Tablets – The New Newsies
I came across a news article tonight that I thought was rather interesting. In it, findings are given that say people who use tablets consume more news (and media in general) than they did before they had a tablet.
Also noted was the development of apps to be used while consuming media on a separate device (most likely TV’s), since many tablet owners said they often do other things while using their tablets.
I was wondering what it was about tablets or e-readers that caused this to happen. Is it that people prefer the enriched online news and tablets make it easier to consume it? Or is it something more along the lines of tablets mimicking /replacing newspapers or magazines (in terms of weight, size, etc.) better than other electronic devices do?
I thought the study was a great example of how the design of a piece of technology can help determine what people use it for.
Posted in: Blog Café
David William Price 9:51 pm on October 14, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I’d say it’s because tablets are instant-on and handy. They also simplify consumption by creating “apps”. No computer, no boot up time, no web browser necessary. Tablets are big enough to read comfortably (especially with zoom) and small enough to curl up with.
bcourey 2:52 am on October 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
This is really encouraging news. I was always sad when I polled my senior students in my World Issues class as to how many of them ready any news on a daily or even weekly basis – the majority did not…nor did their parents. So I made sure that we had national and international papers in the classroom every day and gave them time to browse. So this article gives me great hope and gives me yet another reason to strengthen the pitch at our school board to allow tablets (and other devices) in the classroom – we are getting there, but at a snail’s pace!
Deb Giesbrecht 6:35 am on October 16, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I think it is because it is portable and in real-time – meaning I don’t have to lie in bed to wait for the news to come on – I can turn to it at any time with a tablet. Our society likes ‘instant’ everything, and tablets tend to feed into that mentality.