rEvolutionary: The Practicality of the iPad for ME.
As per usual I am sitting in Starbucks on my unibody Macbook Pro sipping a ‘Grandé Zen Full Leaf Tea’. I’ve been reading article upon article about Apple’s new mobile device- The iPad. Based on the amount of coverage it has received in the passed weeks I think it’s safe to say that you have seen it, or at least heard of it. For clarification you can find more information here, there, and everywhere. The speculative reviews [not many people have actually seen let alone touched one] are in and the results are mixed. Some people see it as a XL iPod Touch, some see it as a gimped netbook. I see it as opportunity. I see it as a new product that shouldn’t be compared to anything passed. It’s all new, it’s fresh, and the possibilities are endless. One question that I heard time and time again regarding the iPad: “What do I do with it?” I don’t know about you, but I can see many uses for the iPad, and can justify it in many ways. Let’s look at my typical schedule, and how an iPad could settle into it.
I am in Starbucks an average of 5 days a week, for a combined average of about 15 hours. There are days that I wake up, go to Starbucks, and don’t leave until the evening. I use starbucks as my base. If I have errands to run, I start there and eventually find my way back.
To get into town [the hub in which all things in my area can be found or accomplished] I need to travel 25km from my house - a journey I don’t want to have to make more than once a day. When I leave in the morning I have to pack up everything I think I might need for the day, which is likely more than you may think. I pack my camera (a heavy Nikon DSLR), my Macbook Pro, my portable BeatsbyDre headphones, and a change of clothes (for unexpected sleepovers or trips to the cottage). On top of these few items, I also pack a moleskine notebook for scribbles, and a second moleskine that has all my finest photos inside in case I meet someone new that wants to say what I’m all about. Lastly I pack all the necessary cables, batteries, and gadgets I may need for the day. Needless to say at this point - It’s heavy.
Back to Starbucks. “How can you spend so much time there?” Well, for the most part I can do anything at home that I can do at Starbucks [and vice versa]. Starbucks for me is more of the atmosphere I like to work in. It’s ambient, but not distracting. It acts as a center-point for my social life, and a peaceful workplace. With free WiFi I can also work on anything I need to from a desk or comfy armchair. So everyday once I arrive, I pull out my laptop, my moleskine notebook, my moleskine portfolio, some pens, and my iPhone. “To do what?” To browse, read and write articles [such as this], and listen to music. Let’s think about this. I’m carrying around 10-20lbs of tech junk to do three very lightweight tasks.
Let’s look as what I carry, and how I could accomplish the same tasks with less than half the weight.
What’s in my bag:
- Macbook Pro w/ AC adapter and numerous other cables
- Nikon D60 w/ 2 batteries and charger
- beatsbydre Solo headphones
- 2 Moleskine notebooks w/ 3 pilot fineliners
- change of clothes w/ toiletries
- 2 magazines
Now let’s throw an iPad in there and see how it’s many features, and applications can reduce the amount I need to carry.
What’s in my bag:
Macbook Pro w/ AC adapter etc…- Apple iPad w/ AC adapter and external keyboard dock
- Nikon D60 w/ 2 batteries and charger
- beatsbydre Solo headphones
2 Moleskine notebooks w/ 3 pilot fineliners- change of clothes w/ toiletries
2 magazines
So, where are we now? I don’t need the Macbook Pro anymore, nor do I need all the cables, adapters, and chargers. I don’t need my portfolio, because I can have all the pictures on the 9.7 inch screen. I can ditch the paperback copies of GQ because there is an app for that. Makes sense right?
“What about for the heavy stuff?”
The Macbook Pro is a great mobile powerhouse, but I don’t need that. I need screen real estate, and graphics power. The only way for me to be efficient with my laptop when it comes to post processing is to have it tethered to a 24” display, which isn’t mobile at all. The answer to my efficiency will be…iMac. I can have 27” of pure colourful wonder at my fingertips. I can tether it to my 24” display and almost double the wonder. Loads of power for everything that I need, and when I head into town- I have my iPad.
What a lot of people fail to realize is that the iPad is simple and basic on the outside, but what is fascinating is it’s potential to expand it’s abilities using apps, and accessories. It’s interface allows you to work quickly and easily at accomplishing a multitude of tasks. I’ve just explained how I could use it. How about you? How could save clutter, weight, and time with this revolutionary device?
