Mike Matas

Mike Matas introduced a next-generation digital book. This type of book is like no other. The reader can manipulate the book as wanted. If a certain page has a picture or video the reader can make it full screen or keep it smaller and still be able to see the other text. This allows the reader to further analyze the text. There are interactive pieces in this new book too. Matas used the wind turbine as an example. When Matas blew in the direction of the Ipad the turbine started to move and it showed how the energy was stored and transfer. This certain interactive piece of the book tells a story. As mentioned in Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind, this story will be triggered when trying to recall information. The software used in this book opens up new possibilities in education and leisure.

In Mike Matas’ TEDtalk he only explains how the next-generation digital book works. He does not go into any detail about how to incorporate it in your everyday life. This leaves a lot of area for creativity. He does not explain where this will/can be used or how it is used best. People had to think how they would apply it to their life rather than just being told how to. This creates a more personalized experience. His open-endedness about the use of the digital book differs from the styles of the other TEDtalks. Usual the speaker will present the use of their idea. For example Dave Eggers had a TEDwish. Matas’ approach allowed his talk to reach into the world of the listeners. Striving for the speech to be somewhat personal in the audience’s lives has run parallel through all the TEDtalks I have listened to.  Although, Matas did not seem super excited or overly passionate about his idea, the newness of the book over shinned that in some ways. If he did express more passion in his voice I think his software would have come across better.

Since the book is interactive, students will become more engaged in what they are reading. Also a non-fiction book can provide even more information on the subject without adding lengthy articles, which tend to get boring and interrupt the flow of the book. Being the person who cannot read more longer then fifteen minutes before having to take a break or look at something else, I think that the next-generational book will keep me interested.  All of the pictures and video clips will allow my eye to be “entertained” by something other than just words. The extra items in the book enhance the visual beauty as well as its content. The short clips of video or a picture will also enhance the readers understanding of the topic.

The interactive book could also take a step into the fictional world. There could be a small clip showing what the character is doing. The technology put into this book could take the reader beyond their seat. The reader could be “inside” the book. The video could be from the main character’s view point. The reader/watcher would never see the main character because the reader would be the character’s eyes.  Reading a book will change drastically if this new technology becomes main stream.

I cannot stop imagining how this technology can go further than just reading books. This could expand to text books and lesson plans. With an interactive more portal text book, learning would be at children’s fingertips. They would be able to manipulate and use their text book as they feel needed. This software could also become a key part of teacher’s lesson plans. Each student could buy their teacher’s book the first day of school. Each page would represent a new day. On that page there would be the pictures and videos you had to watch that day. Along with that if you needed read out of a text book or other text it would be in that chapter or page. Instead of paying taxes for going to school, they would be for buying your personal Ipad. This Ipad would have the text books and teacher books you needed. The software could lead to a new type of education beyond reach right now. This would allow the student to personalize the way they learn and comprehend. There would be no limits or setbacks. It would a person and their wish to learn.

Mike Matas’ TEDtalk opens a world of possibilities. His software can be put to use in many different fields. His idea was defiantly worth sharing.