Click here for demo of the recently released Kindle 2 courtesy of Amazon
The Wall Street Journal has announced that the new Kindle will be introduced to the market tomorrow. Tomorrow there will be a full-court-press demonstration of the product and marks it’s formal debut.
We’ve been witnessing the decline and deterioration of certain businesses with the onslaught of increased internet use and our collective desire to “go green”. This, along with the recent economic downturn and loss of print advertising revenue has precipitated many magazine closings.
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When consumers can get content online, why pick up a printed publication? There are many reasons to support these new technologies and concerns about our environment shouldn’t be discounted. I wholeheartedly support the reduction of our carbon footprint and minimizing waste, fuel consumption and the like, however there is something to be said for the tactile enjoyment we get out of our daily routine of drinking a cup of coffee or tea while reading our favorite newspaper. I get that, even though I’ve long thought that the New York Times is way too big and cumbersome, especially on a crowded train.
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Consider this. By the time you read your newspaper, the news it delivers is already hours-old. On your electronic device of choice, you have access to news items that specifically interest you – as outlined in your preferences and is as current as possible. As a result of this new-found, real-time news reporting, I wonder if the integrity of what is being reported is the same. How can news items be as effectively sourced and verified? This is an important consideration. In their haste to disseminate the news and beat all competition to the so-called punch, public figure privacy has suffered and yes, I think some jounalistic editorial liberties have been taken.
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My apologies for going off on a rant (thanks, Dennis Miller) but I think it’s a legitimate debate. But back to the Kindle…I’m interested to hear if any of you own one and what you think – about the product itself or any of the issues I’ve raised here. Leave a comment or send me an email at [email protected]
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