Kindles + Kids = 37 Billion Reasons
When I talk to friends and co-workers about the Kindle 2
But you know who will? Their kids.
According the the US Department of Education, there were approximately 34.9 million children in grades K-8 in public schools in 2008. By 2014, they estimate that number to increase to 37.2 million.
That’s a lot of students. That’s a LOT of textbooks.
According to some Internet sources, it can cost anywhere from $800-$1,000 to give textbooks to students every year. Some sources say an average textbook is about $52. (It’s hard to offer a good credible source. If you have one that supports or disputes this claim, please offer some links.)
So simple math here based on 2014 enrollment estimates:$1,000 times 37 million is $37 billion.
Anyway, kids. Yeah. Expensive, aren’t they?
Kids don’t need paper to get the benefit of the education that’s been written. They need information to get smart. We can give them Internet access, but that’s just one resource.
My Kindle ($359) weighs 10 oz. My laptop ($1,200) is about 5 lbs. That may not be much for me, but it is for a 10-year-old.
In a few years, it’s likely that we’ll see government-issued ebook readers replacing overstuffed backpacks. It may be the Kindle or the Sony e-Reader, but it will probably be some new manufacturer that has big government contracts.
Something more durable and utilitarian. Something that’s less hackable and more controllable than the average PC.
Teachers will assign chapters and reading over the school’s wireless network. Schools will only pay for the chapters they assign. New editions of textbooks will be downloaded directly from the publisher’s website via secure FTP.
Less paper. Less storage space. Less money spent on giving textbooks to 37 million students per year.
Say what you will about public schools, but most people in the US attend these schools. Our country generates a lot of smart people because there are a lot of smart people running and teaching in these schools.
A back of the napkin calculation shows that we may be looking at $37 billion in textbooks in 2014.
You can bet there are school administrators crunching numbers too. And while the economics of first generation ebook readers don’t make sense now, that will soon change. Prices will drop, technology will improve, and the economics will become compellingly obvious.
You may never read books using an ebook reader. But your kids in grammar school? They will.
Links….Not Necessarily Endorsements:
- The Amazon Kindle in Education
- The Amazon Kindle could dramatically improve US education
- Integrating Amazon Kindle at Seton Hall – Notes
- iTunes U is Apple’s foothold into Textbooks + Education
2001: Meet Dave – Video Remix
In a recent post, I offered up a video that showed how you can re-edit a movie like Mary Poppins into a trailer for a horror movie.
Well, one eagle-eyed blog reader sent me a link for the mashup remix video “2001: Meet Dave.”
Specifically, someone remixed 2001: A Space Odyssey into a trailer for a comedy film. They had to dub in some dialogue from “Dave,” an actual comedy flick, to make it work. But it really does look like a lightweight slapstick comedy that you might rent on DVD.
It illustrates how music is essential for setting tone and mood in a creative work.
Check it out:
2001: Meet Dave from Bastetta on Vimeo.
Links…Not Necessarily Endorsements:
- 2001 entry in IMDB
- DVD Newsroom
- Top 10 Movie Trailer Recuts
- Home Alone Remix
- The Shining Remix
- Silence of the Lambs Remix
Top 5 Things I’ll Pay for on the Web
As the bad economy grinds on, there are massive shifts in all industries. Many good websites have been funded (in part) by advertising, venture capitalist funds, and subscription models.
But as these revenue channels evaporate (for some websites), we’re seeing a shift in the Net economy. Good services need to find a proper revenue stream. And…get ready, gang…some of these websites are going to eventually charge a fee.
Apple’s iTunes Store and Amazon’s Kindle 2
It got me thinking about what I would be willing to pay for, so I compiled a list of:
Top 5 Things I’ll Pay for on the Web
1. Email.
Yes, I know email is free. But I would be willing right now to pay for GMail, if it promised greater security and features. They provide an awesome service, but we’re still computing in the cloud, which makes email particularly vulnerable. Think about how many emails you’re getting that could be giving tiny bits of financial, health, or security information away. I’d pay to upgrade to something that would offer a greater level of security and privacy.
2. Electronic Health Records.
The Obama administration has placed a strong emphasis on building up the infrastructure of our health system. With that is an even stronger focus on electronic medical records (EMR). Right now there are several companies offering free EMR tracking solutions, including Google, Microsoft, and some health insurers. They’re going to have to get paid from someone, and if they’re not charging YOU for YOUR information, where will they get their money? I’d pay for EMRs that hire good quality employees and conduct full background checks.
3. Reviews.
In the old days, professional journalists were hired to be product and movie review experts. There was an editorial system of checks and balances to ensure that newspapers and magazines were unbiased. Consumer Reports was famous for not accepting any advertising, so you had to pay for their reviews. Now, to be a reviewer, all you really need is an opinion and an email address. There are hundreds of sites hungry for content, so they accept submissions from reviewers with no experience. These reviews may be spot-on or they may be looking to build a personal network, reputation, or whatever. In my experience working in pop culture, I’ve found that SOME reviewers are frustrated creators, offering opinions on stuff they think they can do better. Not all, some. But it’s that minority voice…the one with an axe to grind…that can damage a creator’s career and reputation. So I’d be willing to pay for reviews on a site where professional reviewers were (a) experienced, (b) unbiased, (c) well-rounded, (d) had editors, and (e) were paid for their professional opinions. Check out Johanna Draper Carlson’s article How to Review.
