Comments on: Looking ahead to the ‘iPod moment’ for newspapers http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/ Notes from the classroom and observations about today's practice of journalism online Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:25:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Teaching Online Journalism » Meme: The iPod Moment http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3949 Teaching Online Journalism » Meme: The iPod Moment Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:07:19 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3949 [...] me (Sept. 21, 2007): What happened to the music business will — will – happen to the news [...] [...] me (Sept. 21, 2007): What happened to the music business will — will – happen to the news [...]

]]> By: Mindy http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3942 Mindy Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:27:57 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3942 Yeah, I don't personally have much interest in speculation about the future device. I just hope that real journalism producers are ready to deliver when it gets here. Yeah, I don’t personally have much interest in speculation about the future device. I just hope that real journalism producers are ready to deliver when it gets here.

]]> By: Joseph Hollak http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3937 Joseph Hollak Wed, 03 Oct 2007 05:41:56 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3937 Maybe the journos in the room should stop worrying so much about the "device" and continue to develop their storytelling skills. Let the marketplace worry about the device, just make sure your chops are good enough to compete in an "iPod" newspaper world. Does Mindy really care that I'm reading her blog on a Mac, PC, iPhone, Treo, e-paper or schmancy-widget? Or does she continue to deliver great content to keep me coming back? Just keep pushing the "publish" button Mindy and I'll worry about the device that's right for me to go get your info and digest it. Seriously. The "device" will come, go, morph and it won't be up to the content-providing journos to dictate what it looks like. Make great music. The marketplace will come get it. Maybe the journos in the room should stop worrying so much about the “device” and continue to develop their storytelling skills.

Let the marketplace worry about the device, just make sure your chops are good enough to compete in an “iPod” newspaper world.

Does Mindy really care that I’m reading her blog on a Mac, PC, iPhone, Treo, e-paper or schmancy-widget? Or does she continue to deliver great content to keep me coming back?

Just keep pushing the “publish” button Mindy and I’ll worry about the device that’s right for me to go get your info and digest it.

Seriously.

The “device” will come, go, morph and it won’t be up to the content-providing journos to dictate what it looks like.

Make great music. The marketplace will come get it.

]]> By: Mindy http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3754 Mindy Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:51:27 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3754 My objection to the e-paper device concerns portability. It's light enough, but size and shape? Awkward, unless you carry a briefcase or messenger bag. Too big for a purse, pocket or belt clip. Still, the bigger surface promises big-enough text. My objection to the e-paper device concerns portability. It’s light enough, but size and shape? Awkward, unless you carry a briefcase or messenger bag. Too big for a purse, pocket or belt clip. Still, the bigger surface promises big-enough text.

]]> By: Ryan Sholin http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3743 Ryan Sholin Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:18:58 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3743 I'll jump in here just for a moment to share my futurist vision of a rollable, bendable, plastic 8 x 11.5 inch screen with wireless internet access and touchscreen technology. The catch is that any attempt to make these devices a proprietary system are going to be met with zealous hackery, as the iPhone and iPods have been. So I don't see e-paper as the savior of online news, but rather, another new delivery technology that newspapers would be wise to adopt, and sooner better than later. I’ll jump in here just for a moment to share my futurist vision of a rollable, bendable, plastic 8 x 11.5 inch screen with wireless internet access and touchscreen technology.

The catch is that any attempt to make these devices a proprietary system are going to be met with zealous hackery, as the iPhone and iPods have been.

So I don’t see e-paper as the savior of online news, but rather, another new delivery technology that newspapers would be wise to adopt, and sooner better than later.

]]> By: Mindy http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3720 Mindy Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:34:11 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3720 I agree with you, Howard, that people do not want a pocket or purse full of separate devices that do only one thing. A few years ago, I searched for a phone that would let me get rid of my PDA. However, I have not yet seen a device that makes me want to use it -- one device -- to do everything. Such a device might come along, however. Maybe THAT is the device Charles was writing about. I agree with you, Howard, that people do not want a pocket or purse full of separate devices that do only one thing. A few years ago, I searched for a phone that would let me get rid of my PDA.

However, I have not yet seen a device that makes me want to use it — one device — to do everything. Such a device might come along, however. Maybe THAT is the device Charles was writing about.

]]> By: Howard Owens http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3714 Howard Owens Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:47:05 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3714 People won't carry around single-use devices. I mean, look at the iPod ... it does much more than carry music these days. Hell, now it's a phone. If it's not a single-use device, then content producers don't control the experience. If they don't control the experience, they have no control over whether people actually look at their stuff or what the revenue model is. We're back to the same issues of push vs. pull ... I'm just afraid there is no push technology coming for newspapers. The magic wand will not save us. We either learn to survive in a distributed, pull media environment, or we don't. It's not about the device. It's about a sea change in how people consumer media. People won’t carry around single-use devices.

I mean, look at the iPod … it does much more than carry music these days. Hell, now it’s a phone.

If it’s not a single-use device, then content producers don’t control the experience.

If they don’t control the experience, they have no control over whether people actually look at their stuff or what the revenue model is.

We’re back to the same issues of push vs. pull … I’m just afraid there is no push technology coming for newspapers. The magic wand will not save us. We either learn to survive in a distributed, pull media environment, or we don’t. It’s not about the device. It’s about a sea change in how people consumer media.

]]> By: Charles http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3689 Charles Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:57:26 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3689 Hmm, yes, true. I think I'm wondering too much about what happens when there's (inevitably) an ad crash. Back to the blog... Hmm, yes, true. I think I’m wondering too much about what happens when there’s (inevitably) an ad crash. Back to the blog…

]]> By: Mindy http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3659 Mindy Sun, 23 Sep 2007 22:30:41 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3659 But Charles, wasn't that the point you made? "... newspapers will find themselves driven down towards 'the article.'" I don't expect to see jigsaw-puzzle layout on a hand-held screen. Do you? But Charles, wasn’t that the point you made? “… newspapers will find themselves driven down towards ‘the article.’” I don’t expect to see jigsaw-puzzle layout on a hand-held screen. Do you?

]]> By: Charles http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3652 Charles Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:24:42 +0000 http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2007/looking-ahead-to-the-ipod-moment-for-newspapers/#comment-3652 @Howard - I didn't address the revenue question, though I'd imagine that it would - if everyone is clever - have some special file format; at really readable quality on a screen, web pages look rubbish. So you'll have a device and file format where both are paid-for to get the benefit of each. (Or maybe there will be display ads too.) Your point taken that this won't necessarily be a financial panacea. However, I'm very certain - as I write- that the iPhone is not this device, for a simple reason: the screen is too small to let you read a lot of text. It's a per-article, not per-newspaper-page, reader. @Howard - I didn’t address the revenue question, though I’d imagine that it would - if everyone is clever - have some special file format; at really readable quality on a screen, web pages look rubbish. So you’ll have a device and file format where both are paid-for to get the benefit of each. (Or maybe there will be display ads too.)

Your point taken that this won’t necessarily be a financial panacea. However, I’m very certain - as I write- that the iPhone is not this device, for a simple reason: the screen is too small to let you read a lot of text. It’s a per-article, not per-newspaper-page, reader.

]]>