The first two of these reminders came from the chair of this year's arrangements, Stan Pantel of Atlanta's JOURNAL and CONSTITUTION, and the third from Richard Gottlieb, president and chief executive of Lee Enterprises and chairman of the Newspaper Association of America, sponsors of NEXPO and Connections.

Newspapers have already shown a pioneering spirit (sometimes more, sometimes less) in applying their energies to evolving distribution and business models to Internet developments.

Combining the potential of the three, already-available display technologies described by the morning's three guest speakers with the newspaper industry's imagination, pioneering spirit and innovative use of energy and resources, may soon yield the industry's next quantum leap.

Emerging technology -- combining the ease of use and portability of paper and on-line delivery of information via desktop computing -- may affect how we deliver news to our subscribers. Flat panel display -- portable, lightweight, and flexible to deliver may be almost as easy to use as a newspaper, said Gottlieb.

Danny Chapchal, chief executive at Cambridge Display Technology, Ltd., and former head of Atex, introduced the group to light-emitting polymer (LEP) technology. "Imagine a piece of specially coated polymer or plastic that illuminates when electric current is induced," said Chapchal. "Different colors are achieved by different polymers, thereby effecting the whole color spectrum; because it is polymer-based, it can take many shapes -- it is flexible, it does not have to be rigid or delicate. It is, inherently, a strong and rugged technology."

Where might LEP displays lead the newspaper industry? "From paper to polymer, which is portable yet durable. The industry will be provided with an alternative delivery mechanism for daily news," said Chapchal. The downloadable newspaper, 80 pages at once, whether on LEP, only 2 millimeters thick (or others, which may be even thinner), which would have ability to carry information at all times.

William Manning believes his four-year-old company is making progress at the same (forgive the hyperbole) astonishing rate as Chapchal's.

Manning, president of Manning Ventures in Rochester, N.Y., and chairman of the board of Kent Displays, described his own, fast-moving version of flat panel technology: screens that, once the image is delivered, work without power. "Our solution," he said, "although in some ways comparable to Cambridge, because it also can be put on plastic ... [and is a] lightweight, durable reading devices. It is an enabling piece to other pieces already in place. It puts together an electronic reading device to deliver news that can truly compete with other media, offering focus and the in-depth reporting and completeness of a traditional newspaper; convenience of information on demand -- anyplace; it can be broadcast or narrowcast; and it can be competitive in terms of timeliness, and also cost effective. With exception of the hardware involved, he added, the cost of distribution is zero.

"Print as we know it must evolve to survive; are you going to be a part of that evolution?" he challenged, then added that the solution is an electronic reading device.

"The business model of today versus yesterday is moving from print to electronic medium business, but print will be a part." Manning warned that "evolution is moving at a quick pace. But evolution is deceptive ... it can be more dangerous than revolution -- it starts slowly but gathers momentum and those that aren't aware are overwhelmed by it."

Up until now, said Manning, power usage has been one of the obstacles in similar devices. At this point, though, nothing new needs to be invented. The devices can use most existing interconnects, and in the last month, the company has accomplished what it expected to take much longer: full color display, increased brightness, stacked cells, and new materials. "Technology is an enabler, and we will see this technology in some consumer products within six months," he promised.

"Bits and bands are a commodity," he said, then quipped, "The technology giving you heartburn today could well be your salvation tomorrow."

Joel Pollack, associate vice president for display products at Vancouver, Wash.-based Sharp Microelectronics Group, shared details about continuous grain silicon display technology -- and the not-to-distant development of a paper-thin device that combines both computer and monitor.

Again, like other technologies described in the morning's venue, the technology to make a device that looks like a piece of paper and that matches its contrast quality, but able to be updated, is available now. Price, however, remains an obstacle, said Pollack.

But the wide-scale use of these technologies -- in government, as well as in consumer-driven industries such as automotive, insurance and financial markets -- will mean much greater affordability. As soon as the end of the year, be looking for a web phone that is interactive and lets you see the menu of your favorite pizza cafe, quotes from the stock exchange and the movie listings. And it will be based on Sharp's highly reflective, thin, low weight, portable, full-color, high-speed, front-lit and touch-screen compatible

-- L. Carol Christopher