Going digital in 2010.

Mark my words, the following phrase is going to be next "it is what it is". It's going to the next phrase that you'll hear people saying ad nauseum, to a point that you'll end up blogging in anger just because you'll hear it over and over again. A little like the Macarena, but with people who are not as well dressed as the two guys from Los Del Rio.

"going digital".

Yup, I'm telling you, it'll be the buzz phrase of this year, if not this decade.

And, when you're wondering who to blame, point your ire in the direction of Apple and Amazon.

This all started with a conversation I was having with my father. Now, my dad was a VHS fiend back in the day. Home videos, videos from his job (he was a mechanical engineer and filmed production of the materials his company made. Yup, literally videos of cups and other things on an assembly line. And, sometimes he'd make me watch it. Ugh, that had to be some form of child abuse right?)

Now, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. In fact, it pretty much fell right next to it and is growing up to be pretty much the exact same tree. While I never actually filmed anything, I built a collection of dvds, vhs tapes, comic books, graphic novels, and regular books that could furnish a wing of a town library.

During the summer, as I did for part of last summer, I move down to North Carolina, where my girlfriend lives. Last year, I packed several books into a box, along with my PS2, and drove it all down to Durham, North Carolina.

So, I began to wonder-wouldn't it be simpler if I could just have one device for all of my books? One device that lets me read everything, listen to my music, and maybe play on the internet?

The opening salvo for all of this began with the Kindle-Amazon's e-reader. The device allowed us all to wonder if we need to stop actually buying books, and just, well, "go digital".

The benefits just started spouting out like a fountain-less paper, less space used up in our homes, less stuff to move one day. Ultimately, less clutter. In a time when people are trying to save money, the idea of actually renting space for storage is quickly heading to the sidelines. Space is at a premium for many of us now, and any way to start saving some of it is a must.

With the Kindle, books and magazines could all be found in one device. No more large bookshelves, and piles of magazines-just one device with a WiFi connection that allows you to access the largest library imaginable-the world's.

So, Amazon was enjoying the extra pub, literary purists started to scowl, and any student started to wonder if this would finally be the end to ten lb. textbooks.

Then, April 3rd happened.

Apple's Ipad basically lets you perform three essential functions:

1. Watch

2. Browse

3. Read

The Ipad serves as a digital reader, which is automatically going to put a dent into Amazon's Kindle profits. On top of that, Amazon's actually anticipating this by providing a Kindle app which will allow an Ipad to access Amazon's large library of eBooks.

With various companies putting out applications to work with the Ipad, such as Netflix, ABC Television (alternative to Hulu for Flash fans), and YouTube, the Ipad can serve as your mobile tv.

And, of course, Apple's web browser, Safari, is available, so email addicts like myself can check messages with the device.

Haters have already labeled this as a bloated Iphone/Ipod Touch. Probably true, but so what?Consider this: no more books, cds, or dvds. One device to rule them....oops. Had a Tolkien moment right there.

While I first started thinking about the Kindle, after playing with the Ipad twice, it's pretty clear Apple's about to make a few more bucks off of me. First it was the Ipod Touch, now this.

The point is, physical media is clutter; it's cumbersome, unwieldy, and a royal pain in the ass to move around.

It has to stop. I want to be able to take my media with me, without having to bring an extra suitcase or a carry-on bag.

2010 is going to be the year I start saying "no mas". No more trips to Barnes and Noble, my comic book shop (sniff, tear), or to Best Buy. My media's going to be digital. My back, arms and shoulders are already giving each other high-fives, and saying "hallelujah". And, my girlfriend will be happy knowing that her apartment isn't going to look like a vagrant drifter who enjoys a few good books is setting up shop.

Now, the next problem is, how to keep my girlfriend from taking my Ipad.