Teen Texting replaces Talking

Well, we knew in our hearts that teens text more than talk.  But now there is evidence that this is true and teens prefer it that way.  In a recent survey, Lab 42 found that 71% of teens prefer texting to talking.  Also, 45% of teens send 30 or more texts per day or 900 texts per month.  And 54% of these texts are “just chatting”.

Just chatting?? Really??

Chatting is a form of talking, if these are just quick chats, it is actually more efficient to make a quick call than type out.  So since this is not about efficiency, it is either about secrecy or lack of communication skills.  Both of these are causes for parental concern.  Take note parents; monitoring needs to be done.  If your teen cannot communicate verbally, they will be at a counter asking “do you want to upsize that”.

Its just my opinion, but this disconnect of personal interaction is what leads to increases in cyber bullying, electronic abuse and general technology abuse.  It is way easier to disrespect someone by typing some letters than facing that same person with mean words.

What Next E-Books?

E-Books are wonderful.  I make this statement as someone who loves books.  I love collecting them, holding them, reading them, displaying them.  Books, books, books, I have loved them my entire life.  They are my first choice for entertainment and relaxation.

When e-books first entered the scene, they were cumbersome to access and read due to the limited format (using a computer and Adobe or other reader).  Even on a laptop, kicking back in bed to read a book was kind of a drag.  I experimented with a few but went back to print.

Then came the e-readers.  Slim, light and portable, they seemed the answer to the e-book issue.  But, at $100 or more for a single function gadget, impractical.  Finally, with the addition of apps for the smartphone and tablets, I have jumped fully on board the e-book revolution.  With reservations.

Wired makes a compelling statement regarding the flaws of e-books.  There must be a way to view all e-book titles in one spot instead of opening 3 or more applications.  Also, there should be a rental option for books one does not intend to keep (like DVDs and on-line movie rentals).  And of course, there is the huge issue of pricing.  No one wants to spend $15 to $30 on an e-book unless it is a highly needed technical manual.

With the use of coupons, it is often cheaper to buy the print version of books.  It does not seem justified to charge $16 for a print book and the same amount for a book that is downloaded with none of the additional costs of the print issue.  Some type of discount must be negotiated between publishers and sellers.

If e-books become more user friendly, with the addressing of these issues, I think they will create a surge in popularity not just of e-books, but reading in general.