Person of the Year!

Based on internal survey data, I know that many of our readers are skeptical about blogs. But now that Time Magazine has named me person of the year, I’ll hope you’ll reconsider.

At a minimum, blogs look to be good for the digital imaging business. User-generated content may not always be informative or relevant, but it is driving an enormous amount of interest in (and use of) digital imaging equipment — at least according to the vendors I speak with.

Photo blogs like Flickr, video sites like YouTube and social networking sites like MySpace are playing an ever-larger role in how imaging manufacturers market their products. Sony couched their entry into hard-drive-based camcorders by referencing YouTube users as one of their primary targets (apparently kids are getting a much bigger allowance these days). Pentax is playing up the ability to record DiVX video on several of their point-and-shoots. If you read Logitech’s financial, you’ll see their video products segment increased sharply in sales.

So while it may not be terribly edifying to watch a teenager play the Star Spangled Banner with his armpit, rest assured that many vendors see his virtuosity as a major trend.