Digital tales.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Michael L. Tan

WE'VE seen the footage played over and over again on CNN of tsunami waves moving up the shore and making their way inland like some creatures from outer space, devouring anyone and anything in their path.

Besides its graphic display of nature's sheer power, what's so amazing about the videos is that they were not taken by the network's camera crew. They're home videos taken by families and tourists as the tsunami swept in.

It does seem strange that someone would rush to get a camera as a tidal wave comes in, but that tells us something about human beings' need to record everything. From cave paintings dating back tens of thousands of years to home videos today, it seems we're driven to tell others about what's happened and, these days, what's happening.

I thought I'd share a few insights into these digital technologies, digital tales for the new year to emphasize that the future is here, and we better be …