The world’s first paper to launch a digital version using electronic paper (e-paper) has arrived. This month, De Tijd, a daily Belgium financial paper, has given 200 subscribers a portable device to test the new system. The device can hold a month’s worth of papers, 30 books and office documents. Unfortunately, only 16 different shades of grey can be seen, and audio and video could take up to 10 years to develop.
This new technology allows for papers to be constantly updated during the day through Wi-Fi. In addition, advertisers can put ads up that will change with the time of day. I believe this is the beginning of the end for print media formats that are based on daily, weekly, etc., schedules. All news will be updated as it occurs. The only true advantage newspapers have had in the past over digital media is that people can take a newspaper anywhere. Well, now that advantage is beginning to disappear.
If print newspapers do not see the writing on the wall that the days of producing daily papers are dwindling, then they are sorely mistaken. Digital papers are the nail in the coffin for the print newspapers of yesterday.
Julia Song @ Mon, 04/24/2006 - 10:27pm
I agree with you. The print newspapers really need to figure out a way to adapt to the new technology if they want to survive. But I'm not sure how many people would find the new device useful. I don't exactly know what it will be like, but I won't want to read a month's worth of papers on a small device. Until they modify the new devices- the colors, audio and video as you've mentioned, I guess the print media have time to do their homework of figuring out their next step.