From the emergence of the Kindle, to the newly-created Nook, to the astoundingly popular iPad that has already sold 100,000 copies, e-reading and e-books are the newest forms of literature to hit the technological scene. These electronic readers are flying off the shelves, but some may argue that the downloadable media is taking over our country’s print newspapers and magazines.

An article in the MediaShift category of Pbs.org states that even though print might not be completely dead, it has been mostly replaced by the internet because newspapers have no choice but to publish the majority of their breaking-news stories online in order to reach the largest audience possible. The majority of American citizens do in fact frequent the internet more than pick up a newspaper, and a print company will be able to come in contact with a larger variety of people on the web.

Although they are fairly new in terms of popularity, the original models of the Kindle and the Nook have been around for several years, whereas the iPad was recently announced just this year. Apple’s tablet has been changing the way people read in drastic ways. In a review from Ubergizmo, a well-known technological review website, it is reported that books downloaded onto the iPad are considered to be sharper, cleaner, and better quality than actual print books themselves. Newspapers and magazines are clear and easily-readable on the iPad, and can be downloaded in less than five minutes. Considering that it is impossibly easy to order and read a book with the device, people are turning toward the iPad for all of their mobile reading needs, especially since it is not necessary to travel to a library or bookstore in order to get reading material. However, the Nook does support customers traveling to Barnes & Nobles stores, as one has the capability to freely download and read any book while in a store, but it is not mandatory for one to travel to read.

On April 29 of 2010, iPadreview.net stated that in the near future, the Apple iPad users will be able to utilize the iBookstore, iBooks, and an eBookreading application with extreme ease. Although the iPad was hyped up more than the Kindle or the Nook, users of all three devices are forming a new community, the eReading community, and the eReading community is overtaking standard print advocates.

Craig Mod, famous author and designer, as well as the creator of craigmod.com, brings up a fascinating point in his March 2010 blog. He states that the new eBooks and eReaders will have “less [of] an environmental impact” than normal print books due to the lack of materials needed to produce digital media. For global warming fanatics, electronic books are a new method of reading that does not involve the destruction of trees, and therefore the depletion of oxygen. Due to the immensely popular “Go Green” craze, it is assured that this new environmentally-friendly way of obtaining reading material will attract many.

Is print dead? While some argue on the contrary, print is in fact being taken over by eReaders, namely the newly-introduced iPad. Beautiful graphics, quick and easy downloading, and environmentally-conscious production of literature will attract, and has attracted, an exuberant number and variety of people who are looking for a more efficient way to get and devour books on their own time. Print magazines and newspapers may still be in business at the moment, but their future isn’t bright compar