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Everyone is familiar with iTunes and MP3 music now; by digitizing music we have reduced it to its essential elements and disposed of the CDs, cases and often the stores that sold them as well. Many other media may go the way of the CD, as we get our media directly from the source. Newspapers have created digital editions that many people read online, and their circulations have declined as more people read the news this way; they are not earning as much money from this as they used to. Others are figuring out how to get rid of the paper and ink and still make money.
Books: The greenest book of all is the one you get from the library, but next up are two services we use.
Audible: Lets you download a spoken version of the book, professionally recorded by actors or read by the author (few of whom do as good a job as the actors). Others are terrific, better than the written word; I cried listening to Adam Gopnik read Through the Children's Gate.
Good: You get to do other things like work out or drive while you are listening. Available from either Audible or directly from the iTunes store if you have an iPod.
Not so good: One can read at one's own pace; in an audiobook you have to go at theirs. You can lend someone a regular book but Audible is delivered in a proprietary format that is tied to your computer. ::AudibleeReader: Started when the Palm Pilot came out, and is designed to let you read on your handheld PDA or phone. I always keep a book in my Treo for when I am stuck in lines or at boring presentations and lectures, but it works on your computer too.
Good: Instant delivery of a wide selection of books. The e-reader for the computer is fabulous, as you can adjust the font sizes and styles, colors and backgrounds; as we age and have more trouble reading, this will become its greatest feature-just crank up the font size and put away those glasses.
Not so good: Headache-inducing tiny print on my Treo. It might be great on an iPhone but it isn't supported for that yet. ::eReader
Zinio: I read a lot of magazines, and a lot of trees are chopped to support my habit. Many have good online versions; more do not. People hire graphic designers and pay a lot of attention to the look of magazines; Web sites often are not as beautifully laid out, and let's not forget, the ads are sometimes as gorgeous and informative as the editorial content. That is why I like Zinio-a service that photographically reproduces the magazines, adds hyperlinks so you can go to any Web site mentioned in the magazine, and generally gives you everything you get in the real magazine, except the ability to read it in the bathtub.
Good: Fast delivery (usually the day it is published and before it is in the store) with real magazine-like appearance. Usually, subscriptions are significantly cheaper.
Not so good: Locked into your computer so you can't share it. Less appetizing on smaller screens where you have to move around and zoom a lot; I use it on a 20-inch wide-screen monitor and think a 24-inch would be perfect. They need a bathtub version, though. ::Zinio
Difficulty level: Easy
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