| Paper. We love it. What a useful tool. Nothing like a | | | | is going to be happening more quickly than we can |
| piece of paper and a stub of a pencil for writing down | | | | believe it possible. Why? |
| a note or jotting a quick memory down. | | | | Top 5 reasons apps will replace paper: |
| But paper is limited. It is easily lost, and it's hard to back | | | | - portability (hundreds of datapoints on your phone) |
| up. Ever write a long note or keep track of tons of | | | | - interactivity - the ability to connect with others in your |
| data on a piece of paper (think homework) only to | | | | network via the app is much more than a 'toy' aspect) |
| have the equivalent of the dog eat it in real life. | | | | - back-up (you won't lose your data, even if you lose |
| Is paper and pencil and crayons going to disappear? I | | | | your phone) |
| certainly hope not. I still need to write sticky notes. We | | | | - ubiquity - it is always with you (c'mon, how often do |
| still want our kids to be able to do wonderful things | | | | you leave your cellphone at home?) |
| with crayons and acrylics and watercolors and | | | | - sharing - it's easy to share certain apps with friends |
| pen-and-ink drawings. | | | | But, you say, no, apps will never replace paper. Apps |
| But, when paper is used as a media for artwork (even | | | | are just toys. |
| just finger-painting) and not as a medium for | | | | Sure, just like gunpowder was used for little more than |
| communication, we'll see the amount and volume of | | | | firecrackers for many years. |
| paper used dramatically diminish. I'm not sure how | | | | No, smarthphone apps are quickly becoming much |
| much of a 'green' deal this will be in terms of saving on | | | | more important than just toys. They are quickly |
| transportation costs and disposal costs, but it certainly | | | | becoming utilities. |