"Magic Slates" of the Future

I keep hearing the endless blah blah blah of the blahgosphere chattering about Apple's rumoured eReader/magic device to be released in the second half of next year. Along with the hype surrounding the Kindle/Nook/Txtr/whatever the Sony thing is called, one feels a bit hit over the head with the marketing (news=marketing today) pushing the reader devices at the public.

This round, at least for me, there isn't an instant lust being generated like there was for the beloved iPhone. I have been wondering why that is. I mean, I am a tech geek and love all the tech toys...so why no "gotta-have-it" feeling for this rumoured contraption? I think I know, though. I am suffering from information overload. No matter how much I read these days, no matter how many videos I watch, simulations I look at, websites I click through, I always feel as though I am behind on information consumption. I know I am not unique here - far from it. But I guess what worries me about the eReaders is that they represent yet another format for information overload.

If you have a few minutes, take a look at these prototype videos (and if you're interested....). They show the potential direction that Apple's "iSlate" will be going in. Really amazing stuff, no question...





But...

Last night I downloaded a new app to the iphone - a freebie - a Sherlock Holmes ebook complete with text, words linked to definitions and related info, and videos to help set the scene in London during the Sherlock Holmes era. And...it was nice - well done and interesting - but it completely changes how one reads. When I get engrossed in a book, the pages turn seemingly automatically and images form in my head. I generally don't need a video to create a picture for myself. And in fact, it is nice to be able to concentrate on the actual language and words. Suddenly, I had blue links to click and video play buttons to press. And while I like the *idea* of all this extra information, it is incredibly distracting from the story itself. It distracts from the words. It limits my ability to create my own images in my head of how something might look.

So I am quite torn. While my tech-geeky side says "woo hoooooo! send me one now please!" my book-worm side says "no way, i want the feel and smell of a book, i want to enjoy the language without the constant pull to click a link or play a video." I know there must be a solution somewhere in the middle. Have the option to turn off all the gadgets while you read something the first time? Something of this nature. Hoping that the prototypes start to address this more as well soon...