When handheld devices can give as comfortable and convenient a reading experience as printed matter, will books, magazines and newspapers simply die out?
Eventually, yes. However, there is something more comforting about having your information on a foldable, scratchable, tearable material. Once electronic media can replicate this feel, I think we'll start to see a decline in the use of traditional print.
Of Course not, people like newspapers, they feel more confident holding books rather than just listening to them, besides hand held devices break every other week
Everyone keeps saying so, but I don't think its likely. Ted turner predicted in the 80's that newspapers would be gone in 10 years but they're stll around.
As a librarian, I certainly hope not. I really do not think the computers will ever entirely get rid of print media as people will always have the desire to read and books are the "backbones" of reading.