Kindle vs. Books

OK...so y'all listening to my podcast know my shtick with my last question being a poll as to whether the Internet or the printing press is the more powerful technology. But it's still fun to throw that curve ball out to my interviewees who don't see it coming.

Lately a lot of writers have stood firm with the printing press. And many of them cite the main reason as being the reader's experience of actually sitting down and opening a physical book. They talk about the "hand", they talk about the smell, they all talk about the act of reading a book as being akin to a sensual experience. And they follow up these points as reasons as to why the e-book will never succeed as a medium.

Perhaps those in favor of the printing press and the merits of the physicality of books may be on to something. But what if they're wrong? What if books go the same way that e-mail replaced letters and penmanship has become a dying art? I'm not saying that the Kindle will replace the book, because I really don't know and don't care to hazard a prediction. I honestly don't know. I mean, I think actual books are pretty cool, virtual books are kinda... well... weird. But I also think actual books can be heavy and cumbersome in my backpack but virtual books can be light and fluffy.

FWIW, as magazines and newspapers go on-line so too it would seem that comic books are apparently crossing over to an electronic medium. Comic books? At any rate, I just read an article in favor of the book and thought to share it with you. Read all about it here.