A few years ago E-Readers were a novelty gadget. Nifty but not very common or useful. Suddenly, however, it seems as if every company is scrambling to get a piece of the cake. Amazon, Sony, Barnes and Noble, and others, are trying to get the biggest slice.
Newspapers are struggling with the growth of the internet and many may soon fade. Unfortunately it seems like journalism is entering an electronic era and newspaper stands are probably going to disappear. Internet TV is becoming more common with 'internet only' TV shows that will begin to put pressure on even television. TV killed the radio star? Maybe someday it will be the Internet killed the sitcom star.
The great thing about some of the newest ereaders is their internet capability. Sony missed out with their latest generation but Amazon is using the Sprint network and the PlasticLogic is using AT&T's network to bring you your very own hitchhiker's guide. Make sure you've bookmarked all your favorite wiki's and you've got no reason not to know something.
Continuing Amazon's attempt to burn paper media, you can get some newspapers delivered daily to your Kindle. Coupled with the ability to view blogs, a few thousand books... why should we keep printing on dead trees? E-readers are smooth, futuristic, and even green.
I doubt that ereaders will completely destroy printed media. We still have radio shows even though we've got television, and we've still got libraries even though books are cheap and mass produced now. We may begin to see more 'digitally exclusive' books soon though. I imagine novellas and short stories may become more common too. They can be turned out and distributed much faster than thick hardback novels. Just write it up, get an ISBN, and contact amazon to start distributing.
What Amazon REALLY meant by calling it the 'Kindle'
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