The above is not a surface argument and it definitely can not be equally made about digital devices. Instead, it remains the strongest argument in favour of paper and, here, it is being dismissed too quickly to discuss much weaker ones.

Let’s take the todo list as an example: on paper it can weigh a couple of grams, be folded and stuck in your jeans’ coin pocket. Even a cursory cognitive task analysis comparing its use with a list on Trello will show that extracting a 130gr phone, recalling pin number/pattern and typing it (or other unlocking related subtask), swiping home screens, identifying trello icon, clicking, waiting for it to open, choosing todo list from documents, opening it, and finally reading, is very very far from the immediacy of extract-unfold-read. The same goes for putting it away, or crossing something out.

“Sensory experience”, as meant in the article (in a suspiciously romantic sense), may play a small role in why people still use paper but the simple fact is that single-task, no-selection required, no-charging required, and better visibility in all lighting conditions, is always going to win, even if we invented beautiful 3D tactile, texturised and “sensory” screens.