In the beginning, computer users used flat, plastic squares, known by the ancients as floppy discs. Floppy discs only held so many megabytes of information but now consumers can buy hard drives that contain over a million megabytes of space, known as a terabyte. Not only have storage capacities changed, but what types of information that users wanted changed as the digital age came.
The digital age describes the moment where everyone came in contact with and became fully dependent on technology to get information and get it quickly. They were in luck. Apple created the iPod for music that users could play anywhere. Other companies started to create eReaders for digitized books. Though digitizing a book may seem weird, there is actually a very high demand for eBooks. So much so, that the Library of congress has begun to digitize their collection.
The Library of Congress holds more than 32 million different books. At last count, they reported that 15.3 million of them have been digitized for people everywhere to download them. That information equals roughly 74 terabytes and the books vary from classical literature to textbooks. And the possibility for this new technology is endless. College students who are pursuing traditional or online educationcan carry their textbooks in their laptops or eReaders wherever they go. Elementary students can do the same once their schools issue them special eReaders. Not only will this new technology save the back of children all over the world, but it will also save the planet.
As eReaders and eBooks become more popular, a time may come when printed word will become relatively extinct. Many people now are migrating to online sources for their newpapers; it won’t be long until they change to eReaders for keeps. Only time will tell, as it often does, with the continued innovation of media technology.
The amount of information that is now available to you with just a few clicks of the mouse is mind-boggling. As technology rapidly changes in the digital age, it will be amazing what comes next – Maybe a device that mimics the human brain’s storage capacity.
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Twitter: CruisePictures
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It is so amazing to see the transition from the paper era to the digital era in the last few decades!
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Twitter: gradmoneymatter
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Sometimes, I wonder though… where is all this leading? We have so much information at our finger tips now, that we barely have time to even assimilate the information. I wonder if all of us will someday end up with ADD due to all this information overwhelm.
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Twitter: vinayagaonline
says:
Wow Jesse! Excellent presentation with infographic. I agree with you when digital books used widely there maybe possible to save trees from being papers
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Twitter: davidwalkertv
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It would help save on trees, but what about all the batteries and energy that our electronic devices use?
Don’t get me wrong, I love reading on my ereader but I think there will always be those who prefer a good old-fashion book in their hands. Well… at least for a while – while there are still people who remember reading that way! ~David Walker
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Twitter: LBDDiaries
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Wow, what an amazing post. I love this type info and had no idea how e-readers were impacting the world. As an avid reader, I find it sad that someday children might have no clue of the joy of cracking open a brand new book, catching a whiff of “new book” scent, holding it in their hands, touching the pages, cherishing it – and never having to worry if the battery will run out before they finish reading. I hope books never disappear – BUT then again, I love e-books, and love that carrying a ton of books on vacation means holding on to a simple little reader! My dad was in forestry management. He always pointed out that as long as there is reforestation, having enough trees for paper or books is not that big a deal. It’s a matter of taking care of the land! I really enjoyed this post!
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I think it’s such an interesting age that we live in. I constantly go back to the idea that if I have children, they are probably not going to know what a land-line phone is until- maybe- they get an office job. And they’ll probably want a cell phone when they’re in the 1st grade! Technology is great for efficiency in a lot of ways, but I think it’s also important to make time to be away from technology. A camping trip, vacation with the electronic devices turned off, etc… When life was simpler, well, life was simpler! I think technology is great, and it’s giving us knew ways to find information and use information. But I think it’s also helping to make us all work-a-holics! So some time away from technology is a good thing.
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When life was simpler, well, life was simpler! I think technology is great, and it’s giving us knew ways to find information and use information.
Twitter: monadvexp
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You are bringing back great memories for me here in your first sentence.
I first started in computers back in 1965 and can remember huge floppy discs although ours were round and not square. I can also remember card readers which read cards with holes punched in them and paper tape readers which worked in a similar way.
