photo credit: XML AficionadoI have an anecdote to share which nicely describes the effects i think the Kindle will have on the public sphere. It is bad enough that everyone in transit either on foot, bikes, trains etc are talking on their phone or listening to their ipod. Reading granted is a similar solitary and unsociable activity but the cover of a book suggests something about the reader/stranger sitting next to you.
This particular anecdote is not my own but my sisters however i'm sure we all have a similar story. She was sitting on an otherwise boring/frustrating/excruciatingly full train in peak hour getting exceedingly impatient until she saw something amazing. Crammed in one of those little single seats near the door was a very large man who could have easily been a basketballer in his spare time, dressed in a business suit, surrounded by people looking at their blackberries, reading a book. What book you ask warrents a blog post? New Moon, the second installment of the Twilight series. If it were a Kindle, this man could have kept this indulgence a secret and my sister would never have survived the train trip. But luckly the Kindle has only just been announced for purchase in Australia. The convenience of this technology is indesputible especially for students who have to battle daily with a million and one text books and for Nick Cave fans whose title The Death of Bunny Monroe comes as an enhanced electronic version complete with original compositions.
However the activity of reading, and the secret pleasure everyone gets from spying on a fellow comuters readings habits will sadly be lost. It is up to the Kindla or Apple to come up with the digital equivilent of a book jacket so we can still spy or pry and have the convinience in one little package!
I must be living under a rock, having only just heard of this Kindle shenanigans, and after some googling about it, it does raise some points as to wether this will open up a similar can of worms that itunes and music downloading has with regards to copyright. Although, doubtful it will be on the same level, it will be interesting to see what happens. Either way though, I will be sticking to my tangible novels for quite some time, so spy away people...
ReplyDeleteMan, I saw a guy on a tram who totally looked like a football player. And he was reading a shiny new special-edition red-edged version of a Twilight novel. I don't get it! It really does seem to be the new Harry Potter, but I don't see what in it appeals to people like him. I guess I'm just being prejudiced, but anyway!
ReplyDeleteI'm really interested where all this eBook stuff is heading and I do hope they work out some way for us to continue snooping at what other people are reading!
Remember that book that Penny from Inspector Gadget had? It had electronic pages but retained the general structure of a book. I think what needs to happen is for the dudes at Apple to sit down and watch a few episodes of Inspector G and come up with some awesome Penny inspired e-book so we can continue to mock footballers for reading Twilight on the tram but still have the convenience of a kindle.
ReplyDeleteAh to mock our fellow man...I think the Kindle is a great idea and it will take off accordingly. However, paper books have been an integral part of human society and culture for so long they'll always have a place in our world. How does a professor show how smart they are if they don't have numerous book shelves to have their photos taken in front of?
ReplyDeleteAs far as mocking goes, even if all the paper in the world were to suddenly be irradicated, human beings are the easiest creatures around to find faults or humour in when observing our actions. All you have to do on the train is listen in to a few conversations...Check out the 'Overheard in New York' site!