Dead trees; how quaint

Rico says that he was pondering, as he's wont to do, the publishing industry (in which he used to make his living), and wondered how long printed stuff (books, magazines, even newspapers) have to live. Even with the technology available today, let alone what's coming (the iPad 3 is supposed to be revealed today), why would anyone ever spend the money to actually print something? Of course, flipping pages on your (bleagh) Kindle isn't quite the same tactile sensation as turning the page of an actual book (let alone the smell of a bookstore), but there you jolly well are, aren't you?