Slate-erific?

As a writer I am very interested in what the new and upcoming forms of publishing and reading media will be. Unfortunately the days of leather bound novels, gilt in gold, lining every shelf are long gone. The days of hardcover books are dwindling and even the paperbacks days seem numbered. With more and more people gaining access to the Internet and getting comfortable with it more and more books and magazines are going to electronic media.

So what has come from this? apparently the “Slates.” What most of us may have heard of as tablet PCs seem to be changing name to the slate PC. Microsoft just unveiled several to less than rave reviews but I kind of like the name. It brings to mind Tom Sawyer school room antics for me. But is it really where we want things to go?

Frankly, I’m torn.

On the one hand we as a society are getting so caught up in electronics and the ease they bring us that we are, as a whole, forgetting simple things that we need. Like exercise and outdoor activities. I heard recently that more Americans are near sited now than ever. In fact its gone from twenty-five percent in the 70’s to over forty percent now. Combine that with the ever rising obesity and diabetes and It scares me. We’re killing ourselves. That’s the one hand.

On the other hand as a writer It excites me. A lot. With more and more people getting access to these easy read devices it means more people are going to be publishing in that format. That’s cheaper for the publisher, hence more publishers, hence more chances I’ll find a good fit for my novel. And since there’s less money being spent on things like paper and glue and ink by the publisher, they can sell it cheaper and it still brings more money my way. A writers dream, or at least this writers dream. ;-)

So where will we go? will we do the self preservation thing and someone set off an EMP that destroys all electronics or will we go for the money and leave the trash for the next kid to deal with? Personally, I’m already near sighted and I need the money, but I think I’m gonna go for a walk outside.

What do you think?