Comments on: Quick, incoherent thought #4: the power of print

By: Dilyan

Dilyan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:54:06 +0000

Alison Gow had a post on her blog (http://is.gd/9K2B) about the newspaper where she works printing a URL in the hard copy. I suggested that in the future, as publishing links in print media becomes more widespread, they may want to replace the URLs with something more handy, like a barcode that readers can shoot with their phones and use as an access key.

Which got me thinking. What if the future of newspapers is to become a few pages of headlines and barcodes? You grab your (free) copy at the station, you scan through it during the commute and take pictures of the barcodes for the stories that interest you. When you come to the office, they are already waiting for you in your RSS reader or in your inbox.

And this could work with ads too. Reading a review of your favourite band’s new album? Why not shoot that barcode at the end of the article and get a link to download the tracks?

I’m not sure how cool that will be, but sounds fun now.

By: Newspapers belong in bins not bookshelves by andydickinson.net

Newspapers belong in bins not bookshelves by andydickinson.net — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:07:50 +0000

[...] what she calls, Quick, incoherent thought #4: the power of print (I like the number thing, makes it sound like a series of [...]

By: Amp08 - Future of the Book – mondo a-go-go

Amp08 - Future of the Book – mondo a-go-go — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:35:33 +0000

[...] One thing that we didn’t have time to discuss properly at the panel is that it’s not just about text-based books, of course, so much as traditionally printed matter generally. Joanna Geary has been raising the issue of the future of newspapers over on her blog quite a lot lately. She makes a great point in a recent post on the subject here: [...]

By: Leonardo Morgado

Leonardo Morgado — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:08:43 +0000

I think that the reason why people still turn to print is its physicality. The very act of turning a page gives the reader a sense contact with the content.

It’s the main reason why I still read novels in paper form and not on a tablet or other such digital accoutrement. It’s not because I’m a troglodyte but the touch, look, feel and even smell enhances the experience of reading.

I also get a sense of enjoyment when I find an old newspaper that is yellowing and ageing because the very act of it decaying gives it a context of past and history.

I garner lots of information from the internet and interact with it but in a very different way and let’s face it there is something rather soothing about reading a paper whilst munching on one’s jam and toast in the morning.

With regards to the “news” (whatever that may be) being delivered in hardback occasionally, I think it would be a great idea as it will enhance the physical interaction with what is being read.