I am putting down the e-Kool-Aid, reaching for my car keys and proudly driving over to a book store (there are a few left here). I will roam the aisles searching for my summer read, admiring cover art and in-store displays along the way. I will put my book, protected in its bag, somewhere safe until I am ready to attack it, and anticipate the moment when I can crack it open and get lost in the pages. That isnt old-fashioned, it’s a ritual, and one that connects me to the book in a way a download will never replace… and seems Im not alone.

E-Books in America [infographic]

BY DIEGO MARTINEZ-MONCADA 

E-Books, are they as popular as we thought they would become? Well yes and no, while they are not quite as popular as printed books at the moment. They are becoming more and more popular with 17% of Americans having read an e-book before the 2011 holidays and 21% after. While not a staggering stat, it does show people like e-books and more importantly there is growth in popularity.

While printed books remain the top choice for readers those reading e-books with e-content reportedly spend more time reading. With e-content a reader is allowed to get more involved in what they’re reading. Through the simple click of a link an e-book will show you a video or take you to a website full information.

As someone who has used an iPad for my textbooks I have to say I am a fan of the digital medium. It is surprisingly easy to take notes and highlight, something I imagine will only get better after time.

via E-Books in America [infographic].

2011 Women in Graphic Communication Research Study

The outcome of a 2000 RIT Printing Industry Center research study suggested that women made up an integral part of the Graphic Communication industry and would continue to do so.  The researchers of this study suggested that as the industry continued to change and the search for key personnel became more competitive, more women would pursue careers in all areas of Graphic Communication.

The primary objective of this research is to conduct a similar study targeting a larger sample population and to determine how women are positioned in the industry today.  The principal investigator will seek to conduct research with statistical significance which will help validate the trends identified in the 2000 study and assess if they have improved, declined or remained the same. The outcome of this study will contribute to the limited research conducted on this very important subject. Further, it is hoped that the results will be a validation for the women employed in the field of Graphic Communication who face challenges from what continues to be a male-dominated industry.  

The Results Are IN!

Over the past few months Dr. Cummings has been preparing the comparative results. “Looking into the trends that impact women in the graphic communication industry is of utmost importance to me. In fact not just women in graphic communications, but all professional women.  This is one of the primary areas in which my research has been focused over the past 20 years and I am amazed at how far women have advanced and how far they have not.  From the resulting data of this study it is clear that women are a force to be reckoned with in this industry. For those of you who participated in this research please know that your contribution has been invaluable and I could not have done it without you.  I would like to thank you again for all of your support in this process.  I would like to personally thank Deborah Corn, Chief Operations Officer of the Print Media Center for her unwavering support and for helping me share the research survey and results throughout the industry.  I would not have had such a successful response without her assistance.”

A Few Thanks You’s Of My Own…

I would like to thank RIT Grad Student Colby Kibbe for initially contacting me to see if I could help get some participation in this study, Dr. Cummings for her patience as participation grew from a trickle to a steady flow, and also for answering all my emails (lol)… the fantabulous Mary Beth Smith who helped get her LinkedIn Girls Who Print Group involved, the awesome women in my LinkedIn Print Production Professionals Group, and of course to all the women out there who took 5 mins of their time to support this endeavor. 

Abstract

In 2000 a research study was conducted to determine the demographic and employment status of women in the Graphic Communication industry.  In 2011 the research surrounding this study was revisited in an effort to compare the results to the earlier study and to determine if there were any significant trend changes over this eleven year span. In a comparison of the key findings from these two research studies we find that the significant changes are:  1) more women in management and senior management positions, 2) a significant increase in the number of women business owners, and 3) an increase in the length of time women have been employed in the industry.  Rationales for these increasing trends could be related to advances in technology, world demographics and the breakdown of some of the barriers to entry women previously faced.

The outcome of this research suggests that women make up an integral part of the Graphic Communication industry and will continue to do so. As the industry continues to change and the search for key personnel becomes more competitive, it is believed that more women will pursue careers in all areas of Graphic Communication.

Download the Results here:

2011_WomenInCG_Summary

This advert for the Guardian’s open journalism, screened for the first time on 29 February 2012, imagines how we might cover the story of the three little pigs in print and online. Follow the story from the paper’s front page headline, through a social media discussion and finally to an unexpected conclusion

Japan - With the Surprise-Eco Container or Hot Magic Cup, consumers need no longer have to cope with the heat from paper cups containing hot liquids scalding their fingers. This seemingly ordinary-looking cup from Tokan Kogyo Co Ltd (part of the Japanese packaging conglomerate, Toyo Seikan Group) automatically changes its outer layer shape when a thermal insulating layer pops-out when hot liquid, such as coffee or tea, above 85°C is poured into it.

The shape-changing secret of this simple looking paper cup is not magic, but a packaging technology, developed by Tokan Kogyo, featuring a thermal insulation function containing a special heat contraction film lining. When the film comes in contact with heat from the liquid it reacts and shrinks, causing the outer board layer’s die-cut shape to pop out, to creat an insulating barrier from the inner layer in contact with the hot liquid. It also provides a non-slip rib to make the cup easy to grip and hold.

The idea for Hot Magic Cup was borne out of the difficulty consumers face with handling hot paper cups, said Tokan Kogyo, which has a long history of paper cup manufacturing. With changing family lifestyles and increasing paper cups consumption in Japan, the need for a solution was evident. “In today’s Japan, and in the future, we face a changing demographic: low birth rate and longer lifespan,” explained Yuji Nagase, Tokan Kogyo’s General Manager & Group Leader. “As a result, two person family units, comprising just husband and wife are on the increase. This impacts on eating habits.

Continues at:  Shape-changing Hot Magic Cup : World Packaging News.

Gerry Mulvaney speaks to Padraig McGarrigle about the Landa S10 nanographic press

My take-away, print by itself can be multichannel – and Pat will explain how…