I spent my first day at Book Expo (BEA) at the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) conference. There were good presentations but the one that gave me an 'aha' moment was on e-reading devices presented by Gartner.

Allen Weiner from Gartner prefaced his predictions by asking what customers need. They consume information at home, travel, leisure, and at the office. With the cloud the device will no longer matter. Customers will use the device most convenient to them whether it's a PC, a tablet or a reading device.

He expects Amazon to have two new devices this year. While Google and Apple compete, he predicts that Amazon will be the big winner on the cloud.

Weiner also said that no one does social media right yet. He thinks social media needs to do a better job of integrating retail. He also believes that recommendations will drive sales in the future. And that traditional marketing will no longer work.

All this was a big WOW to me. I loved hearing the Gartner predictions and look forward to seeing where publishing is going!

What do YOU think? Stay tuned for additional reports from Book Expo America 2011!