4. Cloud Computing & Software as a Service.
My trusty old G5 Mac is still running classic boxed software. But as the line begins to blur between the desktop and the web, we’re seeing better software options. Right now, Google, Microsoft, Zoho, OpenOffice, and a dozen other sites are sharpening their software solutions. Eventually, as things shake out, we’ll see some clear leaders. Personally, I enjoy having my Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
5. Content.
Right now, nearly everything I consume online is free. News, videos, professional development…all free. Pretty amazing, considering how much it costs to create good quality content. Eventually, this model will change. Maybe ads will pay for everything, which would be like the broadcast TV model. Or it will move premium, like the cable TV model. Either way, someone has to pay for the content I want to consume. For example, I go to CNet nearly every day for tech news. CNet is an essential part of my need to stay on top of tech trends, so I have a professional motivation for keeping up with their content. And given the choice of seeing my favorite sites go out of business or paying a small subscription fee…I’ll pay the subscription.
Of course, all of this excludes services and content I already pay for, including music on the iTunes store and books for my Kindle 2.
If the Internet moved to a pay for service model, what would you pay for?
Oh, and one more thing. I tried to come up with a Top 10 list. The most I could come up with was my Top 5. Tells ya something, right?
Interesting links…not necessarily endorsements:
Five tips on charging for content from Alan Murray of WSJ.com
How can newspapers help Google?
Newspapers Want Consumers To Pay For Online Content
Scary Mary Movie Trailer
One of the most effective forms of promotion is the movie trailer. It’s played to the target audience (moviegoers) in the perfect arena (the theater) to tease and excite them to return next week for more fun.
Most trailers are pretty clear, right? Music and visuals pull together a one to two minute preview of the kind of flick opening next week.
Some creative folks have taken a slightly different approach. They’ve remixed classic movies to appear like totally different films…all based on the trailer.
My favorite is this remix of “Mary Poppins” called, you guessed it, “Scary Mary.” Check it out and see how small changes to text and music completely change this G-rated Disney classic into something ominous and tense.
Creative mashups like this are all over YouTube. If you’re a professional marketer, check ‘em out and see how little tweaks to your campaign can have a major effect.
Interesting Links….Not Necessarily Endorsements:
- MySpace, Fox Team on User-Generated Video Contest for “The Simpsons”
- Warner Music Targets User-Generated Videos on Vimeo
- User Generated Content
- Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
Laptop Lauren is an Actress
Yesterday I blogged about Microsoft’s new Laptop Hunter ad campaign. It features (supposedly) real people who are given $1,500 and told to buy a laptop that matches their own specs. In the ad, they discover that their limited budget will really only get them a PC…coincidentally loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista.
It’s cool. I get it. The commercials do a good job showcasing the (initial) affordability of a low-budget PC laptop. Certain blogs, including The Apple Blog, contend that the Apple laptop is actually a better value. Whatever. I still thought it was a good ad, since it engaged me and made me think.
The Important Update
In an everyone-is-a-detective-thanks-to-Google update, someone has managed to track down Lauren, the young woman who appears in the ads. And to everyone (and no one’s) surprise…Lauren is an actress.
She even has her own website at http://laurendelong.com/. Good for her.
Now that doesn’t mean that the campaign isn’t effective and compelling. It still is. But…
But…it was SUPPOSED to be real people. And while certain companies can get away with a little bit of winky truth bending, it doesn’t usually include Microsoft.
Microsoft faced controversy a few years back when they released “Ms. Dewey” a search librarian. This campaign featured an attractive actress who would be the sexy face of search. But Microsoft got more than they bargained for when it was discovered that the actress Janina Gavankar was actually in an adult film. So, yeah, that ad campaign generated some negative publicity for Microsoft.
If you’re a marketer reading this, take note. If you plan an advertising campaign that’s based on the testimony of real people, make sure they’re really real people and not “real people who are also professional actors.”
There is a difference.
Interesting Links…Not Necessarily an Endorsement
- Microsoft’s Lauren vs. Apple’s Yau-Man
- Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunter” Redhead Outed as Actress; You’re Surprised?
- NDA! Laptop Lauren can’t say what she thinks of that $700 HP
Microsoft Viral Videos on YouTube
As a Mac user, I quite like the “I’m a Mac…” commercials. They effectively shed doubt upon the Microsoft Windows operating system, which makes it hard to want to buy a PC.
But Microsoft didn’t get to be 90% of the PC market by being non competitive. So it’s no surprise to see them coming on strong with a viral video campaign. Microsoft has always had videos and commercials, but it’s really kind of cool to see them tapping the power of YouTube.
I really like this one featuring “Lauren” who goes to the store to pick out an HP Pavilion with Windows Vista. It’s a slick, well-produced video campaign that positions Microsoft as a value in a tough economy. (As well as HP and Best Buy, also featured in the video. Nice product placements there.)
As of today, Microsoft’s “Lauren” viral video has over 303,000 views. That’s pretty impressive for an ad that Microsoft isn’t paying anyone to view. Zero advertising spend.
Right now, the Microsoft WindowsVideo channel on YouTube, they have 71 videos. The stats show hundreds of thousands of views for some of these clips.
Not too shabby. Even this Mac guy is impressed.
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