Books, comics, games, novels, novellas, shows. All available faster, quicker, and at times better due to new technology.
So if technology is getting us media faster, exactly how is technology changing the media we consume?
Technology
How Cheap Is Also Confusing
Does it seem that a lot of things, especially things in the geekonomy, are cheap or for that matter free?
I've got books on discount by ordering online. I can get epic games for my Smartphone for pennies or dollars. I've got eBooks that are usually cheaper than buying the physical book. I can save money with a simple Netflix subscription that brings me endless streams of DVDs and endless streaming of shows.
The geekonomy is filled with cheap (and Cheap's unltimate manifestation, Free) . . . for all the expensive entry fees of the technology.
Cheap is something people are understandably interested in. We like to save money and spend less. We like to get more for less. Cheap isn't the only thing we're interested in price-wise, but it is certainly a driver for us.
The Fluctuating Future of Free
(Yes, I'm still analyzing Free, Freemium, et. al).
So as I've noted many times – and as can be noted elsewhere – giving things away for free builds trust and you can make money with Freemium. Building trust with free items is an old technique that sadly seems to need to keep being relearned by people.
Free as is rather obvious, is common now with free game demos, free comics, free online books, Freemium games, etc. We're awash in free things.