Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday, 1 September 2023

Elon : next what ? – a paper-thin screen ?

 


 

Context :

X adding voice and video calls is unchartered territory for social media   /   HT   /  01 Sept 2023


Extract :

Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, wants to become a global address book for communication. Elon Musk who is owner and chief technology officer at X, has reiterated that voice and video calls are coming soon on the X platform.


X will now compete with popular and diverse communications apps including the Meta owned WhatsApp and Messenger, Snapchat, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet. However, this will be the first time a social media app has integrated calling as a communication option for its users.


 

No phone number will be needed to access the calling functionality on X, which means any and all Twitter users may be able to call each other. There is no clarity on the structure of this communication feature.

 

 

My  Take :

 

Dear Elon ,


By announcing this Video-Audio calling functionality , you may be doing a little more than “ playing catch up “ with the popular communication apps mentioned in the news


But no “ Breakthrough “ as you have demonstrated with your “ mass produced “ Electric Cars with self-driving feature


Here is what I mean :


For accessing and using by people, all of these communication apps (  Meta owned WhatsApp and Messenger, Snapchat, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet ), need a 8 mm thick screen of a mobile / tablet / desk top etc. ( - the thinnest hardware screens available these days )


How about coming out with foldable hardware screen of 0.1 mm thick ( paper thin ), as described in my following blog ?


A “ hardware “ breakthrough as revolutionary as your electric cars – or your OPTIMUS robot ?


 You Dream : Someone Someday Will Make it Happen

 

Extract :

 

Ø  Next Generation Newspaper ? ……………………………[  21   Mar   2016  ]

 

Extract :

 

Hence , it is only a matter of time before you experience following scenario :


*  Your paper newspaper gets replaced by a plain white LED embedded and

    internet connected sheet of Plastic fold-able too )

    

 *  Every morning , unfold it , and touch on a icon at the top bearing the name of

     your desired news-source (Publication / TV Channel / Web site etc )

     

 *  Touch a Subject Icon ( Politics / Sports / Entertainment / Economics  etc )

     Voila  !


All - and the only news , you ever cared to read - will instantly appear on

that plastic !


Without advertisements , if you so desire


And where , touching on any NAME of any person ( or of any organization ) ,

appearing anywhere , will enable you to,


*  Read out / record your message , or


*  On a virtual keyboard , type out your message


A long press on the name will reveal ALL the messages ever sent to that person (

or that Organization ) , in a reverse chronological order


If any message is a spoken message , the " News-Plastic " ( cannot call it " paper

" ), will read it back to you


Now , those targeted recipients ( of the messages ) will  receive those messages

on their own " News-Plastic " , under an icon called , IN-BOX


Of course , nothing stops them from " long press " on their own name appearing

in the news article and find out what other readers are trying to convey - and in

what context


If  a person's name appears anywhere in the news , in his own " News Plastic ", it

will be highlighted in RED Color


No need for me to search those Email IDs in Google !


For those who worry about invasion of personal privacy , I quote onetime CEO of

Sun Microsystems , Scot McNealy who , in 1999 said :


" Privacy is dead , so get over it "


All that we can hope is that it is an Indian Start Up which comes out with " News

Plastic "


I hope news paper industry remembers Ted Levitt's  ( Marketing Myopia ) :


 " If you don't obsolete yourself , someone else will "


 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  09 Nov 2022

 

Related Reading:

 

Ø  Redesigning Newspapers ?............................. [  23  May  2016  ]


Extract :


With arrival of dozens of news-aggregating Mobile Apps , hard copy news-papers

are in danger of getting " extinct "


What will news-papers look like 5 years from now ?


Here is my prediction :


#   All news will become digital


#   These may appear on your bed-room wall or on a foldable blank sheet of

      plastic ( display device ) , whenever you choose to ignore your Mobile .


      Of course , VR device makers would want you to wear a headset  !


Now comes the FUN part  !


