The problem with subscriptions

We all are shocked by the closing of both the print and online E&P. Here is a well-thought out discussion of the whole problem with any kind of subscription.

More sixth sense

Another Wow video on sixthsense technology.

Sports Illustrated alive

We've all been hearing the pitch for the Sports Illustrated tablet. Take a swing.

Cultural divide?

As Mr. Springer is quoted as saying at the end of this story: Germans are print centric; Americans may be online centric. No matter what Axel Springer, the head of the largest daily in Germany, explains is that aggregators need to pay a licensing fee -- which is a copyright law issue, essentially -- just as a radio stations pay a licensing fee to aggregate music, etc. Everyone should read this. Another gem in the story is the observation that "a highly industrialized society" cannot function on rumor, instead of solid reporting.

Google gets in the act

Now even Google is getting more serious about people paying for valuable information on the web.
The New York Times reports today that Google announced in a blog post on Tuesday, the company will allow publishers to limit nonsubscribers to five free articles a day.
And the loophole by which people avoided subscriptions has been closed.
Is this a foreshadowing of things to come? Is this a concession??

Post-Kindle

So we are now post-Kindle. Here come the digitized magazines WITH advertisemnts. Can newspapers be far behind? Hoorah. Last month Conde Nast demonstrated its concept of a digitized magazine tablet. Now it’s Time Inc.’s turn: The publisher is demo-ing an iteration of Sports Illustrated compatible with the "upcoming" Apple tablet and/or other tablets. Both publishers will offer add-ons like multimedia and links into the web. But it's the replica aspect here that may make the digitized business model work. Circ-based advertising sales will still work, we hope. And let's hope the magazines are beautiful en tablet. Read all about it on Tabbloid.

Wow, just Wow

Sometimes you see things that are phenomenal.
Check this out: Ted.

Takes me back to the "wow" I originally felt reading Being Digital by Nicolas Negroponte while on my way to Boston in 1996, where I experienced the Media Lab.
Beyond all the deja vue all over amazement, this short video has a whole section about minute 7 on newspapers and books and media.

(If for some reason that link says the video is not available paste this URL into your browser:
http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html )

Murdoch on the march

Rupert Murdoch, the head of the News Corporation (which owns the Wall Street Journal and the Times of London) has testified at a public hearing about his well-rehearsed opinion of Google.
"To be impolite," he says. "It's theft." Read The Washington Post's report.
Deep in this story you will see where Murdoch says he plans to put all his content behind a pay wall.