Our iPad 3G is on order. Yes, I was one of those 40-60,000 people who ordered one within the first few hours it was made available for pre-sale. We opted for the 3G version for reasons explained in an earlier posting.
Here is the other reason we’re getting an iPad. Despite electing to receive as many bills and other financial transactions electronically, despite signing up for electronic newsletters, despite signing up with 41pounds.org, despite cutting back on a number of subscriptions, we are still awash in paper.
I’m sorry, with the imminent arrival of a moderately ubiquitous digital media device (the iPad), paper is now on my s&^%$-list (except when in the service of art or crafts). Watercolors on paper. Great. Origami. Fantastic. Photographic prints. Of course! But magazines, books, catalogs, etc. and various printed items of general impermanence — no more.
If you want to sell me a magazine subscription, it had better be electronic, because there’s not a chance I’ll be handing you money otherwise. I’m happy to pay the same amount of money, but as long as I’m getting the same content, I’m in.
If you (the publishers) want to cling to the notion that paper is superior to screens, that the tactile feel, the serendipity and convenience of paper is too important to pass up — have a good time appealing to your market but I’m no longer in it. (I don’t disagree with any of those points, but whatever weight they had in my decision to subscribe or purchase your product in the past, they now count AGAINST YOU.)
The history-loving part of me mourns the loss of these marvelous artifacts of our cultural heritage, but I’ll bet if you were to check on the blogs 500 years ago the loss of illustrated manuscripts to the printing press had similar mournings. I just can’t stand the side-effect of this technological advancement: a weekly foot-high stack of paper I don’t want, didn’t ask for, or don’t need any more. Enough.
In this particular part of my life, bits beat atoms.
Related posts:
by Dave
no comments