Friday, August 01, 2014

Late night snack run

Starbucks, Broadway & W 63rd
New York, NY
July 2014
Thematic. What's your tech? Here.
I love my iPad, but anytime someone wants to have the tablet-replace-a-laptop discussion, I have to laugh. Like pretty much any other tablet on the market, my beloved iPad just doesn't have the technological heft to handle all of my work. It's terrible at multitasking, it has so little memory that its browser forces a re-load virtually every time you switch to a new tab, and editing text on a touchscreen is an exercise in frustration.

It's incredible for lightweight pieces of work - quick writing, easy research, catchup-type reading - but anything bigger and I'm switching back to my laptop.

Scene of the crime
Courtesy: Google Street View
Still, when you're walking the streets of New York in search of a friendly Starbucks, it's the perfect machine to reconnect with the world when you finally get within Wi-Fi range. As a complement to the full-blown PC (oops, sorry, Mac - I have my limits) experience, it's become an essential tool. But I can't see myself ever dumping one for the other. Peanut butter, meet chocolate.

Travel recommendation: Google Hangouts + Free Wi-Fi = free phone calls anywhere in North America. Best. Combo. Ever.

Your turn: What technology goes in your bag when you travel?

2 comments:

MissMeliss said...

On short trips, I actually CAN manage with my ipad. I have a Zagg keyboard/case that is suitably typey (you know what I mean? It gives GOOD keypress), and lights up, and since I have both the Mac office solution AND Office 365, and this awesome retractable stylus, I can do a lot. (I'm doing the Dog Days of Podcasting again this year - BathtubMermaid.com - and I'm writing and producing it COMPLETELY on the ipad.)

For longer trips, like when I go to Mexico, I bring my laptop. I'm using a Lenovo IdeaPad ultrabook right now, and I love it to bits. Also, external speakers (for watching Netflix), my iPhone, and my kindle, because I don't like reading on the ipad for long periods.

My other travel MUST? A hidemyass account so I can have a US IP wherever I am (or watch BBC feeds like a native when I'm home.)

Unknown said...

I'm not a techie, but I learn something new on every visit here, Carmi! In fact, I'm still learning my iPhone---7 months after I bought one! :)