Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggie Leung
Yes, thanks. Anyway, I'm happy with CDs and can convert to MP3.
And yes, DVD players can still play CDs.
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Digitalized music (compressed or not, even CDs), by its nature (0 and 1) is always of lesser quality than the analog one. Curves are always at least a little bit squared and sample rate should be unbelievably high to pick up every transient that exists on the original analog recording (where the master exists). Even for music captured by digital devices, this "squaring" still exists, but filters mask and "improve" a sound. However, the transients will still be missing. But, with today's music there is not much to do: no fine guitar nuances (is this instrument still used ? LOL), even the singers that can't sing do the albums that sounds correctly (voice pitching software will fix their wrong singing and adapt it to the instrumental part and nobody will even notice something was wrong).
Vinyl is back and their sales, although still small, increase a lot every day. But not every Rihanna or Britney Spears will use them. They reveal too much the lack of talent. Vinyl is for the people who know the music and the good real warm sound. My ears are no more what they used to be, but there is still a huge difference (on a good stereo system) between a vinyl and any MP3.
However, vinyl will never be as portable as digital music. And if you are in a subway, you won't be able to bring your collection of vinyls (and fill the whole wagon), neither you'll take 200 CDs with you. MP3 player will be correct.
Books are different at the point that letters are letters. no matter paper or electronic version. No loss of characters or words (no "squaring").
pBook could be like vinyl - warm by touch, with a smell; eBook can be like any digital form. If you are at home an you have a pBook collection you like, you can read it. If you have an eBook version of the same, you can read it either. While commuting, you can use either (but if the books are heavy, you won't be able to bring two of them to continue reading when you finish the first one during the travel - something you can do with a reader).
It's personal.
So, to return to the topic - I don't believe Negroponte's prediction is correct. There will always be those who like any of the two forms of reading and maybe even those who will continue to buy both forms (not of the same book). I grew up surrounded by thousands of books, but now I appreciate my reader and the possibility to bring with me dozens of selected books and read any whenever I want. But when at home - I have a choice.