Our computer, an IBM 360, took up a whole floor of an office block and had less power than a laptop today…
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Twitter: grahamfoster
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I still love the feel of holding a book in my hand rather than a Laptop PC, Ipod or Kindle but if I was going through college again I could see how the electronic option would be ideal. Surely it’s going to make it harder for book authors (especially high end books) to protect their works.
I think back when I was taking my Bio Chemistry degree I found I was dragging round what felt like a ton of books everywhere now I could carry them in my pocket.
My first PC had a large 13″ floppy disk and my first VCR (think DVD player if you are to young to remember VCR) was bigger than my laptop (the tape not the Phillips player).Things are certainly getting better, faster but where does it all end. Maybe one day they will be able to bypass the reading and just implant the information in our brain on chip?
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I read about how big computers were back in 1990′s,I can’t imagine that it fills an average room (or bigger) while mine now only fills my backpack.
I wonder what will we be having in the future if these new technologies keep coming. Online schools hopefully, I hate getting stuck in traffic
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Thinking about what will be next to this new technologies now overwhelms me but I wonder if we could enjoy them forever when a lot of people now don’t even think of responsible posting.
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Twitter: jenniferdrai
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You are right! Not only are we getting tech savvy, but are also saving the planet. I love the idea of paperless bank statements, and paying bills online. So much of less clutter at home too! Thank you for sharing.
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Twitter: dannyethridge
says:
Hello Jesse, I was breezing through the site when the title of your posting caught my eye. You have written a very interesting article. It makes anyone reading it, to strongly consider your facts and theories. Which is great! As you can see in the market of televisions, how they are being made now to cater to the digital world. The clarity of the LCD, LED, and/or Plasma TVs with internet apps, HDMI hook ups, etc. Who would have ever thought back in the age of the floppy disks, as you so well described above, that 26 years later they would be reading their email, ebooks and etc. on a 52 Inch TV. By the way, that was my age group! HA!
As for your statement about the extinction of books! Nope, will never happen. And, I am so glad! I love reading my Holy Bible, the Word of God on the especially made paper for the Bible. Yes, I have caught myself reading it from my Blackberry, too. But, I for one, say books will last until the end of time! The best part is the fact that God’s Word will last for eternity! Amen!
Thanks!
Danny
Hi Jesse, I love you post. After I read your article I smiled because I remember the days when I’m still using Floppy Disk and Flash drives are too expensive. But now everything is affordable thanks to China
@Danny Ethridge I realy agree with you! The Holy Bible never fades unlike any books available in the market today. Every time you read it you will learn new things from it. Even though their are now E-Bibles today but still its meaning and words remain powerful. @Jesse Can you share some funny experience with old gadgets? Me? I have a lot to tell 
Twitter: PeterVenter1
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Reading your post really makes me feel incredibly old at only 50. How I would have loved to grow up with computers especially at school. What a tremendous advantage kids of today have but what a tragedy that they use the web for frivolous mindless chatter instead of grabbing the opportunity of expanding their minds and using it for the good of mankind. To see how technology has literally exploded within the last ten years it will be fascinating to see what new technological advances await us in the not too distant future!
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Great inforgraphic, technology is really fast changing and every thing in this world is now digital, how about for the next generation what changes of technology that may happen? Well, let’s see..
Twitter: dew603
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Unfortunately, over time the printing of books will cease. The digital technology of ebooks will overwhelm the process of book printing. People will gradually migrate to reading books on e-readers. Like the electric light, as electricity became available the use of candles gradually just went away. Light bulbs are better than candles pure and simple. eBooks are better than printed books. How long will it take is anyones guess. I predict that books will no longer be printed by 2035.
Twitter: SelfMiracle
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I like to get the attention of my 17 year old daughter.
My first computer was a top of the line (at the time) 286 with a whopping 20 MB hard drive. I pull her 8 GB card out of her camera and let her know that I did everything I wanted to do (at the time) with 400 times less power. Then we start talking about her 60 Gig iphone.
BTW, the first computer I had to use on the job was 64KB. It took that and the tape drive about 8 hours to run the projects I was working on. What is after terra again??
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