Will digital publishing mean the end of books, magazines and newspapers?

Question

When handheld devices can give as comfortable and convenient a reading experience as printed matter, will books, magazines and newspapers simply die out?

Answer 1

Eventually, yes. However, there is something more comforting about having your information on a foldable, scratchable, tearable material. Once electronic media can replicate this feel, I think we'll start to see a decline in the use of traditional print.

Answer 2

Never. There will always be a demand for a hard copy of things. You can take a hard copy anywhere, and not rely on battery power. Couple this with the fact that many providers put "caps" on how many times you can download something, that technology and thus the formatting of e-books will change every few years, and limited consumer rights. If you buy a book, you own that book. You can give/loan that book, or sell that book. You can have a book 50 years and still be able to read it. If you have an E-book, you will really own that book for as long as you own the device you read it on (2-5 years). If you have an e-book, you have no consumer rights whatsoever. Its inconvenient and unprofitable for the consumer.

Answer 3

Of Course not, people like newspapers, they feel more confident holding books rather than just listening to them, besides hand held devices break every other week

Answer 4

As a librarian, I certainly hope not. I really do not think the computers will ever entirely get rid of print media as people will always have the desire to read and books are the "backbones" of reading.

Answer 5

Everyone keeps saying so, but I don't think its likely. Ted turner predicted in the 80's that newspapers would be gone in 10 years but they're stll around.

Answer 6

Just today, there is a story about all the independant bookstores closing shop in this country. Newspapers are struggling mightily.

Answer 7

not right now because some people sill do not like computers I personally still like newspapers