Rating: 
Summary: Being Digital
Review: Reading the book Being Digital by Nicholas Negroponte was interesting in the aspect that the book is five years old in such a fast moving industry and the book is still relevant today. Five years in the computer world may be compared to forty years in other industries. Negroponte mentions the past (atoms) and how he feels computers will take society into the future (bits). The past is being the industrial revolution and the future being the information age. As the industrial revolution changed the direction of society, the information age will change society on the same kind of scale. Possibly someday everything will be automated, all you will have to do is talk to the computer, microwave, and toaster. Past, present, and future computer technologies were discussed throughout the book. Related markets of television with the advancements with High Definition Television (HDTV), and the video industry were discussed with possible idea of where that is going. The book was full with information but seemed to be very boring. I would find myself reading a page and thinking about something else, then having to re-read the page. The book basically analyzes where we have been with computer technology and where it could possibly go. I recommend this book to people who know nothing about the past, present, and future of the computer world and to people having trouble falling to sleep at night.
Rating: 
Summary: Little value today and poorly written
Review: this book may be a few years old now...but...it still holds value for the time and bucks required to ingest this digest. negroponte is a personal hero...a person with a clue of what is coming...the nature of technology...and the mind of a culturally creative. i read this book when it came out...and just revisited it. it is a good read to give someone that might be a technophobe or in denial...it is accessible to the digitally challenged and provides a good carrot to dangle before their nose to encourage them to get engaged.in a digitized world you need to get onto the streaming media...those 0's and 1's that are shaping everything around us. if you are interested in negroponte's playground...you might add stewart brands book on The Media Lab as a trailer to this one...then you will want to go to MIT and play with the future for yourself
Rating: 
Summary: Great all-around presentation of revolutionary thinking
Review: This is one of those rare books that combines easy, enjoable reading with thought-provoking authorship. Even though this book is over 6 years old, the author's theories and predictions still hold true and give you new persective on the digital world and the future of information. A true classic!
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