(Warning: This post takes a while to get to the point. Scroll through quickly if so inclined.)

At my company, there has been an explosion of Web-based applications and tools for administrative tasks. It all started with an HR site that helps employees request/track our time off, benefits, and pay.

Now we have separate sites (and separate logins and passwords) for the following:

• IT helpdesk
• Salaried employee timesheets
• Hourly employee timesheets
• Expense reports and travel booking
• Back end for web site management
• Back end for blog management
• Remote e-mail access
• F+W intranet

… not to mention separate logins/processes for our desktop computers, internal servers/databases, and internal wireless network.

Eventually (one hopes), all of these separate little sites will become part of a larger F+W intranet. There will be a seamless, integrated, and efficient system, with one access point. I've seen such systems in action with much larger corporations (like hospitals and telecomms).

In my personal life (which is closely connected to my professional life, it must be said), I've been looking for ways to integrate-streamline all my media-notes-stuff in a way that makes it accessible to me wherever I am, no matter what device/platform I'm using, with the least amount of fuss, and least likelihood of catastrophic loss. For instance, I recently lost my cell phone, and with it, every single phone number I've recorded in the past couple years. (The phone was not synced with any of my other devices. Ouch.)

One thing that's helped me is Google; their services tend to be intuitive, free, and exactly what I need. Right now, I'm actively using iGoogle, Google News, Google Reader, Google Notebook, Google Docs, Google Maps, Google Alerts, Google Web History, and Google Calendar. (Note: If you use Google Reader, you can become my "friend" and start following all the articles that I like to read.)

I can envision one day storing all of my documents, e-mails, music, photos, notes, etc. right on Google servers, to create that seamless experience, one access point to my life. And of course that's exactly Google's goal for me too.


In the past month, I've read dozens (if not hundreds!) of articles and postings about e-books and the digitization of content. (I will be posting links/summaries in the next few days.)

Even for someone in the business, someone who's paying attention, it's impossible to keep it all straight …

… all the different formats
… all the different devices
… all the different models
… all the different services
… all the different strategies
… all the different technologies

Exhausting. I can hardly understand it myself, much less explain it to an outsider.

Who is going to simplify this?

Who is going to capture the view from 50,000 feet, understand what an ordinary person wants, then deliver it?

Whatever happens, I can guarantee this:

• a successful solution or product will make things easier, not harder
• a successful solution or product will take the experience to the next level (in terms of usefulness or entertainment)
• a successful solution or product will help people integrate reading/content/information/media into their lives, and streamline all that media, without extra expense and hassle

To bring this to a practical, here's-an-example level: Do I want a Kindle?

Yes.

Do I want another device to lose, lug around, or upgrade/update when a new version releases?

No.

Life needs to get simpler and more organized, not more complex. What can publishers (authors) (content providers) offer to readers that don't make them try extra hard? That fits seamlessly into everyday life? That actually makes reading or finding content easier or more pleasurable and entertaining than ever before? What would delight?

Today, e-books/digitization feels like work. Hard work. (Should it?) Can we envision, then create, solutions/products that make sense to readers—and create a good experience rather than a confusing or frustrating one?

Just initial ramblings; more to come soon.