In other words, digital convergence is the mashing up of traditional media that is normally separate, into a mixed media that includes all aspects; such as, video, music, television, books, magazines, games, and internet all in one handy device.
Consumers, news organizations, corporations, non-profits, and others are all jumping onto the digital convergence bandwagon. For example, the New York Times is jumping into the mix:
News organizations such as the New York Times are on the verge of digital convergence and creating a bigger and better newspaper through digital journalism. Guardian states, "After remaking the business of the music industry and re-inventing the mobile phone, Steve Jobs obviously is up for something new, and journalism has got his attention." The article continued, "We're incredibly psyched to pioneer the next generation of digital journalism. We want to create the best of print and best of digital, all rolled into one."
Consumers are also stocking up on things like the iPad, the iPhone and iTouch, the Nook, the Kindle, and all other sorts of entrtainment devices, even PS3's, XBOX's and Wii's! The iPad seems to be the most advanced, however like the iPad, both the Nook and the Kindle are designed as digital books, where you can store an entire library on a little pad that can fit in your purse.
While things such as the iTouch, iPhone, iPods, and SmartPhones are all connecting the internet, music, games and much much more all on one small hand held device.
These tools relate to issues we learned about on the Long Tail, the internet as a democratizing tool, and Creative Commons because it through digital convergence we get a sense that the internet will be around for a very very long time. We see that the Long Tail will just keep getting longer and longer with the more and more technology that is created and the more convergence of digital media is done. It seems that every other day someone creates a new device that can hold more memory or do one more thing than the last. It is insane all of the technology that the public knows about at the time, but to just think about all of the technology that is being created as we speak and the technology that is soon to come, it just boggles my mind and I'm sure the minds of others.
In ten years, I honestly have no idea what technology will look like. I know that the iPhone and iTouch are smaller versions of the iPad, but I think that as time goes on, we'll have some sort of solar powered iPad in a smaller form. Something that is good for the environment and affordable for all people. Something that will help people stay connected and something to help kids learn, while saving the planet. I don't think we're that far away from this sort of technology and I think it will change the world (good or bad, who knows?!) if it is every created.
More information can be found at Guardian, Apple, Barnes&Noble, Amazon, and, Wikipedia.
