Friday, December 28, 2007
Have you read the latest on the Kindle today?
Happy holidays.
I couldn't help but notice that the chicken plant was closed for Thanksgiving last Thursday morning in Cordova as I drove to work to setup the Thanksgiving issue. I guess there were a couple of chickens thankful they weren't turkeys that day.
But now on to technology.
The Kindle is now out and is receiving mixed reviews from the dotcom generation. It has been criticized for being pricey at $400 and the Amazon books are DRMed (a special imbedded code so you can't share the material). You can only read the material on the Kindle device. Therefore some wondered why bother. None made more than a passing mention of the newspaper and magazine subscription ability.
The device launches with subscriptions available to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post along with magazines like Forbes, Fortune, Time and Atlantic. I firmly believe this is the first foot in the door for specialty delivery devices that will provide wireless connections to media outlets. It presents the material in a comfortable print-like quality that closely mimics the present printed page.
The devices will only get better. The design will be more sophisticated. The selection will be expanded and costs will come down. Any new technology device has a break-in phase. Some fail. But I must believe there are forces involved that will keep the evolution of this type of device continuing.
I see this as potentially a positive format for books and especially text books. Book publishers must look at this technology closely. They must take it seriously. What college student won't want to carry a Kindle-type device around campus with his/her semester load of text books loaded on it. The next semester the next syllabus can be added. Right now there is not a highlighting feature on the device. That will be added.
From my standpoint, it is the news media that will see the most significant effect. The ability to carry your reading device with you and download the next update of your local newspaper will become as common as checking your text messages now. The industry is already having to look hard at how it is going to deal with the Internet. The device that can deliver today's news in a convenient format that closely resembles their current print paper will be an important part of the equation the newspaper industry will have to solve.
Oh, and while the kindle has its critics. As of this writing, it had already sold out on the Amazon.com site. Though by the time you read this, Amazon says they will have it again in stock and ready for Christmas shipping.
The Mid-Shore Computer Users Group is planning "A Holiday Potpourri" at its next meeting set for Thursday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce building in the Easton Plaza Shopping Center.
The members have been challenged to bring suggestions for computer/technology gifts for the holidays. They will also share favorite Web sites and software that others might enjoy. As always, the floor will also be only to answer any computer-related topic or issue a member or visitor might want to bring up. Have an issue you need addressed? Have a problem you cannot seem to get resolved? Come to the meeting. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 410-822-7207.
Next week, I'll discuss face-recognition software for cameras. There are popular-priced cameras that can now detect faces in the frame and try to keep them in focus. I say try because I've never tried one of these cameras myself, but I have heard positive reviews from others.
Now there are companies that are working to develop true face recognition software that would be able to recognize members of your friends and family. This kind of software is already being used on a national level to try to identify people in public places like an airport. This is just another example of how privacy is becoming a thing of the past as I mentioned in a previous column.
More later. For now, you can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com.
I couldn't help but notice that the chicken plant was closed for Thanksgiving last Thursday morning in Cordova as I drove to work to setup the Thanksgiving issue. I guess there were a couple of chickens thankful they weren't turkeys that day.
But now on to technology.
The Kindle is now out and is receiving mixed reviews from the dotcom generation. It has been criticized for being pricey at $400 and the Amazon books are DRMed (a special imbedded code so you can't share the material). You can only read the material on the Kindle device. Therefore some wondered why bother. None made more than a passing mention of the newspaper and magazine subscription ability.
The device launches with subscriptions available to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post along with magazines like Forbes, Fortune, Time and Atlantic. I firmly believe this is the first foot in the door for specialty delivery devices that will provide wireless connections to media outlets. It presents the material in a comfortable print-like quality that closely mimics the present printed page.
The devices will only get better. The design will be more sophisticated. The selection will be expanded and costs will come down. Any new technology device has a break-in phase. Some fail. But I must believe there are forces involved that will keep the evolution of this type of device continuing.
I see this as potentially a positive format for books and especially text books. Book publishers must look at this technology closely. They must take it seriously. What college student won't want to carry a Kindle-type device around campus with his/her semester load of text books loaded on it. The next semester the next syllabus can be added. Right now there is not a highlighting feature on the device. That will be added.
From my standpoint, it is the news media that will see the most significant effect. The ability to carry your reading device with you and download the next update of your local newspaper will become as common as checking your text messages now. The industry is already having to look hard at how it is going to deal with the Internet. The device that can deliver today's news in a convenient format that closely resembles their current print paper will be an important part of the equation the newspaper industry will have to solve.
Oh, and while the kindle has its critics. As of this writing, it had already sold out on the Amazon.com site. Though by the time you read this, Amazon says they will have it again in stock and ready for Christmas shipping.
The Mid-Shore Computer Users Group is planning "A Holiday Potpourri" at its next meeting set for Thursday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce building in the Easton Plaza Shopping Center.
The members have been challenged to bring suggestions for computer/technology gifts for the holidays. They will also share favorite Web sites and software that others might enjoy. As always, the floor will also be only to answer any computer-related topic or issue a member or visitor might want to bring up. Have an issue you need addressed? Have a problem you cannot seem to get resolved? Come to the meeting. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 410-822-7207.
Next week, I'll discuss face-recognition software for cameras. There are popular-priced cameras that can now detect faces in the frame and try to keep them in focus. I say try because I've never tried one of these cameras myself, but I have heard positive reviews from others.
Now there are companies that are working to develop true face recognition software that would be able to recognize members of your friends and family. This kind of software is already being used on a national level to try to identify people in public places like an airport. This is just another example of how privacy is becoming a thing of the past as I mentioned in a previous column.
More later. For now, you can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com.
# posted by Richard Polk @ 4:56 AM 
