The endless stream

Now, THIS is the one I've been waiting for:

Amazon.com Inc. declined to comment on Monday on a report in Advertising Age magazine that it would launch a movie download business in mid-August.

Speculation has swirled for months that Amazon is working on a digital download service that would allow consumers to download and copy popular movies and television programs.

I hated renting movies because it was just like going to the library when I was a kid. It was lots of fun to go and pick out books, but sheer torture to have to haul the things back when I was done. I probably could have paid for my first semester of college just with the money I shelled out during high school for late fees. Then came Netflix and Blockbusters online rental services. Still, you had to remember to put the things in the mailers when you were done and leave them out for the mail carrier.

I tell you -- we're going to do away with ALL hardware -- CDs, DVDS (who cares which new hi-def format wins?), books. We're even starting to see the first all-digital videocams, no tapes required. There's going to be nothing but an endless digital stream we can capture with a multipurpose handheld device we never have to be without. I KNEW there was a reason to live this long.