What content readers mean to paper and books.

With yesterday's announcement of the new Apple Ipad, I could not help but wonder how everything is going digital and the loss of paper products in today's society. Are we totally ready to embrace the concept that we are now a paperless society? We have given up on the Newspaper as a hard copy, in the last few years as more and more people are going to the Internet for their news these days. But with the announcement of the Ipad, as a true "content" driven platform more people will be exploring the use of it and Kindle's book readers. Books are not the only thing losing their value in our society either. Have you tried to fill out a job application these days? If so you might notice a quick difference in the application process from years ago. No longer do you go to a store and simply ask for a job application, instead many company owners and manager's simply direct you to a website where you can file an application or an e-mail address where you can send an application directly to them. Now I could highlight all of the various reason's on why one could choose a book reader over a book, but I am not going to do that. I am hear to make you think about the other alternative. The other view. An electronic book might be more cheaper to make, save us on cutting down trees, and be better to read at night, but does it have the same intimacy as a book? Is it something that can be passed on to your friend? Or left at a gas station for the next passerby? I think not. A file is a file, but a book is a book. It does take up space, but it takes up space in an almost magnificent way. A book can be shared from person to one another or can sit on your coffee table for days at a time without being touched. To a content reader a book is just another file, but to a couch a book is an adventure.