First, Oprah raves about the Kindle, which will undoubtedly send sales through the roof. (Never mind the fact a new version is supposed to come out in the first quarter of 2009.)
Now, the Christian Science Monitor announces that by April 2009 it will replace its daily print edition with “an online publication that is updated continuously each day.” A weekly dead tree edition will still be available but anyone wanting a daily will either have to check the site or subscribe to a daily PDF by e-mail.
I’m guessing one factor in its decision is the fact the CSM was delivered to subscribers by U.S. mail, meaning your daily newspaper is probably several days old when you get it. Still, at least the paper versions of the paper or books don’t short circuit if you spill coffee on them.
UPDATE: Because my brain was fried at the end of the day, I forgot another significant announcement. Google Book Search settled a lawsuit brought by a broad group of authors and publishers. Google says the settlement will mean “in-copyright, out-of-print books will now be available for readers in the U.S. to search, preview and buy online.”
Don’t wake me for the end of the world unless it has very good special effects.
Roger Zelazny, Prince of Chaos
despite being a steadfast proponent of the digital age, i have found it is increasingly difficult to swat flies with my computer.
and the one time i did so with my iPod did not have the desired results.
so, i will always miss the newspapers.