New York Times Knows the Future is Electronic

The New York Times, the largest metropolitan print newspaper in the United States, is demonstrating the impact that digital markets have had on print journalism by developing technologies that cater to niche markets (like bloggers), a generation of people who prefer digital over paper and Google mash-ups. Specifically these include: (via Scobilizer)

A prototype newspaper rack that could print out a custom version of the newspaper.

Tons of gadgets, including a cool thin book reader following a discussion of metadata that the New York Times is collecting. They have these gadgets so they can develop new ways of delivering content to those devices. In this video they announced a Mac version of the Times Reader, coming “within days.”

New York Times articles showing up on Google Earth while in their digital living room.

Will these technologies reverse circulation declines for the paper? Is print media production destined to become obsolete? Developments at The New York Times are crucial for the future of old media.