Innovation is a funny thing. To break through you often have to muster the courage and insight to let go of what you know and cherish. Take books, for instance. The last few years publishers, booksellers and educators have bemoaned the sorry state of publishing and reading. Publishers in particular have complained that computers, cell phones and television have stolen the time and interest of readers.
The truth is that it’s time to bury books. New York publishers and floundering bookstore chains have contributed mightily to the demise of books in America. Herds of publishers have focused on celebrity books in the same way Hollywood has blindly thrown its millions behind special effects extravaganzas. Chains have drained the passion and human connection out of buying books. The traditional book industry in America is dead.
Reading, meanwhile, is about to be reinvented. It’s not just that Amazon, Sony, and even Barnes & Noble have recently come out with promising e-books. Apple is about to toss its iSlate in the ring, widely rumored to redefine the reading—and distribution—of newspapers, magazines and books.
Writing has been my livelihood for more than twenty years. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I loved the feel of one of my newly published books in my hand or the glossy appearance on a newsstand of one of my longer articles. But all good things must come to an end.
A couple of months ago I bought a Kindle because it was time. In college I wrote my papers on an IBM Selectric typewriter, but within months of graduating I plugged in an IBM XT, and within a couple of years had the good fortune to buy an early Macintosh. I have never looked back.
Letting go is part of innovation.
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Been reading books constantly on the iPhone for the past several months, and have found absolutely nothing to have been lost in translation. A few minutes of adjustment the first time you kick open Stanza (or Kindle for the iPhone) and start reading digital text, yes, but after that, you're good to go... And the notion that you can carry thousands upon thousands of books with you ALL of the time--well, after that, there really is no turning back. Will be buying the iSlate the day it comes out and rebuying / copying / converting the 1000+ books in my physical library over to digital ASAP. And to think: no jet packs yet, but this is one of those game changers that makes me think our Jetsons-esque golden age sci-fi future is finally, FINALLY just around the corner...
