IPad blurring the lines

Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/technology/26apple.html

This article is about the much hyped iPad. Developed by Apple, a company that has changed the way we listened to music and turned phones into web browsers, cameras and music players has brought us its newest creation - the Ipad. The device "which is a 9.7 inch tablet computer, could influence a new era of publishing". The Ipad has its critics that say the device will never sway people away from there already purchased e-readers or notebook computers. Others say that the devices will be portable enough and fully customizable to influence people to purchase yet another Steve Jobs related apple product.

I fully expect the Ipad, much like every other Apple related product to change the industry and become a massive seller. Instead of having to purchase a Kindle and a notebook laptop and a cell phone, people will enjoy the convience of one device doing everything for them and further retreating into an electronic world.

I do wonder if Apple will start monopolizing the the media industry. Will their products with the promise of customization and devices that can do everything for you, will people even care for Amazon's Kindle in a few years? Or will Steve Jobs and Co. take over the portable media industry?

Speaking of media - what will become of concepts such as ratings, and formats? Will the iPad, like Hulu and youtube allow people to watch what they want, when they want? How is TV going to survive the takeover?

More Commercials than ever for Super Bowl

Link: http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/national-broadcast/e3ib96053a9e47796d71ebdb2fe8f774188

In this article from Media Week, we're told that there were enough commercials to make up 3 quarters of a football game at 47 minutes and 50 seconds. The primary culprits were the usual suspects of dotcom businesses - 8 of them, 5 auto companies and beer coming in 3rd. The one steep drop this year was in movies as "not a single full length trailer was shown"and movies on took up 2mins and 45 seconds. Along with the Super Bowl being the most watched program of all time "CBS likely matched or slightly exceeded the $213 million NBC booked against Super Bowl XLIII."

The reason this article is important is because it proves that despite all that is said about TV being obsolete, it proves that people still get together as a whole to watch television in prime time and that "top network sports events (are) enormously valuable" (214) because of larger male audiences on weekends and there interest in more "big ticket items like cars and sporting equipment" (214)

This along with the subsequent article about ESPN being the second most watched cable channel in January, could be taken as proof that like in radio, sports will always have a place. The sports audience might be smaller than the prime time TV watchers or sitcom watchers in general but it's a far more loyal and group oriented audience to sell specialty products to. While more traditional sitcom or even reality TV has taken to the internet and to mobile phones, its something that is more primarily enjoyed alone, unlike sports which is something done amongst a group (primarily male but I think football especially can be argued). Either way, sports are here to stay and are keeping TV afloat.