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But wait. Why would I want an iPad? How exactly will it enhance my life? I haven't had many dealings with this new hot item, just seen people play games, read books, check their email, watch movies, watch youtube, go on facebook. Last month at Lake Louise, I even saw a woman holding her up to take photos. (This did not serve to impress me.)
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I'm not convinced. I don't surf the web for pleasure. I try to check my email once a day or less. Facebook, every two days or less, sometimes not even once a week. I don't watch movies. I like reading books printed on paper. Staring at screens for too long make my eyes go wonky. I'd rather play my banjo than play computer games. I like scratching out ideas with a paper and pencil.
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Ah, but I'm blogging, you say. Which is true, but I'm typing all this out on Word, at home, offline. I'll upload it some other day, when I'm in town and have some free time. I've adapted my lifestyle so that I can work offline most of the time, jump onto the internet for a concentrated hour or two, and then get on with the rest of my life.And though I realize that this is not the norm of my generation, I really don't feel it's dysfunctional. I don't hate technology; I just don't see the need to be constantly attached to it. Besides, this laptop suits my needs. Most of my techno time involves inputting and using programs I couldn't access with an iPad, not surfing.
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As I listened to my boss, I considered meeting him halfway and purchasing an iPod Touch, which is the same technology, but more portable, so that it could come in handy as a camera, videocamera, sound recorder, and other various tools that would be practical in its pocket-size. I listed out all the applications that I could possibly find useful. And when the only ones I found that would actually be of use to me – the camera and video camera – I had to wonder if I wasn't better off taking my 300 bucks to buy a decent camera. The sound recorder isn't as good as the portable recorder I have, the tuner isn't as good as my tuner. It's like buying a swiss army knife instead of a bunch of basic utensils for your kitchen. Sure, it can be your can opener, and knife, and corkscrew, and spoon, and nail clipper, but sometimes don't you just want some separate stuff that will do each job well and efficiently?
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And geez, how portable does this stuff have to be? People are raving about how portable their iPads are, how they no longer have to lug around their laptops anymore, as if we were carrying old non-flatscreen-desktop monitors and CPUs around. I choose when to carry my laptop around, and I don't begrudge its weight. When I want to travel light, I don't bring any of that stuff. Just a scrap piece of paper and a pencil in case something comes up.
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The verdict: Screw all that junk. When my current computer is ready to retire, get a MacBook Air, or whatever is even lighter weight and more powerful by then.
