Unless you’ve kept your eyes closed and ears plugged in the last 24 hours, you have probably heard about Apple Inc’s new iPhone.

Skipping the geeky gadgetry behind this, (go to Engadget for that), let’s take a moment to think about what this means for new media.

Oddly enough, what put this in perspective for me was a post by Micah Sifry over at Personal Democracy Forum about the impact of technology in the upcoming presidential campaign.

Among the list of important developments: municipal wi-fi, cell phones, BlogTalkRadio and video blogs.

Apple’s iPhone enhances the context and function for all of these. And truth be told, it’s only the start. Remember first generation iPods? With the iPhone Apple is taking a first step in the direction of true ubiquitous computing – and at the same time putting an end to the era of the traditional PC.

As Giga Om points out:

“Apple is making the phone do all things a computer does; surf, email, browse, iChat, music and watch videos. Nary a keyboard or mouse in sight, and everything running on OS-X.”

And perhaps the iPhone will become electronic reading tablet that will nail the coffin shut on print paper. As the saying goes – all that’s needed for news is a medium that people feel comfortable taking into the four B’s (bathroom, bus, boardroom, breakfast table), and just as the iPod changed where we listen to music, the iPhone is positioned to do the same thing for news. For now I’m sticking with dead trees, but a change could be brewing.

Another interesting development is Apple Computer Inc’s new name change. Henceforth, Steve Jobs proclaimed, the company is just Apple Inc – the “computer” is dropped.

So what’s in a name?

Everything.

Apple isn’t in the business of selling computers anymore, just as journalism isn’t necessarily part of the media anymore.

“I had a great chat this morning with an old friend who works at a major U.S. university. She told me the board is considering dropping “mass” from the Mass Communications Department. Other schools have already done this, and it, too, is reflective of our changing world.”

.

David Cohn is the editor for NewAssignment.Net and in full disclosure was raised on Apple computers.