Something Wonderful From Merck -- Against The Grain

I spend a lot of time on this blog critiquing the moves of New Merck (as the successor-in-interest to Schering-Plough, as of November 4, 2009), but this -- I must say -- is at least one thing that Merck has gotten absolutely right.

Perfect, in fact.

For a year or so now, Merck's Manual has been available as an application for PDAs. The iPhone version is both beautiful, and elegantly functional. [The image above is courtesy AgilePartners; you may puchase it there as well -- via this link.] Having it around, in digital form, at a moment's tap, whether one is in the high Andes, in the rolling hills of northwestern Ireland, or the deserts of Arizona -- or even on the southern tip of Florida Keys -- is far easier than traveling with that hard-copy, wonderful, but weighty tome in tow.

So -- well done, Merck -- spot on! Highly recommended:

. . . .Based on the world's most widely used textbook of medicine—The Merck Manual—but written in everyday language by 300 outstanding contributors. . . .

Not entirely unrelated aside: The New York Times is running a very long article this afternoon -- on how Apple's App Store has so completely overwhelmed older methods of distribution -- that now each competing smartphone (or software platform) is offering its own App Catalog (Palm; WebOS), Windows Marketplace for Mobile (Microsoft; WindowsME), Android Marketplace (Google; Android) and Owners' Lounge (Blackberry; RIM).

And each of these is sure to soon have (or already does have) the Merck Manuals in smartphone-accessible forms. Well, nothing exceeds like. . . excess, eh?