I was lying in my bed, getting ready to sleep while holding my iPad which I bought two days ago. I responded to emails, tweeted, and checked my Facebook homepage after I brushed my teeth, a ritual I have been doing before going to bed since my life became completely digitalized when I bought my iPhone nine months ago. One last thing I remembered to do: check if there are any interesting apps to download.
As a journalist/editor/writer, the first thing I look for is news! I found some really interesting news apps such as the AP, abc News, the New York Times and Mashable. Nothing too fancy or different than those of the iPhone until I found the Newsweek magazine app!
Wonderful, smart, creative, innovative and addictive is all I can say to describe this app. It actually intrigued me to open my sleepy eyes and write this post on my iPad for the very first time since I bought it.
Like many news outlets struggling to keep up with the falling revenues of print editions, Newsweek is no exception. It actually charges for its content, even though their app can be installed for free.
I was a little bit disappointed in the beginning when I saw that, but when my eyes caught the free iPad issue of the magaine, with the headline “Politics in The Age of Obama,” I was kind of intrigued to click- or touch to be specific. I downloaded it and I’m happy I did.
My index fingers navigated through the issue and found the magazine to be look fancier and nicer than its print editions. My first thought as I saw it was, “This is so creative and smart!”
I kept digitally flipping through the pages and reached the page where Newsweek’s editor and Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Mencham’s remarks on the this new innovation: (for larger view, please click on the image)
The iPad is such a great invention. Now I don’t really need to buy any print edition, sadly speaking, but it’s the digital age and we have to cope with it. This device helps me gather everything I like in one place, and easily navigate through them with the tips of my fingers. I can read my favorite book, read the news, check my emails, post photos, tweet, facebook in a new revolutionary way. Yes, the computer does that too but it’s more convenient to carry a light tablet rather than a heavy lap top around! Besides, it just feels better and nicer!
There are still a lot of people who are resisting the digital way our life is heading to, and it’s fine. Let things take their course in life like they did when clay tablets, paper and Web browsing were introduced.
I was among those who strongly resisted paying for news, claiming that I could easily get it for free online, until I remembered that nothing was for free and that as a journalist I should support that because that’s how journalism will survive like it did when people paid for the newspapers and magazines before content became available for free.
So let’s embrace it instead of resisting it, and let’s have quality digital journalism material rather than free bad-quality information that could negatively affect our lives.
And here is to more blogging via the iPad and to finally going to bed!
bassamsebtiblog 