In my last blog, “Bloggers To ‘Journalists’…” I wrote that the most important thing that local newspapers can do to keep their audience is to reproduce an exact copy of their paper (ads, layouts and all) in an online edition that is easy to navigate. The perfect example of this is the local Chico-Enterprise Record. Click on “E-R e-Edition.” and then on DEMO.
The next most valuable concept they can foster to maintain and really grow their customers (and their own jobs!) is to improve the practical portability of the web. Specifically, a web-usable device that allows users to read their local news comfortably at the breakfast table, in a waiting room, while riding in a car or bus, in the bathroom, in bed or even in your favorite easy chair. Laptops can do this, but are far less convenient than a newspaper. Cell phones too, but their relatively tiny screens make them impractical for reading news articles.
Here’s my Leonardo da Vinci-style idea: A wristwatch with an expandable screen that can accommodate the web (plus a cell phone and music). I envision the screen to be a retractable, spring-loaded, pull-out mechanism kind of like those, pull-down window shades. It would be thinner and shorter than a pencil, so you can carry it in your pocket. It attaches to the watch and increases the screen size to twice that of an iPhone’s. You would only attach it to the watch when you need to view it. Otherwise the watch is the same size as a regular watch.
Then anyone would be able to view “official” local news, whether, sports, etc. for their area on a daily basis anytime and anywhere they want.
I see we are getting close. This is a Cool cell phone watch
that has a phone with music and video (sorry about the raspy music).
And here’s another one that has all the above, PLUS a 1.3 megapixel camera.
But the two major components still missing are the web and that expandable screen.
Once we get those going, we are off to the races.
fascinater