“It’s the age of the media gadget” according to Michael Wolff’s provocative article in the December issue of Vanity Fair. His thesis is that specialized gadgets–from the iPhone to Google’s maps–are challenging the networks and the purveyors of “convergence” such as the XBox. Moreover, the popularity of gadgets that facilitate piracy and the downloading of other things that consumers get for free will take power from the content providers. I think things are in too much turmoil now to know whether his thesis is right–these gadgets and their providers all aspire to be at the center or at least significant players in the emerging ecosystem that combines digital content, mobile, advertising, and who knows what else. And, of course, the personal computer was a gadget by Wolff’s definition when it was first introduced. What do you think–is it the age of the media gadget or just a hiccup on the way to an Apple-centric, Google-centric, something-else centric universe?