My MacBook is a little more than four years old, now, and I discovered on the Apple Store today that it might not even come in under the wire for updating to Mountain Lion later this month. Not that it matters—I never got it updated to Snow Leopard, so I’ll probably need help just getting less far behind. Since I live about an hour’s drive from an Apple Store, I really should get a back-up computer just in case mine dies at a very bad time.
So I opted to get an iPad instead.
Yeah, I know. It’s kind of like going to the grocery store for a gallon of milk and coming home with a pint of ice cream. But it does give me an alternative to my BlackBerry, especially since the BB is also on its last legs.
The BB does a good job on two of my four (yes, four) e-mail accounts and on one of my two Facebook accounts, and can do it anywhere I can get a phone signal. But it doesn’t go to the internet well, and there’s always that other Facebook and two e-mail accounts. Oh, and it also does well on phone calls and texts. : - )
The iPad does a great job on all the e-mail accounts, all the Facebook accounts, and internet, but it needs an internet connection. It works great at Panera, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and about any hotel. I could get phone calls if I signed on to Skype. But I haven’t found a way to get text messages yet—so it might not be possible.
And that brings us to this week’s blog prompt—education.
I really get a kick out of learning new technology, but it seems to take me longer than it used to. I refuse to believe that’s because I’m older. I think it’s because no body prints user manuals any more. They try to tell you it’s “intuitive,” and some of it is, even if you’ve never owned an iPod. But how is it intuitive to draw four or five fingers together on a screen to close it? And after years of moving your cursor down a screen to go down, it’s hard to remember to move your finger UP the screen to go down.
So now you know why I’m so late with this blog. (Ok, I’m nearly always late.) I’ve spent the entire week getting an education in the care and feeding of an iPad. (Yeah, feeding—that’s another matter. But I’ve spent less than $10 so far on aps. And one of them shows me the phases of the moon every day of the month. How cool is that?) I still have a lot to learn, but I’m well on the way. Hey, maybe my next blog will be written on my iPad!
I am seriously thinking of that same thing. I want one but don't need one. I have a desktop and I have an hp laptop. Oh and the iPhone. Really don't need that. I would like one though. No. No. No. No
ReplyDeleteSorry, just talking to myself there. Hope you love it!
The more I use it, the more I like it. I think Apple products are designed to send some kind of electronic radiation through us that's addicting.
DeleteI really want one too, but can't yet justify a need. I'll totally need one when I start traveling often again--much better than hauling my laptop around. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, much easier than hauling a laptop. You have my permission to get one. : - )
DeleteI'm stuck by financial deprivation in pc land. Someday, perhaps an apple. Sounds great though. Have fun with the new tech. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWouldn't be surprised if they aren't all tablets in the next 5 years, John. Smaller, faster, cheaper.
DeleteI really enjoyed this blog, Angela! This year has been one of learning new technology and I'm having so much fun with it! I don't seem to have enough time to get to know my new ipad. It's very cool and I look forward to spending a couple of hours, just looking at aps. I love my Macbook Pro. It's a great computer! I recently got an iphone as well. Apple all the way, I guess!
ReplyDeleteI have an old Macbook, before they started calling them all Pros. And I still use my BlackBerry, but it's getting glitchy. Don't know yet if I'll go iPhone or Droid, tho. I'm not reflexively a Mac, but I like them much better than PCs.
Delete