Last night, Amazon offered me a book I was sure to find interesting: “The Kailing Name in History.” For only $29.95!

OK, you say, so why were you searching for your own name on Amazon? Gosh, don’t we all Google our own name or search other online databases? <wink>

By combining variable imaging, a dynamic web page, variable data printing, and print-on-demand, Amazon is demonstrating the power of “cross-media” in merchandising customized books. (Read the article)

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The International Consumer Electronics Show and MacWorld led Mike Musgrove of the Washington Post to comment on the number of new phones coming out with touch screen technology - inspired by the iPhone.

What, you say, the iPhone was NOT the first touch screen telephone? No, sorry, Apple didn’t invent touch screen technology. But as we see how the iPhone and iPod Touch have taken off, you would think they had a corner on the market. Not only is touch screen technology NOT limited to the telephone; there are some pretty exciting developments coming down the road! (Read the article)

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While I’m extremely fond of print - I love the intensity of the color, the texture of the paper, and even the smell of the ink - digital brochures certainly have a place in Marketing Communications! Until now, however, a digital brochure was simply a PDF posted to a web page or - one step up the complexity ladder - a printed brochure replicated as a web page.

Take a look at something ISI Technologies is doing. They have combined audio and video with static text and images to take full advantage of the multi-media capabilities of the Web.

Xplor International is a trade organization of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify, and deliver customized information. Until now - those customized documents were only printed. To promote the Xplor Global Conference (March, Boston), the organization’s Executive Director, Skip Henk, is using not only direct mail, direct email, a website, and printed collateral, but he’s also testing a digital brochure for this year’s event.

There’s animation, audio, video, and advice from Ben Franklin and Paul Revere! Check it out!

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Yesterday, WhatTheyThink posted my article “Who will pick up the pieces after Quebecor World crashes?” where I discuss some of the causes of the company’s financial difficulties.

Today, I posted a piece on PrintCEOBlog that details the latest efforts to bring financial stabilization. Unfortunately for Quebecor World, it looks like the only option is to file for bankruptcy and sell off the company; most likely in pieces since the debt burden will make it too much of a chunk for another company to handle.

The last time I checked, the stock was selling for about 22¢ - awful for a company whose stock was $14.79 just about this time last year.

Take a look… IQW - A Penny Stock? Quebecor World Shares for a Quarter, Anyone?

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Add one more to the category of “New or Unusual Printing Technology” with CandyFab! Using a type of 3-D prototyping - printing in three dimensions with inkjet deposition technology - you can print any thing from candy treats to sophisticated sculptures out of sugar. The image at the left uses a design from a sculptor named Bathsheba Grossman; see her work at www.bathsheba.com.

So how does it work? Rapid prototyping machines (3-D printers) are a relatively new form of manufacturing that builds objects in three dimensions by carefully depositing materials drop by drop, layer by layer using a form of inkjet deposition. With the right set of materials and a geometric blueprint, you can fabricate complex objects that would normally take special resources, tools and skills if produced using conventional manufacturing techniques.

To read all about it go to CandyFab.org.

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Technology replacing atoms with bits has produced some incredible “printing” processes.

The first is ZINK Paper™. By embedding dye crystals in a composite substrate with a protective polymer coating, anything that can be printed can be “printed” ink-free. An application of heat melts the dye crystals and - voilá - you have a photo-quality print. Polaroid offers a tiny little digital printer - and will probably build one into a camera soon enough - so that the result is a photo that shoots out of the printer, much like the old Polaroid camera days. (Read the article)

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