Okay, allow me to admit that since I aquired an iPad, earlier this year, my life has changed. For example, no longer do I need to carry a heavy briefcase, because my documents are on a cloud server. And the physical size and weight of my tablet allows me to bring it with me like a book, or like a small, hardbound notebook. Fabulous!
But yes there are drawbacks. For instance, though I can edit documents on the device, things like page edges and rulers do not appear in my editor. Still, it works, and provides me with a freedom from being tied to reams of physical documents. Even a laptop with a USB drive didn't do that for me.
I can write, read books and newspapers and magazines, do research, email, tweet ... the list goes on and on and on.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Just a phase
Okay, what's the phase I'm speaking of?
Answer? Texting!
From my tiny mound in the woods, it appears that texting will soon become as antiquated as IMing. I truly believe this, and the reason is simple. Texting is a slow communication channel that affords the particpants a restricted amount of true communication.
Think about it. Exactly how much "information" can you convey with just a few keystrokes? I'm speaking of the depth, the quality of the exchange not merely the quantity. Even tweets are better with a max of 140 characters.
So, what made texting attractive in the first place? Well, it uses a shorthand that can easily be deciphered, and seems to be ideally suited to cellphones. But this implies that the longevity of texting is tied to that of the cellphone, which is being replaced by smart phones and tablets.
Texting will never truly "go away", but it will be usurped by newer modes of communications which match newer technologies. This is an evolution, not a revolution.
Nuff said.
Answer? Texting!
From my tiny mound in the woods, it appears that texting will soon become as antiquated as IMing. I truly believe this, and the reason is simple. Texting is a slow communication channel that affords the particpants a restricted amount of true communication.
Think about it. Exactly how much "information" can you convey with just a few keystrokes? I'm speaking of the depth, the quality of the exchange not merely the quantity. Even tweets are better with a max of 140 characters.
So, what made texting attractive in the first place? Well, it uses a shorthand that can easily be deciphered, and seems to be ideally suited to cellphones. But this implies that the longevity of texting is tied to that of the cellphone, which is being replaced by smart phones and tablets.
Texting will never truly "go away", but it will be usurped by newer modes of communications which match newer technologies. This is an evolution, not a revolution.
Nuff said.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The tablet invasion
First, allow me to admit, I own an iPad 2. And it is fantastic. Why? Well mainly because with it I get to leave a bulky briefcase at home. The device allows me to keep all of my work virtual, and have access to it wherever I work. And all I have is the WiFi model!
So, for me, owning an iPad makes a whole lot of sense. But is it for everyone? Absolutely not! Why? Because the act of purchasing a new piece of technology should be to fulfill some existing need. For me, that need was to obtain a portable device, with which to do basic Internet and office activities, that was more portable, lighter, than any other type of device available. The touchscreen aspect was also a draw.
Yes, there are netbooks, but I find them too heavy, and the keyboards too difficult to negotiate. For some reason, I was able to adapt to a touchscreen keyboard quite easily. Then again I am not a touch typist, and therefore do not require the tactile feedback of a more conventional keyboard.
Are tablets the Holy Grail we were all looking for? Hardly. They have their shortcomings as does any new technology. For example, even though they require fewer recharges of their batteries, they still need to be plugged into an outlet when the power runs low. And not all software apps we were accustomed to on traditional computers have equivalents. Even when they do, the apps do not behave exactly the same.
That said, tablets are a step in the right direction. Netbooks also were a good first step, but all they did was reduce size and weight for a portable device. Unfortunately, merely shrinking the footprint created other issues, such as a smaller keyboard, hard for chunky fingers to deal with.
Of course, a touchscreen keyboard does create issues for true touch typists, but somehow this seems to be an something that can be dealt with and overcome.
So, for now, I am a happy camper with my iPad, able to perform needed tasks wherever there's free WiFi.
Nuff said.
So, for me, owning an iPad makes a whole lot of sense. But is it for everyone? Absolutely not! Why? Because the act of purchasing a new piece of technology should be to fulfill some existing need. For me, that need was to obtain a portable device, with which to do basic Internet and office activities, that was more portable, lighter, than any other type of device available. The touchscreen aspect was also a draw.
Yes, there are netbooks, but I find them too heavy, and the keyboards too difficult to negotiate. For some reason, I was able to adapt to a touchscreen keyboard quite easily. Then again I am not a touch typist, and therefore do not require the tactile feedback of a more conventional keyboard.
Are tablets the Holy Grail we were all looking for? Hardly. They have their shortcomings as does any new technology. For example, even though they require fewer recharges of their batteries, they still need to be plugged into an outlet when the power runs low. And not all software apps we were accustomed to on traditional computers have equivalents. Even when they do, the apps do not behave exactly the same.
That said, tablets are a step in the right direction. Netbooks also were a good first step, but all they did was reduce size and weight for a portable device. Unfortunately, merely shrinking the footprint created other issues, such as a smaller keyboard, hard for chunky fingers to deal with.
Of course, a touchscreen keyboard does create issues for true touch typists, but somehow this seems to be an something that can be dealt with and overcome.
So, for now, I am a happy camper with my iPad, able to perform needed tasks wherever there's free WiFi.
Nuff said.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Welcome!
Let's face it, in this day and age (as corny as that sounds), we are all bombarded by new technologies every day ... well maybe not every day, but often enough. Fact is, I've been a technophile, a digital technophile, since I was a teen, back in the 1960's. That means that I've seen new tech come and go and come and go. Anyone still own an 8-track tape player?
So what should you expect in the blog? First, I'll try and use it to take a long-range view of what it means to live in a digital world, showing how many of the issues we face with regard to new technologies have existed for older techs as well.
Second, as I stumble upon new digital technologies, I'll attempt to talk about what they are and how I see them interacting with us. And yes, this is just one person's view, but I've been watching these changes, and teaching courses about them, for many years. I hope that my background is sufficient to lend a certain degree of credibility to the discussion.
Lastly, I'll be using this blog to write about whatever I feel like with regard to our digital world. And yes, I said our digital world. We all live in it, and it's our interactions with these technologies, as well as with each other, that fascinates me to no end.
Therefore, let's enjoy the ride ... together! Who know. Perhaps we'll all learn something new.
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