As you may already know from prior posts, that as well as producing the weekly podcast, I often write for a website called Fanboy Planet. Fanboy Planet reports on all the silly and serious aspects of being a fan in this modern day. Being involved in fannish media is a joy which keeps my sense of wonder alive, and gets me into a lot of cool places.
This week I concluded the first trilogy of episodes in my new column, Digital Fanboy. This is where I examine the digital realm of media with an eye to how it affects the fannish folks and the movies, books, comics and other stuff they love.
This third episode will be up soon, maybe already! Here’s a tease and a link…
Digital Fanboy: Episode 3
Dystopian Utopia
or
Dude, Where’s My Stuff?
Digital Fanboy is our exploration into digital media. How we use it, how it uses us, and how to get a better handle on everything. I hope that by breaking this down into small tastes I can help you understand what the present and future hold for us, just as I exorcise my own demons in this area. Come, take the red pill…
In Episode 1 we talked about the benefits and additional features we get from electronic media. The terms we hear and what they mean. In Episode 2 I reviewed how media made it’s way into the digital world, and what happened to it along the way. This concluding episode we’ll be looking at a couple of real-world examples of what you can come to expect from the future of digital media, and how to best prepare for it.
Of course like all modern trilogies, there’s the potential for sequels. If you have questions or if there are new developments in this area, Digital Fanboy is the friend who will either explain it or tell you you’re better off not knowing.
You Live in the Future
Digital media changed everything.
I don’t need CD cases, they’re cheaper
and “just as good” on iTunes!
Why clutter up your house with DVD cases when
you can stream those movies on Netflix?
Book cases? Just read those books from the cloud!
Sure, and there’s stuff you can do with digital that you could never do with physical media. I travel with hundreds of books in my backpack. I can choose what movie I want to watch on the plane. Mix tape from 100’s of albums when and where I want? Sure, I’m future boy!
It’s all upside, right? What could be wrong? But about this time in any SyFy movie, you know the foreboding music is about to rise and everything you’ve been enjoying is about to turn on you.
The Current Future Is Broken
Only it’s not happening in the future. It’s already here. Digital media is busted, it isn’t the warm, fuzzy friend you thought you knew. It’s been fed after midnight and then pushed into the pool.
What happens if we feed them after midnight? Read more here!