Currently , most hard-copy news papers group their news on pages titled :


City  /  Nation  /  Global - International / Sports / Politics / Entertainment etc



Tomorrow's digital news will get aggregated under following genres :


Scam /  Fraud  /  Fiction-like  /  Irony / Insult / Arrogance / Hope / Reform / Red

 Herring / Shame / Bravo / Future / Ego / Introspection / Ridicule / Bravado /

 Boasting / Insensitive / Scorn / One-up-man ship / Holier-than-Thou / Absurd /

 Tongue-in-Cheek / Laugh / Deja Vu ...........etc


==================================================

 My usual consultations with BARD and ChatGPT , produced following results :

 

BARD  :

 

Hi Hemen,

I think your prediction about internet connected paper thin plastic screens for future newspapers is technically feasible.

Flexible OLED displays are already available, and they are getting thinner and more affordable all the time. It is not hard to imagine a future where these displays are used to create newspapers that are as thin as plastic sheets.

There are a few challenges that would need to be overcome in order to make this a reality. One challenge is the need for a high-resolution display that can still be read at a distance. Another challenge is the need for a durable display that can withstand the elements. However, I believe that these challenges can be overcome with technological advances.

I think your idea of having the ability to interact with the news in a more personal way is also very promising.

The ability to send messages to people mentioned in the news, or to highlight your favorite stories, would make the news more engaging and relevant to the reader.

Overall, I think your prediction is a very forward-thinking one, and I believe that it has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume news.

I am excited to see what the future holds for this technology.

Here are some additional thoughts on the feasibility of your prediction:

·        The cost of flexible OLED displays is declining, which makes them more likely to be adopted by businesses and consumers.

·        The development of new materials and manufacturing techniques is making it possible to create thinner and more durable flexible displays.

·        The increasing popularity of e-readers and other portable electronic devices is creating a demand for new ways to consume news.

I think that all of these factors make it likely that your prediction will come true within the next few decades.

 


ChatGPT :


Your prediction about internet-connected paper-thin plastic screens for future newspapers is an interesting concept, and it aligns with the idea of digitalizing traditional media forms.

While I cannot predict the future with certainty, I can provide some insights into the technical feasibility and challenges of such a concept.

1.     Technological Feasibility:

The development of extremely thin, flexible screens is already underway in various industries, including electronics and display technology. Researchers are working on materials like OLED and e-paper that can be used for such screens. So, from a technological standpoint, creating paper-thin screens is feasible.

 

2.     Connectivity:

Internet connectivity is a fundamental requirement for your concept to work. With the advancement of 5G and beyond, wireless communication will likely be fast and widespread, making it feasible to connect these screens to the internet.

 

3.     User Interface:

Creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface for navigating news on a paper-thin screen will be crucial. Touch or gesture-based interactions, voice commands, or even brain-computer interfaces could be considered.

 

4.     Content Delivery:

For your concept to work seamlessly, content delivery systems would need to be developed or adapted to suit these screens. News organizations would have to format their content for such screens, and issues like ad-blocking preferences would need to be addressed.

 

5.     Battery Life:

These screens would likely be powered by batteries or some other energy source. Ensuring a long enough battery life to be practical for daily use would be a challenge, especially if the screen is constantly connected to the internet.

 

6.     Cost and Mass Production:

Producing such screens at an affordable cost on a large scale is a significant challenge. Elon Musk's success with electric cars was partly due to his ability to drive down the cost of production.

 

7.     Market Adoption:

The success of such a product would depend on market demand and competition from existing digital news delivery methods.

 

In summary, while the concept of internet-connected paper-thin plastic screens for newspapers is technically feasible, it would require advancements in materials, user interfaces, content delivery, and production scalability.

Moreover, its success would depend on various factors, including market demand and the ability to address these technical challenges effectively.

Elon Musk's history of pushing technological boundaries does suggest that ambitious ideas can become reality, but it would likely take significant time and investment to bring this concept to fruition.

 

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai / 02 Sept 2023

 

 

 

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