What will we be reading the newspaper on in 2015? January 15, 2010
Posted by SteveatLFPress in News.trackback
I’m often asked what the future might look like for newspaper companies, especially in an era where social media and digital technologies are developing at an exponential pace. I firmly believe that we are less than five years away from a digital device in a form factor that would lend itself well to mass appeal and adoption.
LG Display 19" flexible electronic-paper screen
In my mind there are two camps vying for this space. One is the ‘tablet’ camp, touting a device that effectively replaces your computer with a lightweight, easy to carry ‘computer screen’ that operates like an over-sized iPhone. The rumoured Apple iSlate is the next generation of such a device. Apparently we should expect a big announcement in this area from Steve Jobs and Apple on January 26th.
The other school of thought is that the traditional newspaper layout will live on in ‘digital paper’. The proponents of this approach are placing an emphasis on the portability, flexibility and familiar look and feel of this type of device.
A big leap forward in this area is expected now that LG Display has reportedly announced this week that they will begin mass production of a electronic paper screen later this year.
While it will take some time for manufacturers to integrate this screen into an actual device — complete with software and a power source — it allows us to envision a day in the not so distant future when a screen like this could be sitting on a kitchen table displaying our local newspaper.
And the really exciting part…this technology will probably be all but obsolete by 2015.
@SteveatLFPress
A number of colleagues here at the Free Press have correctly pointed out to me that this only addresses the delivery aspect of our future. It has little influence on the future of journalism, which is itself a whole other issue.
[...] A sampling of some of the local blog offerings that caught my eye this week. Do you know of a local blog that you think deserves inclusion in this weekly roundup? Let me know! 20 landscapes A light at the end of the box Bloggy friends and big days Creating positive change Direction and revelations Ending anxiety with Foursquare and Gowalla Flying nun: Mark I How to get London Ontario on the Monopoly game board? I’m damn pretty angry, and it’s no good to shoutatently joyless OneRiot launches real-time ad network Patently joyless Sustainable food initiatives to take note of Three things What will we be reading the newspaper on in 2015? [...]