In less than 50 years perhaps even sooner, the book as we know it will no longer exist. In the near future, one would be attached to the convenience of pocket-size books or monitors. We would be downloading books, journals and newspaper on them and paying with credit cards or direct debit from our bank account. Now it didn’t take mach imagination or clairvoyance to see e-reader was inevitable.

Mr. Choy Fatt Cheong of Singapore Library Association says differently, that books would last as it doesn’t need electricity, it never malfunction and no fear of technological obsolescence. However he believed that electronic books would be cheaper than paperback books, in the future. Somehow truly enough the figures digital books sales has been growing at rates of several hundred percent annually, and could be the coming of the ‘iPod Moment’.

One significant transformation to the book happened with the invention of the Romans device to replace the scroll. Another invention by Johannes Gutenberg from the West in 1450, was movable-type printing, replacing the labor of hand-copying text. However, it could only print one sheet at a time and books were sold as loose sheets. In 1810 was the iPod moment that produced our era. Friedrich Koenig a German inventor invented a steam-powered press that could print a page through mechanical means. In 1833, Koenig’s machine was improved by American engineer, Richard Hoe’s rotary press, which could produce millions of pages a day, which made mass production of books and newspaper possible. However this moment in time, will radically alter the form of book not it’s substance, but exist simultaneously in protean form. As hardback or paperback book, as digital books on e-reader, as Web entities, as Espresso Book Machine. But books will always remain.

I’m love technology, and I love traditional means. So I disagree with the writer, But agree with Mr Choy Fatt Cheong of Singapore Library Association.

Yes, technology would have a winning stand compared with traditional ways, like paperback books. But I always believe that, books would never fade away now or in the future. Just like the article says, “ ‘humble codex’ would last because, among other things, it ‘needs no electricity’, it never malfunctions, and there is no fear of technological obsolescence or virus attack.”

Even now, e-reader are getting more popular and the infamous Kindle 2 is selling fast in the United States. When I heard about it, even I could not resist it. You could store up to hundreds of book and you don’t even have to connect to your computer to get your books. Just use program on Kindle 2 and within 30 seconds you got the book you wanted.

Even though I’m excited about the up and coming technology. I still worry that digital e-reader would replace books, hard covered or paperback.

Even thought, e-reader is a form of reading books and keeping them. It’s still not the same from the traditional way of storing knowledge, and passing it down to the next generation.

It would be cool if in the next 20 or 30 or even 10 years time, people would be carrying a small e-reader like Kindle 2 instead of paperback books around. On the train, bus or coffee house.

But, reading a e-reader would never be the same as reading a real paperback book. The feeling of accomplishment, when turning the pages and finally finishing the book, which is tangible right in front of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmstCbvTFHs&feature=related

Features: 6" Touch Screen, Multiple Formats SupportedMore Books from More PlacesPaper-like Display for Easy ReadingA Library of Books in One DeviceCharge and Read for Two Full Weeks

In a nutshell, I do still believe that books will exist till the end of time just like it did for the last thousands of years. Because nothing can replace something as lasting as a hard copy of book or information.

But who can stop technology from growing. Brilliant minds, coming up with different invention everyday to make life easier. It’s the way human are.

All we can do is to preserve the way of books, before our next generation doesn’t even know what is a paperback or hard cover book.

1)Clairvoyance – Acute intuitive insight or perceptiveness.2)Simultaneously – At the same time3)Codex – the earliest form of book, replacing the scrolls

and wax tablets of earlier times.4)Obsolescence – Extinction5)Conservative – Old-fashioned6)iPod Moment – Taking on the same success as iPod7)Momentum – Impetus8)Ensued – Arise9)Cusp – Edge10)Alter – Change