Ron Nurwisah, Boy Reporter

Fellow journalist and high school classmate Max Fawcett writes a more optimistic prediction of tablets and journalism. From his post:

While Carr’s biblical allusion overstates their potential impact, for publishers of print journalism these new devices may prove to be the life-preserver that they and their bottom lines have been waiting for. First and foremost, Carr writes, “it helps magazines and newspapers enter a world where they can measure consumer engagement with ads, which is pretty much the only game in town going forward.” Rather than placing advertisements on a page, the tablet technology could allow publishers and advertisers to more effectively target consumers, a winning scenario for both parties. Meanwhile, the tablet might even address the concerns that publishers have about giving content away for free online, one that they have tried to deal with primarily by erecting futile subscription walls. “Why would people suddenly be compelled to pay for something that they’ve gotten for free?” Carr asks. “That’s where Apple comes in. A simple, reliable interface for gaining access to paid content can do amazing things: Five years ago, almost no one paid for music online and now, nine billion or so songs sold later, we know that people are willing to pay if the price is right and the convenience is there.”

Here’s a link to that David Carr story which Max quotes from and one rebuttal from Newser’s Michael Wolff that points out that getting in bed with Apple isn’t always the best idea:

Again and again, Apple has shown that it is only interested in what it can control. That it regards content as a low-priced commodity to fill its machines. Your suggestion that Apple and iTunes have saved the music business would be news to anyone in that dying industry stuck now with Apple’s pricing.

If this new machine works, and that is yet an uncertain outcome, it will mean that Apple controls distribution, price, packaging, and experience—not so much saving print, in other words, as owning it (and us).

Gizmodo also has an extensive roundup on the rumours and hype around the machine. No, it won’t make you breakfast OR fetch you your drink. Yes, it will make you look more handsome/pretty.

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