Reading Matter

Y’know what’s cool about Star Trek? Everything, duh! Okay even I don’t believe that’s true, but here’s what I’m talking about specifically: (Fun Fact: I pronounced “specifically” as “pacifically” up until 7th grade, when I said it in a sentence in class and everyone laughed at me. Learning through ridicule, my favorite method!) Everything in their world is on the computer.

“Computer! List all information on Orion Slave Girls.” BAM!

“Computer! Play Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto, movement 2.” BAM!

“Computer! Open Holodeck Program “Mobey Dick”, chapter 15.” BAM!

Why the computer sounds like Emeril Lagassi on my journal, I do not know, but I want that! Everything is at the touch of their fingertips, or voice command, in this case. Ever notice their rooms? They own nothing! And why should they when everything is on their PADD? No dusty shelves full of CDs, books or Orange-Ray DVDs, (Blu-Ray of the future).

This appeals to me, which is somewhat weird, as ten years ago it definitely would not have. I liked owning things back then. I still like owning things, in a crazy, unhealthy fanatical way that I try to avoid as much as possible these days. At some point it started to feel more like I was trying to fill a hole in my empty soul over actually enjoying what I was collecting. Collecting for the sake of collecting. Plus the storage requirements were getting annoying, and if I had to move? Forgetaboutit.

Now I only collect “normal people” stuff, but even that takes up space and requires care and organization and dusting, oh god the dusting!  And it occured to me that the output on all these THINGS are far more important than the package they come in.  So what can I do to destory the package?

BOOKS

There are eBooks.  I haven’t devlved into that technology yet, but I know they’re out there.  I have looked into it a little and, at the time, every book I spot checked for wasn’t available in eBook format, so that makes it unlikely I could go completely eBook.  Plus, Star Trek aside, I don’t know that I could read everything off a eReader, or whatever they’re called.  Then again, I look at a monitor all day with no problems, is it any different?  In fact, the eReader probably has magnification and lighting options that would be easier on the eyes than your standard paper variety.  But the smell wouldn’t be there.  I do love the smell of books.  Sniffing a page often inspires me to read, in fact.  (Duh, I’m weird.)  But having no more use for bookcases and having every book you own in the palm of your hand might make up for lack of smell.  Maybe I could just spray “Perfume La Book” on my eReader.

Of course, that’s just novels.  I have a boatload of reference books as well, “How-To”, “Behind-the-Scenes”, “The Art Of…” etc.  These probably wouldn’t translate well to eBook format.  On the other hand, 99.99% of all my research these days is performed online, so wouldn’t that allow me to eliminate many a reference book?  I’d have to look at what I have, but even if I can’t find an online equivalent, I can’t remember the last time I looked through one of these books, so how important could they be?

FILM & TELEVISION

I know you can download movies and TV episodes onto the computer.  I haven’t tried it, but I’ve seen it on iTunes.  And computers these days come with fancy 1080p montors and cable hookup, so lots of people are using their computers as televisions.  Cool, but not for me.  I like my TV and computer as seperate entities, for the most part.  I watch YouTube type stuff on my computer sure, but I like laying on my couch, eating Doritos off my belly and watching a movie on my actual television.

I should have done some research before posting theories about this, but wouldn’t it be cool if there was a DVD player/hard drive that you could burn all your DVDs into and then manage it via your TV?  Like an iPod, only bigger and for DVDs.  There probably is such a thing, and if there’s not, there should be.  I know you can plug an actual computer into your TV, but again, I’m not trying to integrate the two.  I don’t want to boot up a computer to watch a movie.  I don’t want my computer to have to be within reach of my TV.  I’m just talking about a player that only exists to store and play my DVDs.  I turn on my TV, switch to this magical player, browse the movies I have burned in it and click play.  Doesn’t that sound good?

Throw all your DVDs into your garage, sell ‘em on eBay, whatever.  Everything’s in this DVD player shaped box under your TV.  Like I said, I haven’t looked into whether this technology already exists, but I’m leaning on the negatory side.

MUSIC

This one is easy, and already being done.  I run all my music through the computer or my iPod these days.  I don’t buy “real” CDs anymore, because everything is available in MP3 format.  No cracked cases, no finding a missing disc, everything is run through iTunes, which easily filters what I’m looking for.   As far as portabiliity, I use my computer as a stereo, for the most part.  They also make portable stereos you can plug your iPod into.  I haven’t bought one, but if I ever felt the need to, they are everywhere and cheap.  The Girl’s car has a port I can plug my iPod into, and while my car is too old to sport this feature, my car doesn’t have a radio or CD player period (got stolen years ago), so it doesn’t matter what format I stick to.  And if worse came to worse and I actually NEEDED to have a CD of something, I can just burn a CD of the something and not worry about losing it or getting it back or damaging it because it’s just a dumb ol’ copy.  Yes, the music tech is good, and very close to Star Trek, though I still can’t get my iPod to take voice commands.

The only downside might be that MP3 format isn’t necessarily “high definition”, or whatever the musical equivalent would be.  Personally I can’t hear the difference between a CD and a burned CD, but then my ears probably aren’t skilled in this regard.  And maybe if I were using music in some sort of production capacity, MP3 format wouldn’t be good enough.  But I’m not, so who cares?

CAPTAIN’S LOG, SUPPLEMENTAL…

The music is down.  I have to do research on the movies, but even if it doesn’t exist, it will soon.  The books still seem a ways off in terms of availabilty and interest, (everyone I know sneers at the idea of reading digitally), so who knows if that will ever take off.  But maybe I could just stick to the library and still avoid the need for bookcases.  I feel like we’re close though, to living in my Star Trek house. In fact, the technology is definitely there, and I’m sure more than one nerd as dropped a huge bundle to have their house computerize everything.  Apple will get me there, I just know it!