I also am happy with ebooks and Instapaper, which can generate an .epub file containing blog posts. However I did not like LCD screens for reading – ebook readers have a lower speed of page turning, but they do not tire the eyes due to lack of backlighting.
Sylvie Noelsays:
YouTube is now my go-to website when I want to learn how to do something. I used to be a big consumer of books for that purpose. I think this is going to have a big impact on the production of “dummy”-style books, maybe even on certain types of evening classes.
I am also worried about Google/Apple/Amazon dominance. Monopolies are never good for the consumer.
There is an entire generation behind you that has grown with computers in their lives. 18 & 20 year olds that have had far more interaction with computers throughout their student lives. You’ve changed your methods of consumption, and the tools you are using are still expensive and inaccessible to those of a lower income.
So, while your scholarship is changing, for others it’s been a heuristic process.
Yes, I’ve also started what will be a long, slow move towards purely electronic reading. IEEE and ACM now have iPad apps; IEEE’s can be used to read Spectrum (ACM’s is less useful). I got my first ebook textbook. ReadItLater is my version of Instapaper; it has a very nice iPad version.
On the other hand I’ve got at least a half-dozen boxes of papers I need to scan in. Most academic publishers are still trying to push a page-at-a-time, read-it-online model of ebooks, which provides an unacceptable user experience. And while I save many articles tho ReadItLater, I’m not so good about the “reading it later” part of the workflow.
Sounds like you had a great and rewarding year, Daniel! Glad to hear it!
Minor quibble, and I’m not a researcher, so I may have this wrong, but I’m not sure blogging is a substitute for writing research papers. At least in academia and research labs, I thought that worth is still determined by your volume of publications and citations, and the value of blogging is heavily discounted no matter how popular or influential the blog is. Is that not true?
My wife and I cancelled cable years ago and don’t feel that we are missing anything. We now get the majority of our content from online sources — and it’s a growing trend among those I know to do the same.
At least in academia and research labs, I thought that worth is still determined by your volume of publications and citations, and the value of blogging is heavily discounted no matter (…)
That is formally correct, of course. However, most scientists who know me, know me directly or indirectly through my blog.
Saji Nairsays:
I liked your article. Software as a service being the next big thing. Many companies are trying to extend their monopoly by pushing their cloud architecture. The next three years will be interesting to see the various flavors. I would not like a monopoly anytime whether it is the Microsoft of the 90’s or the Google/Apple/Microsoft/Amazon in the 2010’s.
teenacelissays:
Seems like you have a pretty good year and a lot of insights too. I think this year for the gadgets, it would be the year of ebooks still, tablets, android, iPad and iPhone.
The best action for 2011 is to keep an open mind for the things to come.
I also am happy with ebooks and Instapaper, which can generate an .epub file containing blog posts. However I did not like LCD screens for reading – ebook readers have a lower speed of page turning, but they do not tire the eyes due to lack of backlighting.
YouTube is now my go-to website when I want to learn how to do something. I used to be a big consumer of books for that purpose. I think this is going to have a big impact on the production of “dummy”-style books, maybe even on certain types of evening classes.
I am also worried about Google/Apple/Amazon dominance. Monopolies are never good for the consumer.
There is an entire generation behind you that has grown with computers in their lives. 18 & 20 year olds that have had far more interaction with computers throughout their student lives. You’ve changed your methods of consumption, and the tools you are using are still expensive and inaccessible to those of a lower income.
So, while your scholarship is changing, for others it’s been a heuristic process.
Happy New Year!
Yes, I’ve also started what will be a long, slow move towards purely electronic reading. IEEE and ACM now have iPad apps; IEEE’s can be used to read Spectrum (ACM’s is less useful). I got my first ebook textbook. ReadItLater is my version of Instapaper; it has a very nice iPad version.
On the other hand I’ve got at least a half-dozen boxes of papers I need to scan in. Most academic publishers are still trying to push a page-at-a-time, read-it-online model of ebooks, which provides an unacceptable user experience. And while I save many articles tho ReadItLater, I’m not so good about the “reading it later” part of the workflow.
Sounds like you had a great and rewarding year, Daniel! Glad to hear it!
Minor quibble, and I’m not a researcher, so I may have this wrong, but I’m not sure blogging is a substitute for writing research papers. At least in academia and research labs, I thought that worth is still determined by your volume of publications and citations, and the value of blogging is heavily discounted no matter how popular or influential the blog is. Is that not true?
My wife and I cancelled cable years ago and don’t feel that we are missing anything. We now get the majority of our content from online sources — and it’s a growing trend among those I know to do the same.
@Greg
At least in academia and research labs, I thought that worth is still determined by your volume of publications and citations, and the value of blogging is heavily discounted no matter (…)
That is formally correct, of course. However, most scientists who know me, know me directly or indirectly through my blog.
I liked your article. Software as a service being the next big thing. Many companies are trying to extend their monopoly by pushing their cloud architecture. The next three years will be interesting to see the various flavors. I would not like a monopoly anytime whether it is the Microsoft of the 90’s or the Google/Apple/Microsoft/Amazon in the 2010’s.
Seems like you have a pretty good year and a lot of insights too. I think this year for the gadgets, it would be the year of ebooks still, tablets, android, iPad and iPhone.