-blinding screen anymore. A few of the screens are actually designed to have the same visual feel of a normal book so its a lot easier on the eyes. I believe that if we had the opportunity to try some of these products out over a short period without paying the cost (which I’m sure will come down) most of us would be converted.
Do I need to buy a paper, a magazine or need to be bombarded with the numerous free papers in the capital which I enjoy but usually end up leaving on the seat where I found it. Yes we have the web and pdf downloads. But reading-products like the Kindle, some with large storage capacities are great when on the move they just need to be affordable and given a chance if that is if you are able to be bothered to read or just watch a movie as Robert mentioned. When was the last time you ever heard that the movie was better than the book… I haven’t.
There’s going to be a slow change over the next few years, especially with new generations who may not have the same attachment to printed matter (am I just getting old). To end, I can’t wait for the the change although may goal of having a personal library of every book I’ve read may not be accomplished but I can live with that, just don’t take away that opportunity to buy that one special book….
#4 by Martin Newham on March 15, 2009 - 1:26 pm
Rajesh, I know what you’ve talking about but I have had to donate some of my books because I’ve run out of space; if they were electronic that wouldn’t have been a problem.
I can see echo’s from you attachment to books in vinyl records, cassettes and CD’s – rarely I buy CD’s now, and purchase 90% of my music online – I can see newspapers, magazines and books going that way as well.
#5 by Rajesh Pancholi on March 15, 2009 - 1:36 pm
Martin I have a small CD collection and 3 record boxes of my favourites. I don’t own a record player… hmmm. But there’re not going anyway, They will be handed down and hopefully listened to and not made into some crazy designery lamps… LOL
#6 by Roberto on March 15, 2009 - 8:25 pm
Its a very insghtful post and subject, this one. You mention various options when ity comes to reading….I notred that the Nintendo DS now has a variation on this theme with hundreds of book classics now available to read…
And if you take this scenario forward, if paper based reading material disappears in favour of electronic equivalents, does that mean that the need for handwriting will disappear in favour of typed equivalents? It could be that in the fufutre, the only peolpe who need to be able to write will be signwriters….
#7 by Damien Basile on March 16, 2009 - 9:59 pm
There are two types of readers: situational and experiential.
I happen to be both so I understand why dead archives are needed as well as digital files. My solution: bamboo. Bamboo is stronger than tree paper, only takes 2 years (give or take) to grow to maturity, and still retains the tactile sensibilities that tree paper does.
I feel that Kindle is the wrong direction. What Kindle is trying to do is recreate a book experience in digital format. The digital format is something separate and needs to be treated as so. The whole point of a digital library is to be able to take many “books” with you at once. Kindle doesn’t make this easy. Plus, it’s not aesthetically pleasing. That’s aim number one with a bookjacket.
The iPhone trumps the Kindle in many ways with the Stanza app. This app isn’t trying to recreate a book reading experience in digital. It makes your reading experience as easy as possible for the medium that you are using. It’s size makes it easy for me to read on the go, which speaks to the whole issue of portability. If you’re concerned with text size, don’t be- there is a feature where you can increase the text size to whatever suits you. I personally would rather read less on a “page” to gain more space in the physical world. I am a man and do not always carry a bag. I don’t want to be seen carrying some unfortunately huge thing when I’m going out, yet I always want to read AND listen to music on my way to some place.
Dead plant books will still be around, just like cds & dvds will still be around. They will all exist in a special limited edition collectors format for those who really need to have a physical copy of something to cherish. Remember, we like having physical copies of stuff. It adds to our definition of who we are. Not everything that we consume should make the cut though.
Digitization is the implementation of zen Buddhism in our physical lives.
#8 by Andrew Wurstre on March 26, 2009 - 3:10 am
I love prints, particularly photographic prints, but I do think that it would be a good thing if we could find a way to digitally display images without paper, like you said about the trees. It’s just a matter of time I guess.