We've talked in class about the many media changes underway. These effect not just media businesses but also consumers. Content is more portable than ever--think of MP3 players that store thousands of songs or the Kindle device than can hold hundreds of books. Content is often cheap--or free. Online sites let you watch many of your favorite programs for free, with only limited commercial interruptions. But the technology to consume these free, portable products isn't free and neither is access.
One neat access portal is Apple's iPhone and AT&T's 3G Network. I'm not here to endorse the phone but it provides some neat features. Here's a link to a video review of the phone from David Pogue of The New York Times. Note also that Pogue has other articles and videos with product reviews. And, the NYTimes is working harder than ever to draw eyeballs to their website with new forms of content--all part of the ever changing industry and how consumers consume media.
Lastly, if you're thinking of getting an iPhone, it's expensive for a student's budget. The phone costs about $200, monthly telephone service is around $40 and the required iPhone Internet/data package is another $40 plus taxes! And, the speedy 3G service they advertise is not yet in Florence. Still, technology prices always drop. Think about price drops for laptops, HD TV sets and BlueRay DVD players...
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/06/18/technology/personaltech/1194841040529/the-iphone-3g-s.html?scp=4&sq=david%20pugue&st=cse
