We live in a world that increasingly resembles the science fiction stories of our youth.

For example, nearly all of us have mobile phones that are very much like the communicators that appeared in the Star Trek television series in the late 60s. But in fact, our mobile phones are not mobile phones. They are hand-held computers that we can watch movies on or surf the web or check our email that also happens to be a phone.

The world we live in is pretty amazing and is rapidly changing in astonishing and unexpected ways thanks to our advancing technology. But if we are living in a world that seems straight out of a science fiction novel, then how is our current technology changing science fiction?

We’ll explore that question on today’s Small World.

We’ll talk with Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing fame and author of his recent book, Makers, about eReaders and digital rights management. We’ll also talk with Annalee Newitz, the editor-in-chief of the io9, a blog that focuses on science fiction and futurism, about how we’ll get our media tomorrow. J.C. Hutchins, the author and podcaster of 7th Son, will talk about the changing role of publishers and content creators. Steve Eley, the founder of the Escape Pod science fiction short story podcast, will talk about the possible demise of science fiction magazines.

The incidental music heard on today’s show comes to us by way of the Soulphonic Soundsystem. We heard Soulphonic Soundsystem’s “Motanica,” “Catalina Sunset,” “Mr. Sparkle,” “The Ambassador” and “Nutmeg.”

As always, you can reach me at smallworldpodcast@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/smallworld

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