Oh for a time machine. Attempting to predict future behaviours is tricky to say the least, and I was given pause to examine my own thinking last week when I found myself engaged in an exchange of views with a fresh-faced young chap (FFYC) via Twitter.

The discussion started when I tweeted a review of Apple's much-hyped iPad by our colleagues at sister title Media Week, in which the journalist stated "there is a danger... it will hasten the decline of print products".

Naturally this comment had me putting more work into ever-deepening frown lines. FFYC, meanwhile, responded to the tweet by asserting that "the next generation will have no interest in carrying print around". Cue further frowning, hair-pulling and gnashing of teeth at this end.

My rejoinder to FFYC was that yes, I could indeed still see the young (and old) folk of the future happily picking up a copy of, say, ShortList or Stylist to read on the commute home, no batteries required. Those particular mags being at front of mind following last week's uplifting encounter with Mike Soutar.

FFYC hit back with: "Seriously? In 20-30 years? iPad like devices will cost peanuts and the content will be rich."

And there our mini-debate ended, with me responding "seriously".

Am I guilty of wearing print blinkers, here? If I had a pound for every time someone at a conference has trotted out the old line about television not destroying radio, I'd probably have well over a hundred quid now. But there's a truth in this hackneyed example, in that any medium that fulfills a need simply and well is guaranteed longevity. And if we are indeed all reading on iPad-like devices come 2035, then a printed product will surely provide a major opportunity for brand differentiation.