The Future of Books
The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.
What will books of the future look like? How will we store them? Will there still be libraries? How “social” will books become? As an avid reader these are a few questions I have pondered. IDEO has provided a great visualization of books of the future.
Three eReader prototypes:
The Debate and Opinion eReader:
Here an informational layer(s) is envisioned to future books that feature ongoing discussions, fact check and current media links as well as historical debate time lines and visualization of the arguments. This type of reader would be a great support of developing critical thinking skills.
Professional Development eReader, supporting learning in the organization and sharing of industry trends:
Your reader connects you to colleagues in your organization to find popular reads, establish book clubs, reading lists for departments, project or the organization as a whole. I love the tag “no water cooler required” for the sharing experience. If enough people by the book it is put in the organizational library available to all. As I’m watching this, I am thinking getAbstract had better be preparing for a business model change. Of the three visions I found the Copeland the most compelling because I would love to share what I read with others. A professional community of interest seems ideal for this.
Interactive Narratives eReader:
Of the three prototypes this is the one closest to other future projections articles I’ve read. This prototype envisions reader participation being actively worked into the story. Examples would be readers communicating with characters or have to manipulate objects on the screen to unlock access to story related information. The concept here seems to be fiction that combines an almost gaming environment. But I can see a Brain Rules or Resonate type book being integrated easily into this type of format.
The Future:
In the move to eBooks it is exciting to see the increased interactivity between people and people and ideas envisioned. The direction we’re going will make the social and active part of reading more visible and facilitate more interpersonal connections. Good developers, learning and game designers will be needed to make these visions of eReaders become a reality. At this point my biggest fear (as a consumer) is the pace of technology. What will happen to books I purchase as the technology improves? Will I be able to easily access my eBooks and my notes on the readings as platforms change and consolidates? Lots to think about. Thanks to IDEO for the great visualization!
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